Souvenirs from Celtics’ 3-1 trip 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 feel when you informed Celtics followers that the staff would fare this manner 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 staff isn’t any joke (even when Nikola Jokic didn’t play for the Nuggets).

The timing of this stretch was supreme.

Boston had simply limped via December, dropping a handful of winnable video games on their technique 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 staff’s effort ranges and concentrate on that facet of the ball.

The person in cost didn’t utterly give his staff a go, however did shine some mild on the chance that they have been in a droop and the bounces weren’t going their approach regardless of a stable effort.

“It’s so straightforward accountable 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 share 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 already know what our 3-point share is? It’s twenty eighth… We do should play higher, although, on each ends of the ground. Let me be very clear. There’s 10 to 12 possessions per sport the place we completely should be higher on the defensive finish of the ground. I need to make certain I’m one hundred pc clear on that. However it is vitally, very straightforward when issues aren’t going nicely accountable protection and energy.”

The Celtics packed that effort up and introduced it out west with them, for certain. Apart from the opening sport in opposition to the Minnesota Timberwolves, Boston held every staff to no less than 10 fewer factors than their season averages.

Throughout the four-game span, they allowed the fewest subject objectives per sport within the league at 33 and the fifth-lowest field-goal share at 44%.

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

“It’s not how I need to play, after all,” he stated. “I’m solely 23, I don’t wanna simply be passing the ball all evening… However the best way they’re guarding me, I feel I’ve to.”

Edwards added that it was “tremendous arduous” 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 sport on this highway journey, a complete rating within the backside third of the league through the four-game span.

With out the robust defensive displaying, the outcomes out west may’ve been totally different.

KP cleared for takeoff?

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

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

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

When Porzingis is nice, he’s actually good and a authentic 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 unsuitable, he’s been wonderful 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 in a position to keep wholesome. To this point 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 sport 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 sport,” 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 might 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 offered a powerful scoring punch with 19 factors on 6-12, however sadly went chilly (as did your entire staff) 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 12 months. He was hitting the glass arduous, operating in transition, and even hustling after unfastened balls to get the Cs some much-needed additional possessions.

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

“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 everyone expects from me; that is what I confirmed final season.

“And now, I’m simply working my approach again up, and truthfully, 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 damage and tear

Alright, so, this may sound like an annoying coping mechanism, however I really 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 capturing the ball for a big a part of the final month and it’s harm 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 just lately 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 taking part in via ache, it may be straightforward to overlook that they’re doing simply that — taking part in via ache. It’s going to have an effect on their video games till they’re in a position to get proper and we’ve gotten a take a look at that in latest outings on each ends of the spectrum.

Vacation is trying an increasing number of comfy with every sport 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 profitable play after profitable play.

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

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

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 staff. They’ve acquired a gaggle of gamers who’ve performed deep into the playoffs 12 months after 12 months, to not point out that Tatum, White, and Vacation suited up for Staff USA on the Paris Olympics.

The essential factor is for the staff to proceed constructing in direction of being their finest when the playoffs roll round. Their most-daunting journey of the 12 months might have been the correct first step in direction of that purpose.