Souvenirs from Celtics’ 3-1 journey out west

Tuesday’s 118-106 win over the Denver Nuggets capped off a four-game highway journey out west for the Boston Celtics. The Cs logged a 3-1 file, falling solely to the 30-5 Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder.

I believe when you informed Celtics followers that the crew would fare this fashion when the NBA launched its schedule again in August, they’d really feel fairly proud of it. Hell, when you informed them {that a} week in the past, they’d react the identical. Taking three of 4 from a trio of Western Convention heavies on the highway, plus an up-and-coming Houston Rockets crew isn’t any joke (even when Nikola Jokic didn’t play for the Nuggets).

The timing of this stretch was preferrred.

Boston had simply limped via December, dropping a handful of winnable video games on their method to an 8-6 file. They wanted a bounce-back like this. Not solely did they bounce again within the win column, however they merely took some strides ahead in some essential areas.

How about some protection?

Maybe the biggest looming query after that lackluster December was in regards to the Celtics’ protection. After each loss, Joe Mazzulla would take the rostrum and be questioned about his crew’s effort ranges and give attention to that facet of the ball.

The person in cost didn’t fully give his crew a move, however did shine some mild on the likelihood that they have been in a stoop and the bounces weren’t going their approach regardless of a strong effort.

“It’s so simple in charge effort versus ‘simply make a shot,’” Mazzulla informed reporters forward of the New 12 months’s Eve win over the Toronto Raptors. “As a result of our anticipated protection is No. 1 within the final 10 video games, and our layup proportion protection is No. 1 within the final 10 video games, and our anticipated factors per shot protection is like No. 3 within the final 10 video games. However you realize what our 3-point proportion is? It’s twenty eighth… We do must play higher, although, on each ends of the ground. Let me be very clear. There’s 10 to 12 possessions per recreation the place we completely must be higher on the defensive finish of the ground. I wish to ensure that I’m 100% clear on that. However it is vitally, very simple when issues aren’t going effectively in charge protection and energy.”

The Celtics packed that effort up and introduced it out west with them, for certain. Aside from the opening recreation towards the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston held every crew to a minimum of 10 fewer factors than their season averages.

In the course of the four-game span, they allowed the fewest subject targets per recreation within the league at 33 and the fifth-lowest field-goal proportion at 44%.

Even within the recreation the place they allowed Minnesota to place up 115 factors, the Celtics left star guard Anthony Edwards in shambles. After his crew fell to the reigning champs, Edwards ranted to reporters about how Boston made him play a extra passive recreation, relatively than permitting him to be the crew’s main scorer.

“It’s not how I wish to play, after all,” he mentioned. “I’m solely 23, I don’t wanna simply be passing the ball all night time… However the best way they’re guarding me, I believe I’ve to.”

Edwards added that it was “tremendous exhausting” to remain engaged because the Cs successfully took the ball out of his fingers.

Quite the opposite, Boston managed to remain engaged on protection, regardless of struggling to attain the ball. They averaged simply 109 factors per recreation on this highway journey, a complete rating within the backside third of the league throughout the four-game span.

With out the sturdy defensive exhibiting, the outcomes out west may’ve been totally different.

KP cleared for takeoff?

Kristaps Porzingis shined in Denver on Tuesday night time. He logged his first double-double of the season with 25 factors on an environment friendly 9-18 from the sector to go together with 11 rebounds.

“I believe the drive that he performed with tonight on each ends, that block on DJ [DeAndre Jordan], and the drive he performed with on the offensive finish: drawing fouls, attacking the mismatches, getting offensive rebounds,” mentioned Jayson Tatum of Porzingis’ play. “He had a few put-back dunks.

I believe that actually helped us separate [in] the sport and adjusted the momentum. So, the best way he performed tonight was a lot wanted.”

When Porzingis is sweet, he’s actually good and a reputable game-changer for the reigning champions.

Sadly for the Cs, the Latvian large man hasn’t fairly been himself.

It’s been a shaky begin for KP since his return from offseason surgical procedure. Don’t get me improper, he’s been high quality however hasn’t fairly been the kind of man who’s “modified the momentum,” as Tatum put it, as ceaselessly — not but.

He additionally simply hasn’t been capable of keep wholesome. To date within the 2024-25 marketing campaign, he’s already sustained 4 totally different accidents since returning, the latest of which had sidelined him up till final Friday’s recreation in Houston.

Porzingis netted 11 factors in his return to the lineup, serving to Boston to a blowout win over the Rockets.

Once more, on no account was it a “unhealthy recreation,” nevertheless it’s one other instance of how the frequent accidents have saved KP on the tarmac as he awaits takeoff towards his true kind.

This previous highway journey may very well be the stretch that’s lastly waved him in direction of the runway.

Regardless of the loss in OKC on Sunday, Porzingis impacted the sport on a number of ranges. He supplied a powerful scoring punch with 19 factors on 6-12, however sadly went chilly (as did the whole crew) within the second half. Even so, he made his presence recognized.

KP performed with a fireplace that we hadn’t gotten to see a lot of this yr. He was hitting the glass exhausting, working in transition, and even hustling after free balls to get the Cs some much-needed further possessions.

For him, the problem of getting his sharpness nonetheless looms, however is an attainable aim.

“I’ve to play my approach again into fine condition, after which, clearly, I can exert extra vitality on issues. However I do know that is what all people expects from me; that is what I confirmed final season.

“And now, I’m simply working my approach again up, and actually, tonight was, in my view, one of many first video games that I felt like I’m getting near feeling wholesome, feeling good, and getting again in fine condition.”

Beware of wear and tear and tear

Alright, so, this would possibly sound like an annoying coping mechanism, however I actually really feel it’s acquired some legs.

Boston’s scoring was within the backside third of the NBA throughout this journey. They’ve been inconsistent taking pictures the ball for a big a part of the final month and it’s damage them.

Jaylen Brown, Jrue Vacation, Sam Hauser, and Porzingis have all regressed of their effectivity this season. Coincidentally, all of those guys have been coping with accidents. Vacation missed time with some knee points and not too long ago had an issue together with his shoulder. For Brown, it’s been his hip and shoulder. Hauser has had again points.

When guys are out on the ground enjoying via ache, it may be simple to overlook that they’re doing simply that — enjoying via ache. It’s going to have an effect on their video games till they’re capable of get proper and we’ve gotten a have a look at that in latest outings on each ends of the spectrum.

Vacation is wanting increasingly comfy with every recreation again. In Denver, he scored 19 factors and dished out seven assists. The veteran guard additionally had his fingerprints throughout Boston’s game-sealing fourth-quarter run, as he made successful play after successful play.

Hauser has been fairly inconsistent this season by his requirements, however put collectively a couple of spectacular taking pictures performances out west.

In the meantime, Brown has proven flashes of dominance however hasn’t been capable of put collectively a full recreation of it, since getting back from his shoulder damage on Sunday. He began off crimson scorching in OKC, went ghost within the second half, then didn’t rating within the opening half in Denver, earlier than ending sturdy.

He’ll get there, nevertheless it’s clear that he’s going via the identical factor that a few of his teammates have handled — readjustment.

Nagging accidents are simply going to be a factor with this Celtics crew. They’ve acquired a bunch of gamers who’ve performed deep into the playoffs yr after yr, to not point out that Tatum, White, and Vacation suited up for Workforce USA on the Paris Olympics.

The essential factor is for the crew to proceed constructing in direction of being their finest when the playoffs roll round. Their most-daunting journey of the yr could have been the best first step in direction of that aim.