An NBA analyst offers a crucial theory about what might occur if the Boston Celtics don’t win the championship this season.
Every week, Bill Simmons and Ryen Russillo debate their opinions about the NBA on the Bill Simmons Podcast. This week, Russillo thought of something to say about Jaylen Brown, an NBA All-Star forward for the Boston Celtics.
“Jaylen has smashed through any ceiling I’ve ever had for him, I’ve said that before,” Russillo stated. Similar to the draft, he starts off okay—he’s really decent, but whatever—and then he just keeps getting better. Last year, I voted for him to be on the All-NBA team, but I wasn’t really sure why I did. It’s acceptable that some members of the analytics community believe it wasn’t as good as they thought it was.
After eight seasons, Brown is currently the Celtic with the longest contract. He enjoyed another All-Star season, averaging 22.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, and a career-high 3.7 assists while shooting 34.7 percent from three-point range and 49.9 percent from the field. This is essentially the 27-year-old’s second consecutive season with a 58.2 true shooting percentage, and he’s having the most difficulty adjusting to Boston’s new scheme.
Russillo knows that Brown is one of those stars that is as good as anyone making something out of nothing while creating his own shot, understanding that he can take the pressure off of the team as an elite creator and shot-maker. Russillo stated that he was not casually presenting breaking up Brown and Tatum.
“I look at him, and I’m consistently confused by this incredibly-productive, talented player, in a way where I’m like, ‘Is it as good as the scoring is,’ Russillo said. “By the way, their winning a million games, so it’s not like there’s this piece that’s [expletive] them up, and their flirting with just being over.500, being a four-seed. I don’t know, I’m asking you, what do you think it is that I’m seeing, because it just feels a little different, or maybe it’s always been this way, and I’m just finally admitting… Like, yeah he’s an awesome player, but I don’t knowI believe that’s what I’m seeing since it feels a little different, or perhaps I’ve just been acknowledging it for a while now. He’s a really good player, but I’m not sure
Brown has averaged 27.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and three assists in four games since the All-Star break. He has also shot 43.8 percent from three-point range and 62.3 percent from the field overall.
Owner Wyc Grousbeck has stated time and time again that even if the Celtics fail to accomplish their ultimate aim of winning the championship this season, their window is not going to close anytime soon. They have the longest contract of any core player in the franchise’s history, and it would be very hard to imagine them leaving Boston.
Celtics’ Prospects for Free Agency and Key Contract Choices After Trade Deadline
The NBA offseason of 2023 was exciting for the Boston Celtics.
There could be a lot going on this summer.
Perhaps this season won’t be as busy as the previous one, when the team acquired two stars in trade for Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porziņģis, and gave a third player a historic paycheck. However, they might need to make a payment in order to keep one of those acquisitions, and they might have to sign yet another historic contract extension.
Oh, and they will also have a championship to celebrate if all goes according to plan.
Although the players are undoubtedly not thinking about the offseason just yet, this front office most definitely is, so we’ll be doing the same as we assess this team’s position in free agency and analyze two of the most crucial choices they’ll have to make.
The Celtics’ salary demonstrates their complete focus on winning a championship or failing miserably.
According to Spotrac, they have the least amount of expected cap space of any party. It’s improbable that this will alter this summer, and they had better pray it doesn’t.
That figure would only fluctuate significantly if Jrue Holiday decided not to exercise his $39.4 million player option and went elsewhere. A team hoping to win a championship shouldn’t want to lose a versatile player like Holiday, especially since there wouldn’t be a clear option to take his place.
Though the losses wouldn’t be as severe, it might be difficult to cover frontcourt voids in the event that Xavier Tillman and/or Luke Kornet sign free agents.
For the remainder of the 2023–24 NBA season, how much playing time can we anticipate new Boston Celtics players Xavier Tillman, Sr. and Jaden Springer receiving? Before the NBA’s deadline of February 8, 2024, both Tillman and Springer were acquired by the Celtics via trade, with the intention of strengthening the team’s depth on defense.
In the team’s 129-112 away victory over the Chicago Bulls earlier this week, the two newest players on Boston’s roster made their debuts. Even though Springer’s debut was unremarkable, Tillman’s influence on the game was evident in the little playing time the former big man for the Grizzlies was given.
On a recent episode of the “Garden Report” podcast, reporter Bobby Manning of CLNS Media took some time to talk about how much playing time Tillman and Springer may anticipate for the Celtics this season. See it down below.
ANGELES When the NBA returned on February 22nd after the All-Star break, the Boston Celtics and Dallas Mavericks continued where they left off, each winning seven games in a row.
In a 123-113 home win over the Phoenix Suns, Kyrie Irving contributed 29 points and Luka Doncic scored 41 points along with nine rebounds and 11 assists for the Mavericks.
The Celtics defeated the Bulls 129–112 in Chicago thanks to strong play in the third quarter, which saw Derrick White score 28 points and Jayson Tatum score 25.
When league-leading Boston (44-12) jumped out to a 16-point lead in the first quarter, it appeared to be business as usual. However, the Bulls defeated them 38-28 in the second quarter and had a three-point advantage at the half until the Celtics turned things around.
The Celtics connected on 23 three-pointers, with Tatum and White scoring five apiece.
According to White, the break was enjoyable.
We were all probably simply itching to get back to work. Just a great chance for us to close out the game with our finest basketball. It was a lovely respite. All we had to do was take stock of our situation and strive to improve every day.
Chicago’s Nikola Vucevic led the team with 22 points and 14 rebounds, but when Boston tightened up defensively in the second half, the Bulls were unable to respond.
The Mavericks in Dallas were likewise behind by three points at the break. However, they grabbed a double-digit lead in the third quarter by starting on a 16-0 run, and they never looked back.
Doncic said to TNT, “It’s always tough to come back from All-Star; the first game’s always tough.” “We played against a fantastic team, but we were outstanding.”
Phoenix was led by Devin Booker’s 35 points, to which Kevin Durant contributed 23 more.
With the victory, the Mavs tied Phoenix’s record of 33-23 and won the game-winning tip against the Suns.
After the Mavs moved up into play-off position at sixth in the West, Doncic said, “I think it was a very big game,” but he also said, “We’ve got to get ready for the next game and just keep going like that.”
In a 130-110 victory over the Washington Wizards in Denver, Nuggets star Nikola Jokic made NBA history by becoming just the third player to post at least one triple-double against every team he has faced.
Jokic finished with a perfect 10-for-10 shooting performance, 19 rebounds, and 15 assists. AFP
