The Celtics Went Out West And Passed Their Toughest Test Of The Season With Flying Colors

Bart Young. Getty Images.

Before the Celts began their 4 game West Coast road trip against MIN/HOU/OKC/DEN, I think if you asked most fans what they would deem "successful", it was either a 4-0 or 3-1 trip. A B2B thrown in there, three of the toughest defenses in the NBA, a date with the best player in the world, it was billed as a great "learning opportunity" to see "who the Celtics really were" given how tough that slate was.

Now that they've completed it and finished with a 3-1 record, it's a little different than what I think many were expecting. The 2nd half against OKC was one of the grossest things we've ever witnessed, and a showdown against the best player in the world was tough to have, seeing as how the best player in the world was sick and didn't play (neither did Derrick White, so it's basically a wash if you think about it).

So in terms of what we thought we were going to learn, we didn't really get to have all the tests. That doesn't mean a 3-1 West Coast trip isn't a success, because you play who you play, but anyone with a functioning brain knows the Nuggets w/ Jokic are not the Nuggets we saw last night. Granted, we also saw the Nuggets take 36 3PA and shoot at an insane clip, a volume that simply that doesn't happen with Jokic on the floor.

The point is, with how the Celts were playing in December, this was billed as a huge road trip. The doomers were ready to pounce. The Celts return 3-1, all while still kind of shooting the ball like assholes. They most certainly did not shoot the ball to their standard, and they still found ways to win 3 out of the 4 games against elite defenses and in a tough arena to play given the Altitude and fatigue from the trip.

Those, are good things! 

Suddenly, the Celts are back to playing .800 basketball (won 4 of 5), own the most road wins in the NBA (14), and the most wins in the East against teams .500 or better (16). They are just 2 games off their historic pace last season, and this is in addition to much worse injury situations and an overall regression top to bottom on the roster in terms of their outside shooting. 

That's what has made all this manufactured doom and gloom recently so funny. They are 27-10 with a +10.2 point differential! The Celts are currently just the 4TH TEAM IN NBA HISTORY to have a double digit point differential in a follow up season as the defending champ. Only 3 other teams EVER have done what the Celtics are currently doing this year as defending champs, I dunno….that seems pretty fucking good to me! Even while not playing to their standard, they are still having a historic season. Weird how that seems to get ignored, but oh well.

So while it would have been fun to see what these two teams looked like healthy, we did see that in Abu Dhabi earlier this year, and the Celts had their way. Maybe that happens in their final matchup, but we'll just have to wait and see. 

In the meantime, let's dive in.

The Good

- Of all the things to be pleased with following this road trip, I'd like to start with Kristaps Porzingis. For starters, once he was inserted back into the lineup following the first game of the B2B portion of the trip given that Horford was sitting Game 2, KP played in all three games to close things out. That itself is a gigantic win. It's really really important that he start to find his rhythm, and that's only going to happen by consistently being on the court.

When he is, good things happen

Now, many will be quick to say 

"Yeah who cares, Jokic didn't play!"

And those people would be children. I'll remind you, KP had 24/12/2 and 21/8/2 in both of the games last year with Jokic available and on the court. It's a good matchup for him offensively even with Jokic on the floor.

The difference of course comes defensively. With Jokic not there to bully KP in the paint and draw fouls, last night was a great opportunity for him to stay on the floor and get into a groove. Seeing as how he was dominant in the first quarter (15 points), that's exactly what happened. He was efficient (50%), he got to the FT line (8 FTA), he protected the rim, and had low TOs, and the 34 minutes tells us his conditioning is starting to come around. All things you want to see now that KP is healthy and back in the mix.

And while I understood why he took his ass to the paint and destroyed his mismatches, I do think it's important that now if he's starting to feel like his old self offensively, the 3PA has to ramp up. Only taking 3 in a game like this isn't the way. KPs ability to consistently bury 30 footers is VERY important to the Celtics offense, so I'd like to see him start to focus on his outside touch which so far, has been spotty. I know he can post up and abuse mismatches. I want him to get the shooting reps in now.

Also, is it weird I've never been so happy that someone was kicked in the dick? That felt weird in the moment, but it's the truth. The second we saw KP down like he just popped his achilles or something, that was the most stressful 10 seconds of all time before we got the replay and saw that it was actually just his dick and balls getting smashed and nothing more. My entire life flew before my eyes in that moment, which I suppose is just part of the KP Experience. 

What I also respect is after OKC, KP was very open about how they would immediately turn things around and be better, and then he went out and lived up to it. We saw something similar like after the Game 2 MIA loss from him. KP doesn't just talk the talk, he goes out and does his part to walk the walk, which I find refreshing. 

- In the final game of a long road trip that suddenly turns into a bit of a trap game once we got the Jokic news, that's a moment where the best player needs to show up, put the team on his back and make sure things end on a positive note. With no Jokic, it was crucial that Jayson Tatum show to be the best player on the floor, which is exactly what happened

Did he shoot the ball all that great? Not really, just 11-23 (1-9) with some forced contested 3PA. But make no mistake, Tatum had complete control of this game. A +23 in his 37 minutes, 6 AST and just 2 TOs, a couple blocks, and when it came time to close the door, Jayson Tatum delivered.

A perfect 2-2 and +10 in the fourth quarter, his 7 points matched any Nugget. When it came time to break down Peyton Watson in the final minutes to seal the win, Tatum put that man in the same isolation torture chamber he's been putting elite defenders in all season long. You saw exactly why Tatum is the best iso scorer in the NBA this season, and outside of one helpside block, Tatum had the Nuggets best defender available in hell

Early on, Tatum gave them the full arsenal. Given Gordon was also out, the Nuggets simply do not have the wing size to handle both of the Jays. That's just a fact of how their roster is constructed. The second we saw Tatum take any Nuggets defender to the block early in this game, whether it was Murray or Watson or whoever, it was easy money. He's too big, too strong, too good of a rim finisher. 

The funniest part of this entire night to me is after ALL the crying about USG%, the Celts won this game with Tatum having a USG% under 30%. He finished at 29.7, KP at 28.0. The same type of split we usually get between Tatum and whoever steps up as the #2 guy on any given night. You see, it is possible for the Celtics to win games playing Mazzulla Ball! That does not mean Tatum never gets to cook late, we just saw it! But it also means that they can be successful using Tatum in other ways on the court, aside from just having him shoot it every single time down the floor. As with most things in life, it has to be a balance! 

One day this will break through to people. One day.

- With no Derrick White, it meant that Jrue Holiday was going to have to backpack a lot more responsibility. Once it became clear that we were also getting a Payton Pritchard stinker, that became even more important. And just like he so often does since becoming a Celtic, Jrue stepped up and delivered

A big 19/3/7 on 6-12 (3-7) in his 32 minutes, I'm not sure what it is but it feels like every Jrue Holiday 3PM comes at massive time in a game. Sometimes it's during a stretch early where nobody can buy a bucket and he's the guy who breaks the seal on the bucket, other times it's big time 4th quarter 3PM to keep an opponent at arm's length. The point is, ever since coming back from injury Jrue has started to look more and more like himself offensively, and that is a very big deal. His shooting regression has been some of the most noticeable, so if that can get much closer to what we saw last year it changes a lot in terms of how teams can defend the Celts.

In his last 5 games since coming back, Jrue is sitting at 47/42% splits with 2.4 3PM a night on over 5 3PA a game. That, is all I'm looking for. Play elite defense, take care of the ball, and make your open 3s. Anything outside of that is a bonus, and last night I thought that's exactly what Jrue gave them. Defensively he held Russ to just 2-6 shooting while causing 5 TOs, so this was a game where you got good Jrue Holiday on both ends of the floor. We even avoided any prolonged CTE stretch of play, which was also nice to see. 

It's not flashy, it's not loud, it's just so damn solid. That's how I would describe a healthy and rested Jrue Holiday.

- Another season, another year of the Celtics coming into town and immediately breaking the brains of local media. A tradition that will never, ever get old

Still having clear broken brain syndrome about the Boston Celtics in 2025 is certainly something. 

Let's not forget, the only reason the Nuggets were in this game was because THEY were the ones spamming 3s based on how they play. The Celts took only 35 3PA in this game. But yes, they are the ones who play the worst version of basketball on the planet. Yikes.

- I'm not sure if we're seeing Al regression due to age, or him simply being mindful of how much to empty the tank. My gut says it's a combination of both, which is something to monitor.

What I also know is that when you need him most, NBA Champion Al Horford will be there for you. His big 3s late were massive, and frankly, it's just nice to see him actually make a jump shot. He finished 3-5 from deep which honestly doesn't seem like a big deal but when you remember he went through a brutal 2-21 slump or some shit, it very much is a big deal.

KP/Al making their open C&S 3s is something that's sneaky non-negotiable given the Celtics system. That has to be a shot made at a 38-40% clip for things to work. A 2-21 stretch where nothing is close is a big reason why things felt off. Hopefully not with 2 days off Al's legs can continue to rest, because all I really need from him is the version we saw last night from an offensive perspective.

I definitely need to see an improvement in terms of how he's guarding, but's Al. We know he can defend at a high level when he needs to, so it's fine. I'll trade a dropoff in defense to preserve health and energy if it means his magnet ball is back.

- I'd say the same thing about Sam Hauser. Given his shooting struggles, it was just nice to see him come off the bench and finish 3-5 from deep. Not only were his makes big, but given how the roster is contrstructed they can't really afford to have both Hauser and Pritchard no show. We saw what that looked like against OKC, it was a huge reason why they lost that game.

Much like KP, the bigger takeaway might be that Hauser's back issues have been OK and he's been available. You never know what to expect with that injury, and if he's another guy that is now over the health hurdle and is finding his rhythm as a shooter, that changes a lot for the bench minutes, especially the non-Tatum bench minutes.

- 30 AST on 44 FGM, 60 points in the paint, 22 2nd chance points, 17 fastbreak points, and only 11 TOs. Celts were much better in this win around the margins, and they finally got a league average 3pt shooting night and wow, they won by double digits.

Wild what happens when they don't turn the ball over, move the ball and create for others, and not miss every shot they take. What a concept.

- He only took 13 FGA (6-13) which I found surprising, but I really liked what we saw from Jaylen as a passer in this game, especially early. He finished with a team high 8 assists, and plays like this are a great example of how his vision and passing ability has improved this season

Impact without scoring, that's always what many want to see from Jaylen right? Well, the 8 AST and 8 REB fit that bill to me. 

What I DIDN'T love was his 4th quarter ball security, but we'll touch on that in a minute.

- Finally, we saw this team play some goddamn defense in the 4th quarter. The Nuggets' 23 points in that frame were their lowest of the game, finishing with just 43/28% splits. As we know by now, winning time means locking in defensively, and a lot of these bad losses all stem from being complete dogshit on the defensive end in the 4th quarter.

Are things a billion times easier when you don't have to deal with Jokic? Yup. Sure are. But when the game called for defensive execution, the Celts met the challenge. Given that's not exactly something they did at any point in any of their last 7 losses, I'd say that was great to see regardless of who was on the floor. 

The Bad

- Not the best non-Tatum minutes we've ever seen in the 2nd quarter. Just 20 points total on 38/20% with 3 TOs, this was more along the lines of the awful shooting variance the Celts have been dealing with recently. Tatum 1-4 when he was on the court, Jaylen 0-4, and on the other side we saw DEN finish with 63/50% splits with 4 3PM.

I honestly cannot remember a two game stretch where the Celts were outshot from 3 like they were against OKC/DEN. We're getting games where Russell Westbrook is making 4 3PM, but I can't get a wide open Payton Pritchard 3 to drop? Every team the Celts seem to be playing this season find a way to have a magnet ball from behind the arc, and it's not like it's all defense. Celts have been solid this year guarding the line, and it'd be stupid to completely sell out on a guy like Westbrook from behind the arc.

All I want is for things to just be normal. Don't shoot under 30% from deep, which is where the Celts have been living A LOT since Christmas, and enough with the dogshit shooters having a magnet ball every goddamn game. I can live with MPJ or Murray getting hot from deep, but that was so annoying to live through. 

- Speaking of that 2nd quarter, probably not the best basketball we've ever seen to watch a 15 point lead evaporate in minutes all because nobody could make a jumpshot. The shooting regression is something that at this point you can't really ignore, and it's the root of all of these issues. The defense has been good! The ball movement has been awesome! But you have to make your open jump shots.

What we saw in this game is no different from OKC. When the Celts go cold, opposing fanbases have a clouded view of how their team stacks up against the Champs. Then, once they shoot league average, they go back up double digits. The Celtics missing wide open looks is a THEM problem, that's it. They look beatable when they shoot 20%. Wow! Guess what? They aren't going to shoot 20% 4 out of 7 times. I hope this helps.

- Payton Pritchard is too important to this offense to have this type of lack of production. That might be one of the biggest concerns coming out of this trip. He has to find a way to be playable against these elite physical defenses. He can't be a complete brick, because that makes it hard for him to be on the floor. 

If you're concerned about bench production, I don't blame you. We know it can work, but when it's in a rut, things look tough. Maybe it's just a shooting slump, but the point remains the same. Getting little to no offensive production from a guy putting up 16-20 a night cannot happen, especially against elite teams.

The Ugly

- In a close game in the 4th quarter, decision making and ball security is paramount. That is especially true if you're trying to win on the road. So, careless plays like this are unacceptable

This is the definition of trying to do too much. Forcing things and being reckless with the ball in high leverage moments. This is unacceptable for any player on the roster let alone your second best player. That also doesn't include the near turnover from a Jaylen pass that the Celts were able to recover, so things technically could have been a lot worse.

So while I thought Jaylen played OK for most of this game, the mental lapses like this in the 4th quarter outweigh that stuff for me. Can't have it. Tatum closed the door which was nice, but things are hard enough when it comes to winning on the road, we don't need Jaylen making things harder simply because he's forcing things or being careless with the basketball. That is how you get into trouble and lose games you shouldn't.

Had this happened with Jokic on the floor? It wouldn't shock me if they got over the hump in that quarter. THAT's why it matters.

But hey, as I said, 3-1 is 3-1 and now the Celts return home with a lighter schedule should they not fuck around and handle their business. If this road trip was supposed to be a pass/fail type test, I can say confidently the Celts passed with flying colors. Now keep going.