With the Boston Celtics and the rest of the NBA now more than a month into the league’s 2023-24 campaign, we are beginning to get a clearer picture of what each ball club in the Association is this go-round. And to such an end, Bleacher Report NBA analyst Zach Buckley has assembled his own list of the biggest winners and losers in the league now that about a quarter of the games have been played for the season.
“Just because a team or player’s performance is branded a “loser” now, certainly doesn’t mean that will apply through April,” as well as the inverse, cautions the B/R analyst, but that won’t stop us from taking a peek at his assessment of the Celtics.
Let’s dive in below.
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“Few, if any, 2023 summers look as good a month into the season as that of the Boston Celtics,” writes Buckley. “When their two highest-profile additions, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, are both on the floor, Boston is plus-13.1 points per 100 possessions.”
“When you add their two best holdovers from last season, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White, that number skyrockets to plus-28.2. With Holiday and White, Boston has the almost undisputed best defensive backcourt in the NBA. Backing them up with the switchability of Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and the rim protection of Porzingis, gives the Celtics a nightmarish resistance.”
“Porzingis’ ability to command defensive attention 28-30 feet from the rim has opposing bigs scrambling on the perimeter and teammates exploiting wider driving lanes inside,” he adds.
Larry Bird once ate ten gallons of ice cream while injured https://t.co/46t0FPqP2C pic.twitter.com/jBkSUNjhyQ
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 30, 2023
“We’ve seen this story before,” suggests the B/R analyst. “Boston has dominated regular-season metrics on more than one recent occasion. Things could change deep in the playoffs.”
“But the balance and high-end talent on this roster has it looking like the best team in the league right now.”
Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins explains why he is such a big fan of Jaylen Brown https://t.co/fgFwYB0oNs pic.twitter.com/E4nDncrxBI
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 30, 2023
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