Every Time The Celtics Step Onto The Court Has Now Become Basketball Ecstasy

Brian Babineau. Getty Images.

The NBA does a lot of stupid shit, but I'm not sure there is anything more stupid than having back to backs in the preseason. If you're hellbent on having 5 games and want a week off before the regular season begins, then start the preseason earlier. The Sixers coming to Boston last night with the Celts finally back in the US should have been a chance to see both sides at full strength. Instead, the Sixers were coming off a B2B and sat literally every good player they have. The Celts enter a B2B tonight against the Raptors and will probably do the same. Way to go Adam Silver, you bozo.

So with the Celts at full strength (Al a healthy scratch), it's not really surprising that they beat the absolute shit out of the Sixers bench and deep bench. Even once we got to the bench vs bench minutes it's not like anything changed, but again that was to be expected. 

At the same time, it's not my problem that PHI sat everyone and the Celts are still getting everyone into game shape after nearly a week with no games. I'm not here to care about feeling bad that the Sixers got whooped by a 50 burger. I loved every second of it. In fact, I got annoyed when the lead would dip below 50 and got down to like 47 for a few possessions. 

What I care about is what we've seen now in all three preseason games (3-0) with the last two wins coming by 26 and 50 points.

When the 2024-25 Celtics hit the court, it is pure basketball ecstasy.  

This is what that looks like

The Good

- Prior to training camp, we were all hopeful that both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown would enter this year pissed off. That change in attitude would in theory translate into an even more dominant version of each player, which would then in turn take the Celtics as a whole to a new level that they're going to have to reach if they want to repeat as Champions.

Well, in a 3 fake game sample size, it appears that is exactly what is happening

As we know, everything starts and ends with these two. If you don't have an answer for not just one, but both of these players, you're fucked. It's as simple as that.

Since it was declared that Jayson Tatum's jumpshot was gone (????), he's shooting 40.9% from 3PT on 7.3 attempts. I'm not a math guy, but that seems like a pretty good percentage on rather decent volume. Tatum's release is clearly quicker and definitely smoother, and whether it's a pullup or a C&S, it keeps taking my brain back to his 2019-20 season when he shot 40% from three on the season and was automatic on pullup 3PA. We already know he's going to do everything else on the court at a high level on both ends, if we can now add 40% on high volume to the list? 

With Jaylen, he's just playing more pissed off. His frame looks bigger and his aggressiveness has been apparent since Game 1. He's playing like a guy that wants ALL the smoke, which is obviously the least surprising thing of all time. For the millionth time, thank you Steve Kerr.

Jaylen isn't even shooting the ball that well from deep (25%) or the line (63.6%) and he still leads the team in scoring (15.7). What a monster.

- With Kristaps Porzingis out until Dec/Jan, Joe Mazzulla has a choice to make. Does he go with last year's plan and just slide Al Horford into that starting role given that we know that group can win at a high level together? Or, does he decide to experiment with ways to save Horford's legs even more and go with someone like Luke Kornet at the five to eat some regular season minutes until KP's return.

There are pros and cons to each I'd say. One thing you lose is the three point shooting and the added spacing of a stretch five, which is pretty good to have. But what you gain is offensive rebounding, good passing, a guy who doesn't need to touch the ball and can focus on defense and rebounding, good FT shooting, high basketball IQ, and a great short roll passer

Even though Kornet doesn't stretch the floor, he's figured out how to survive and thrive next to Tatum and Brown, which for my money is the most important thing. Kornet is a much more solid center than I think people want to give him credit for, and while there will be times he gets cooked in space or fumbles an easy pass, he's about as solid a 3rd center as you're going to find in the league. He's a guy that knows his role and I'm intrigued by having his offensive rebounding ability on the floor with the starting unit, as well as him as a roll guy in P&R. He can catch a lob with ease and few centers are as good at finding shooters on the weakside in the short roll.

- Given the Celts were up 10 in just 6 minutes and 20 points in the first quarter, this game quickly turned into an opportunity to see how the Celts deep bench looked. There's an argument to be made you won't find a deeper team in the league 1-15, and last night showed you why.

Take Xavier Tillman for example. He has a great opportunity for minutes with KP out, and one thing that we were all hoping to see when it came to his development was an improvement as a three point shooter. 

How about 3-3 from deep off the bench? So far in preseason, Tillman is shooting 75% from deep on 2.7 3PA a game. Every time we see him he's making a handful of open looks and it's coming from every zone. Corner threes look great, but last night we got some above the break and top of the arc 3PMs. Those are the ones that tell me his shooting is getting better and better, and with each make he's becoming more confident. That's a VERY big development for Tillman if he can find a way to sit at 35-36% during the season.

There aren't a ton of positional battles for this roster, but there is an opportunity for someone to win the Oshae Brissett role. Wing depth after Sam Hauser has to be filled, and so far this season the leader in the clubhouse for me is clearly Jordan Walsh

The shot looks incredible. Given how awful he looked in Vegas (and it was AWFUL), this is easily the biggest surprise of the preseason. We already knew he was OK defensively and had legit length, but this shot looks way better than we imagined it could

That's smooth as fuck! No hitch, it's quick, perfect follow through, if you aren't moved by Jordan Walsh's three point shooting this preseason (41.7% on 4.0 3PA) then you might be dead. The next step will be if he can still start making threes once defenses actually respect his shooting, but there's no denying if this shooting is real then there's an easy 10ish minutes for Walsh here and there. Think whatever Brissy had last year, those are the minutes for Walsh this year.

Because Brad Stevens is a basketball genius, of course it does not stop there. How about a 15th man that can do shit like this?

This was easily Lonnie Walker IV's best performance as a Celtic, and it felt like a big "exhale" moment for him. He finally saw some shots go down and he showed his versatility as a reserve wing (7 assists) to help this lead get over 50. Even though he's struggled at times, I still believe in his skillset and I think that when you're limited in the way the Celts are in terms of team building, then adding the skillset of a Lonnie Walker as a 15th guy for minimum money is a no brainer.

Send him to Maine to get him reps, and if someone gets hurt he's a guy with actual NBA experience. Right now you're looking at Walsh and Sheierman as your only reserve wings after Hauser. I don't see the harm in keeping Walker around, especially if he's going to play like that.

- This team fucks I'm afraid

Look at all that #MazzullaBall at the top of this list. What a guy, what a system, what a coach. 

- The best part about watching Sam Hauser is the fact that he simple never misses. I haven't had this level of confidence in a Celtic taking a 3PA since we got to watch Ray Allen do it. In fact, I'm shocked when Hauser even glazes the rim on his makes. He's as pure a shooter as a human can possibly be

One of the best shooters on Earth and Brad got him for like 4/40M. Another hit.

- 38 AST and only 13 TOs. Seems pretty good! When this team is moving the ball and shooting with confidence (54/48%), there is not a basketball team on the planet that can beat them 4 out of 7 times. The Celts are able to go to levels offensively that other teams simply don't have the ammunition to match. There's no point in getting mad about it, that's just reality.

The Bad

- Baylor doesn't look close to ready. That doesn't mean he won't one day look ready, but that day is not today. It's a very similar situation as the early Nesmith years in that he was billed as this automatic shooter, and the shot has not exactly translated to the NBA level just yet. Whereas Walsh looks much better in preseason than he did in Vegas, for Baylor I'd say he looks pretty much the same if not worse. 

Big picture is this is what you expect for the last pick of the 1st round. His 2024-25 season is about developing in Maine, and if he proves to ready early, great. But Year 1 and Year 2 are about learning how to play at the NBA level. I do think once he has a game where he shoots well it'll do wonders for his confidence, but as of now it feels like he's suffering from Lackofbucketsitis. Open 3PA, layups, floaters, midrange, it's all been a brick so far for the most part.

- Starters have been way too sloppy with the ball this preseason. Careless dribbling, lazy passes, all the early in the season shit that's very annoying but also understandable as the players ramp back up. Still, take care of the ball.

The Ugly

- How do you have anything in this section in a game you led by 54 and won by 50? I dunno, maybe the 10-14 from the line? Tatum and Brown missing 3 of the team's first 5 FTA wasn't great, but who are we kidding this win was as close to perfect basketball as you're going to get.

The good news is they're back tonight in a game that should be nothing but the bench/deep bench. Let's see what they look like with a bigger opportunity and if they can maintain the standard that's been set.