Celtics lose another thriller in overtime to Hawks 123-122
8 HRS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
With their starting lineup returning to the floor after Expand
8 HRS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
With their starting lineup returning to the floor after three weeks, Boston dropped another game in a potential playoff preview to Atlanta. The playoffs haven’t started yet, but it sure felt like a potential postseason preview in State Farm Arena on Thursday night. In what could potentially be a #1 vs. #8 matchup next month, the Celtics lost to the Hawks 123-122 in overtime.
It was the first time that head coach Joe Mazzulla had his preferred starting lineup of Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis since March 7th in a loss in Denver.
Much has been made this week of the Celtics’ clutch time performance and with a 102-101 lead with just over five minutes left, the game turned into another test of Boston’s mettle. After Atlanta took a four-point, White and Tatum answered with back-to-back threes. Bogdan Bogdanovic responded with a big triple of his own before Tatum grabbed is own offensive rebound Collapse
Celtics’ magic number for top seed shrinks to four after Nuggets, Thunder losses
14 HRS AGO - Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics have a chance to seal away the top seed Expand
14 HRS AGO - Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Boston Celtics have a chance to seal away the top seed over their final 10 games. It’s time to sweep the leg. Well folks, we’ve just about made it to the end of the NBA regular season, and the Boston Celtics are cruising to the finish line with a chance to clinch the top overall seed after locking up the East.
Right now, the Thunder, Nuggets and Timberwolves all have 22 losses. Barring those three teams losing a few games and making it easier for the Celtics, Boston simply needs to win four more games. That’s it. A record of 4-6 over their last 10 games would guarantee homecourt advantage throughout the playoffs.
For a team that’s a league-best 32-3 at home and an eye-popping 38-8 record against their conference, homecourt for Boston in any potential Finals matchup could be crucial. That’s the only context where Monday’s loss to the Hawks hurts, simply because it’s another game that the Celtics need to win in order to officially shift into Collapse
Basketball is a brotherhood: Boston Celtics show out for Maine Celtics in Atlanta
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images
A day after a tough loss to Atlanta, Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Mercedes Oliver/NBAE via Getty Images
A day after a tough loss to Atlanta, Celtics players and coaches pulled up to watch the Maine Celtics – led by Neemias Queta, Jaden Springer, and Jordan Walsh – blow out the College Park Skyhawks. COLLEGE PARK, GEORGIA — Brad Stevens was locked in. Seated in the bleachers of Gateway Center Arena in College Park, Georgia, he watched Celtics players Jaden Springer, Jordan Walsh, and others take on Atlanta’s G-League affiliate.
Sitting with Stevens was a large contingency of the Celtics organization – including Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Sam Hauser, Xavier Tillman, Oshae Brissett, and Svi Mykhailiuk.
Sam Hauser is a big Maine Celtics fan pic.twitter.com/KxmaVRSMZi— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) March 27, 2024
It was less than 24 hours after a letdown Celtics loss that took place 30 minutes north of College Park, and a large group of Celtics players and coaches spent their night off supporting their Maine brethren in Collapse
Jaden Springer gets rare clutch-time opportunity in Atlanta
2 DAYS AGO - Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Celtics blew a 30-point lead in a brutal loss to the Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Celtics blew a 30-point lead in a brutal loss to the Hawks, but with their standing solidified, Jaden Springer, Svi Mykhailiuk, and other Stay Ready players got an opportunity to play in crunch-time. Since getting traded to Boston on February 8th, Jaden Springer has mostly watched from the bench as the Celtics annihilated opposing teams, winning 18 of their first 20 games since his acquisition.
In blowouts, he’s gotten some limited run, but since joining the Celtics, Springer has averaged just 5.5 minutes in 13 appearances. Yet, after a Celtics blew a 30-point lead to the Hawks, the 21-year-old defensive specialist was on the court to start the quarter, a rare opportunity to put his skillset to the test in a meaningful moment.
“I can definitely help with some toughness and physicality,” Springer told CelticsBlog last month. “I feel like I can bring that. Defensively, I feel I can help my teammates guard whoever they need.”
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Why is the Celtics late-game offense the way that it is?
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It wasn’t as bad as advertised against the Hawks, but Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It wasn’t as bad as advertised against the Hawks, but it’s still questionable. The Boston Celtics blew a 30-point lead to the Atlanta Hawks. They got their 10-game win streak snapped. They completely lost focus. They scored 44 points in the first quarter and 44 points in the second half.
All of that is true. And none of it will matter in two weeks.
What will matter in two weeks is Boston’s crunch-time offense, and once again, it devolved into isolation basketball against Atlanta.
With 40 seconds left in the game, down by one point, Jaylen Brown dribbled the ball on the wing. He waited and waited and waited, but the Celtics’ play never materialized. As a result, he chucked up a contested three as the shot clock ran out. It missed.
“I didn’t love the last shot that we got,” Brown said. “I think we kind of waited too late. I was waiting for the action to kind of develop. But the clock was winding down, it was taking too much time.”
Brown Collapse
Boston Celtics (54-14) at Atlanta Hawks (31-39) Game #72 3/25/24
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Celtics look for their 10th Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Erin Clark/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
The Celtics look for their 10th straight win as they take on the Hawks in Atlanta.
The Celtics continue their road trip with a stop in Atlanta to take on the Hawks. This is the 3rd game of 4 games between these two teams this season. The Celtics won the first two games this season against Atlanta - 113-103 on Nov. 26 and 125-117 on Feb. 7, both games were played in Boston. They will meet for the final time on March 28. in Atlanta. The Celtics will have 2 days off before their next meeting while the Hawks will play Portland on Wednesday and the Celtics on Thursday.
The Celtics won the series 3-0 last season and they have won the last 7 games against the Hawks and the last 2 games in Atlanta. The Celtics are 244 -147 overall all time against the Hawks and they are 112-93 in games played in Atlanta. The Celtics have a seven-game winning streak against the Hawks and have won the past two games played in Atlanta.
The Collapse
Three Leaf Clover: it’s starting to feel a little bit like ‘08
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
The 2008 title team versus this season, the Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
The 2008 title team versus this season, the bench and Tatum’s chemistry, and the weird officiating change. The Celtics have evolved beyond the need for Phil Jackson’s 40-20 rule, where a true contender should have 40 wins before 20 losses. 55 wins before 15 losses is the new, frankly absurd, standard and puts this team on pace to be one of the winningest in the most winningest franchise in the NBA. I’d also add that winningest is a silly word. This is a special regular season; one we haven’t seen for about 15 years or so. On this episode, we will do a quick comparison between this year’s regular season and the 2007-08 team, talk about the bench’s growing chemistry, and end with the grueling experience of blowing leads.
Stat of the Week: 10.8 net rating
The 2007-08 Boston Celtics occupy a very special place in my heart. It is, at least for now, the only Celtics championship during my lifetime. The season also ran through my Collapse
Bullseye: 10 Takeaways from Celtics/Bulls
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics took care of business Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
The Boston Celtics took care of business against a well-drilled Bulls team #1 Horford can still be a menace
Al Horford had himself a night against the Chicago Bulls. He ended the game with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Yet, it was his work from the perimeter that was most impressive. He shot 5-of-10 from deep, with four of those makes coming from the right corner.
Horford was also his usual self in terms of screening, creation and defense. He did, however, look more aggressive on the offensive end and continually found himself in space.
Having Horford in the weakside corner provides the Celtics with a reliable release valve. We know he can knock down his corner three’s at a high clip, and we know that he’s capable of driving baseline to attack closeouts. Furthermore, by having Horford in the corner, the Celtics are allowing more inverted actions on the perimeter, which are designed to consistently create mismatches for the Collapse
Celtics (56-14) at Bulls (34-36) Game #71 3/23/24
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
The Celtics look to win their 9th straight game as Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Patrick McDermott/Getty Images
The Celtics look to win their 9th straight game as they continue their road trip in Chicago to take on the Bulls.
The Celtics continue their road trip with a stop in Chicago to take on the Bulls. This is the 3rd and final meeting between these 2 teams this season. The Celtics are 2-0 so far this season, winning 124-97 in Boston on 11/28 and winning in Chicago 129-112 on 2/22. The Celtics and Bulls tied the series 2-2 last season with each team winning at home.
The Celtics are 131-109 overall all time against the Bulls and 55-71 in games played in Chicago. The Celtics are playing on the second night of back to back games and in the 3rd game in 4 nights. The Celtics are 10-2 on the second night of back to back games, losing only to Charlotte and Milwaukee. The Celtics are 3-1 on the second of back to back games when both are played on the road.
The Celtics remain 1st in the East, 11 games ahead of 2nd place Milwaukee, 12 games Collapse
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Boston Celtics (57-15) at Atlanta Hawks (33-39) Game #73 3/28/24
14 HRS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The Celtics look to avenge Monday’s loss as they take Expand
14 HRS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The Celtics look to avenge Monday’s loss as they take on the Atlanta Hawks for the 2nd time in 4 days.
The Celtics continue their road trip with their second straight game in Atlanta against the Hawks. This is the 4th and final game between these two teams this season. The Celtics won the first two games this season against Atlanta - 113-103 on Nov. 26 and 125-117 on Feb. 7 with both games played in Boston. They lost the third game 120-118 in Atlanta on Monday, after blowing a 30 point lead.
The Celtics won the series 3-0 last season and lead this season 2-1 going into this 4th game. The Celtics are 244 -1488 overall all time against the Hawks and they are 112-94 in games played in Atlanta. The Celtics have been off since Monday’s game while the Hawks are playing on the second night of back to back games, having played Portland on Wednesday. The Hawks are 7-5 in the 2nd of back to back games.
The Celtics remain 1st in the East, 11 games Collapse
Ranking each Celtics loss from least to most bizarre
21 HRS AGO - Boston Celtics center Al Horford. | Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
In order for the Expand
21 HRS AGO - Boston Celtics center Al Horford. | Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
In order for the Celtics to lose, the stars have to align. The Boston Celtics have lost only 15 of their first 72 games this season. Every loss is a spectacle, an event, and an absolute catastrophe. These defeats feel much more crushing than normal for the fanbase because they’re just so rare.
Once the final buzzer sounds, everyone logs onto Twitter/X, Facebook, or Reddit to let fellow Cs fans that the sky is falling.
That’s fine, but the fact of the matter is that the Celtics do not simply just lose games.
No, it seems to take an instance of the stars aligning in order for them to perish.
There’s always something: a random opposing player catching fire, prolonged cold spells from the offense, players missing games, controversial calls, and more.
I’ve ranked all fifteen of Boston’s losses this season from least to most bizarre.
Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images
Oklahoma City Collapse
Celtics Playoff Manifesto (Volume 1): suspending civil liberties
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It’s almost time for the playoffs, which means we all Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It’s almost time for the playoffs, which means we all need to prepare for war. In the first installment, I’m outlining the need for unity and clarity in the face of unspeakable danger. Everyone buckle up. We’re going full authoritarian mode.
Usually, I’m a big fan of nuance and discussion. This is basketball, not the Geneva Conventions of 1949. As much as it may feel like it, life and death isn’t actually at stake in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. No matter the outcomes, we will all be okay.
Okay now that the disclaimer is out of the way, screw that! The Celtics playoff run can and will dictate the stability of my mental state for at least the next five months, so we don’t have time for emotional intelligence or rational calculus. Instead, it’s time for a coup d’état.
In this manifesto, I am taking over Celtics discourse for at least the next 900 words. I will not be advocating for level headedness, nor will I be remotely calm or composed this Collapse
Three things from Celtics-Hawks
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Let’s roll with two bad and one good because of the Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
Let’s roll with two bad and one good because of the loss. Despite blowing a 30-point lead, the Boston Celtics’ loss to the Atlanta Hawks means nothing all the same — at least in the grand scheme of things.
However, it again raises questions about their late-game offense, but outside of that, there isn’t much to take away. The Celtics took their foot off the gas and stopped playing at full force, and it caught up to them. But the one seed is locked up, and now they’re just coasting to the playoffs.
That said, losing brings some less fun things to talk about.
Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
1. Missing Porzingis
This cannot happen.
The Celtics have been making these passes all season. The main reason they brought Kristaps Porzingis into the fold was to spread out opposing defenses.
That doesn’t work when they aren’t taking advantage of the space he makes for himself.
As the Celtics were floundering in the third Collapse
Boston Celtics blow 30-point lead in stunning loss to Atlanta Hawks, 120-118
3 DAYS AGO - Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Celtics weren’t able to celebrate clinching the East’s Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
The Celtics weren’t able to celebrate clinching the East’s top seed for long, as they suffered a massive collapse against Atlanta Freshly anointed as the top seed in the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics’ celebrations were dampened on Monday night against the Atlanta Hawks. Having led by as many as 30 points in the second quarter, the Celtics suffered a staggering collapse in the third quarter to give the lead away, and found themselves outplayed in crunch time to lose an absolute stunner of a game, 120-118.
Jayson Tatum led the shorthanded Celtics, playing as the nominal point guard and scoring 37 points. Jaylen Brown added 24 of his own, but struggled with efficiency, but struggled with his efficiency for much of the night. Rounding out the offensive focal points were Kristaps Porzingis and Payton Pritchard, who combined for 32. For the Hawks, a balanced scoring attack saw all five starters — Dejounte Murray, Vit Krejci, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Collapse
“We live for these moments”: Sam Hauser and the Stay Ready group propel Celtics to win over Bulls
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Setting a new franchise record, Sam Hauser has made 21 Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Setting a new franchise record, Sam Hauser has made 21 three-pointers in the last three games. With a league-best 57-14 record, Boston Celtics swingman Sam Hauser is always looking for opportunities to stay challenged. With rest and recovery a priority at the end of the regular season, the Stay Ready group is poised for a colossal role down the stretch.
The former Virginia Cavalier finished with 23 points, on 7-8 three-point shooting in the Celtics 124-113 victory over the Bulls. For Boston, it didn’t matter if Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Jaylen Brown were unable to suit up. It’s the next-man-up mentality, and Hauser took advantage of the starting nod.
Even after the C’s became the first team to clinch a playoff spot, Hauser told NBC Boston Sports’ Abby Chin the former Bus One Boys are “hungry for more.” With 11 games left to go, it’s apparent coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t letting off the gas with his interchangeable and experimental Collapse
Three things from Celtics-Bulls
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Another win, another game of Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Photo by Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Another win, another game of nothing, and three more niche observations. Another game, another victory for the Boston Celtics. This time, over the Chicago Bulls, who shot a blistering 57.3% from the field. Despite that, Boston pulled off a win thanks to their three-point shooting and offensive rebounding.
Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday all sat out against Chicago, once again displaying Boston’s health-first priorities. So once again, here are some niche observations.
David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
1. Celtics’ defensive switching
The key to being one of the best defensive teams in the league is connectivity. Boston has been on the same page all year, with a healthy dose of Holiday’s free-safety play mixed in.
Here, Coby White drives into the lane and gets Luke Kornet on him after a Nikola Vucevic screen.
Kornet cuts off White’s drive perfectly, so the Bulls guard is forced to Collapse
Jaylen Brown continues to excel while observing Ramadan: “I don’t find it difficult at all”
4 DAYS AGO - Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Brown told reporters after Friday night’s Celtics win that Expand
4 DAYS AGO - Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Brown told reporters after Friday night’s Celtics win that he’s enjoyed observing Ramadan throughout these past two weeks. After Friday night’s Celtics’ win over the Pistons, Jaylen Brown told NBC Sport Boston’s Abby Chin he has been observing Ramadan.
That means that since March 10th, Brown has fasted each day dawn to dusk, and will continue to do so until Ramadan ends on April 9th. Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, is observed by Muslims worldwide as a month of fasting, prayer, reflection, and community.
“It’s an amazing time of the year. It’s a bunch of people all over the world who participate, and I’m just one of those people who just kind of falls in line,” Brown said. “It’s an amazing month to celebrate. It’s about your strength, your focus.”
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
Jaylen Brown also noted that his participation in Ramadan is rooted in community.
“Receiving those clarities is Collapse
Three things from Celtics-Pistons
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images
Boston’s regular-season games don’t matter Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images
Boston’s regular-season games don’t matter any more, so let’s get niche. The Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons on Friday night. The final score was 127-102. This game did not matter.
Joe Mazzulla said as much after the Celtics’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out for Milwaukee and the Celtics missing Jrue Holiday and Sam Hauser, there was little to learn.
“Nothing. Can’t take anything from the game,” Mazzulla said.
It’s not even April yet, and the Celtics have a chance to clinch the conference this weekend. If they win on Saturday and the Bucks lose, they will have locked up the one seed in the East. In March.
None of the games from now until the playoffs matter for Boston. They can learn things about their players, they can test out coverages, and they can generate a rhythm. But wins and losses are now meaningless other than for the historical place of Boston’s record.
Because of that, Collapse
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Derrick White on winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week: “I thought Payton should have won it”
14 HRS AGO - Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
White won Eastern Conference Player of the Expand
14 HRS AGO - Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images
White won Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games played on March 18 to March 24, but said his backcourt mate should have been recognized. Derrick White spoke to the media at shootaround today for the first time since being named Eastern Conference Player of the Week, and said he thought a different teammate should have instead the earned the honors.
“Honestly, I thought Payton should have won the award,” White told reporters.
Derrick White said it was cool winning Eastern Conference Player of the Week, and that he’s thankful to be a part of this Celtics team but adds: “Honestly, I thought Payton [Pritchard] should have won it.” pic.twitter.com/Uvc5LWLtaD— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzellNBA) March 28, 2024
For games played from March 18 to 24, White averaged 20.3 points, 8.8 assists, and 6.5 rebounds as the Celtics won four straight. Pritchard put up comparable but slightly lower numbers, averaging 19.3 points, 7 Collapse
Neemias Queta’s unclear future with Celtics
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images
Neemias Queta will play the Maine Celtics’ two Expand
1 DAY AGO - Photo by Kenny Giarla/NBAE via Getty Images
Neemias Queta will play the Maine Celtics’ two games in Atlanta this week and only retains three games of NBA eligibility on his two-way contract this year. ATLANTA — Neemias Queta and the Celtics have not engaged in discussions about converting his two-way contract to a standard one, he told CLNS Media/CelticsBlog on Tuesday. Boston activated him for his 47th NBA game on Saturday against the Bulls, leaving three remaining this season before he becomes ineligible for the playoffs.
“I’m just doing my job,” Queta said. “If it comes down to it and they want to give me the contract, it’s cool. If they don’t want to give it to me, I can live with it. I’m doing what was expected during the year and that’s where we’re at.”
Queta joined the Maine Celtics for only the sixth time this year for the first of two games he’s expected to play at College Park while Boston plays in Atlanta this week. He scored 18 points on 9-of-11 shooting, Collapse
Bostonvestigation: How valid are those whispers of concern that you’re hearing about the Celtics?
1 DAY AGO - Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum | Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It wouldn’t be a Expand
1 DAY AGO - Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum | Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
It wouldn’t be a loss without some panic, now would it? Whether they’re whispers behind a wall of confidence in the back of your brain or perhaps a devil looming on your shoulder, your concerns with the Celtics probably made their presence known on Monday.
This loss against the Hawks was disgusting, I hated watching it, and I was none-too-pleased when Vit Krejci, whom I heard of for the first time yesterday, lit the Cs up for 16 points to help fuel Atlanta’s 30-point comeback.
It’s weird. The Cs have looked incredible throughout this season, yet anytime they lose a game, which only happens about 21% of the time, the fanbase loses it online. You’d think that this team had just lost five straight with some of the posts after the loss.
Yet, it doesn’t feel all that crazy. I feel it. When I see what I saw yesterday, the whispers grow a bit louder. It all comes back.
I see Bobby Portis sinking a go-ahead putback Collapse
Disappointing: 10 Takeaways from Celitcs/Hawks
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The Boston Celtics let a 30-point lead slip away Expand
2 DAYS AGO - Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
The Boston Celtics let a 30-point lead slip away against the Atlanta Hawks. #1 Losing the lead
30 points. The Boston Celtics led by 30 points midway through the second quarter. Then, for no good reason, they self-deflated. There wasn’t a momentum-swinging play. The Atlanta Hawks didn’t magically become a better team. The Celtics saw they were up big, took their foot off the gas, and their rhythm vanished.
In the second half, the Celtics struggled to control the tempo, limit drives, and knock down their shots — regardless of how high of a quality look they generated. The performance went from picturesque to “no photos” in a matter of minutes. What’s worse is that no matter the harder they tried, the more the Celtics slipped into some old habits, which only dug them into a deeper hole.
#2 No timeouts
We’re used to Joe Mazzulla staying patient with his team. We understand his reasoning behind his adjusted Ferber method. I’m all for Collapse
Derrick White earns Eastern Conference Player of the Week honors
3 DAYS AGO - Derrick White drives past Jaden Ivey of the Pistons. | Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
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3 DAYS AGO - Derrick White drives past Jaden Ivey of the Pistons. | Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images
He averaged 20.3 points, 8.8 assists and 6.3 rebounds in four wins. Celtics fans have known just how valuable Derrick White is for quite some time, and now, it appears the league is taking notice as well.
The NBA named White the Eastern Conference Player of the Week for games from March 18-24. He averaged 20.3 points, 8.8 assists and 6.5 rebounds, filling a variety of roles and fueling Boston to a 4-0 record.
This is the first time he’s won the award this season and the second such honor of his career. He’s the third Celtics to earn the nod this year, joining Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
With many key players sidelined in recent weeks, White has been a constant and has helped the Celtics lock up the No. 1 seed.
Los Angeles Lakers forward-center Anthony Davis and Boston Celtics guard Derrick White have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Players of the Week, Collapse
Celtics clinch #1 seed with eleven games remaining
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
The Boston Celtics are beasts of the East. The Boston Expand
3 DAYS AGO - Photo by Quinn Harris/Getty Images
The Boston Celtics are beasts of the East. The Boston Celtics have clinched the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference with 11 games remaining on their regular season schedule. Boston’s 57-14 record has been enough to secure the feat with an 11 game cushion over the Milwaukee Bucks, who are still fighting to secure the second seed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Joe Mazzulla’s team is also in the driving seat to secure the best record in the NBA. As such, they should have a home-court advantage if they make it to the NBA Finals, which would provide significant upside against the Denver Nuggets (or whichever team makes it out of the West).
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This season has been a memorable one for Celtics fans. After Brad Stevens added Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday in the offseason, Boston hit the ground running. Opposing Collapse
Luke Kornet provides Celtics with much-needed spark in win over Bulls
4 DAYS AGO - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Without Kornet, Boston’s win streak may have evaporated. Expand
4 DAYS AGO - David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
Without Kornet, Boston’s win streak may have evaporated. Three-pointers were the notable difference in the Boston Celtics’ 124-113 win over the Chicago Bulls on Saturday night. Boston nailed 21 threes to Chicago’s nine — a 36-point difference between the two sides.
However, a deeper look reveals another key disparity.
The Bulls were red-hot all night long. They shot 57.3% from the field, to the Celtics’ 51.2%. Boston just dominated the glass. They snagged 41 rebounds while the Bulls only corralled 29, and the Celtics won the battle on the offensive boards 12-3.
Chicago rosters two guys who average more than eight rebounds per game: Nikola Vucevic, a double-double machine, and Andre Drummond, one of the best rebounders of the last decade. Both were outdueled by Luke Kornet.
“Man, unbelievable,” Al Horford said of Kornet. “His energy. Relentless on the glass. Key offensive rebounds. Tap-outs. Put-backs. He’s doing everything for us down Collapse
Celtics stay ready, complete sweep of Bulls 124-113 in potential playoff preview
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
The Hospital Celtics ride on for ninth win in a Expand
5 DAYS AGO - Photo by Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
The Hospital Celtics ride on for ninth win in a row. Missing three starters? Back end of a back-to-back and third game in four nights? No problem in The Windy City with the Celtics beating the Bulls 124-113.
Since the tail end of their west coast road trip, the Hospital Celtics haven’t fielded their preferred starting lineup over the last nine games. With Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday all nursing nagging injuries and Boston comfortably in the lead in the East and the league overall, head coach Joe Mazzulla started with Derrick White, Jason Tatum, Sam Hauser, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet.
Those absences haven’t seemed to matter over the team’s now nine-game win streak.
The Stay Ready group continued their impressive run of winning basketball.
Over his last four games — two starts, two off the bench — Payton Pritchard has averaged 19 points and 8 assists in a bigger role. On this Saturday night in Chicago, Collapse
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