After a heartbreaking loss to the Miami Heat in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last May, Wyc Grousbeck decided he was tired of his team falling short. He knew it was time to make drastic changes.
Determined to break the cycle of disappointment, he convened a meeting with President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens and head coach Joe Mazzulla. Together, they confronted the stark reality that just being close was no longer good enough — sparking a commitment to a new direction for the team.
Less than a month later, and just a year after falling short in the NBA Finals, Boston initiated a significant overhaul of its core. They traded Marcus Smart, affectionately known as the “Heart and Soul” of the Celtics, to Memphis for Kristaps Porzingis in a three-team blockbuster deal, marking a shift in the team’s culture and direction.
Stevens didn't stop there.
On the eve of training camp, he pushed all his chips to the center of the table, paying a hefty price to acquire Jrue Holiday from the Portland Trail Blazers. The trade directly responded to the Milwaukee Bucks’ acquisition of Damian Lillard.
The additions of Porzingis and Holiday were complemented by the infusion of championship experience into the revamped coaching staff with the arrivals of Sam Cassell and Charles Lee. Additionally, the C’s added Jayson Tatum’s former Duke teammate, Amile Jefferson, as an assistant coach and Jeff Van Gundy as a senior consultant.
The changes eliminated any excuses. Stevens and ownership had gone all in. Just coming close is simply not good enough.
With All-Star weekend now in the rearview, Stevens, the Front Office, and Celtics fans must feel good about what they have seen from the overhauled roster. Sitting at 43-12, the Celtics boast the best record in the NBA and are on pace for 65 wins.
Remarkably, all the Celtics need to do is go 17-10 post-All-Star break to finish with 60 wins – a mark that hasn’t been reached since the 2008-09 season.
With the Celtics off until Thursday, let’s take a look at some numbers that show where the Celtics are, how they’ve gotten there, and why fans should feel pretty good entering the second half of the season.
6- That’s Boston’s lead in the Eastern Conference, marking their largest lead since 2008, with 27 games still to be played. According to Pro Basketball Reference’s playoff probabilities report, the Celtics have a remarkable 99.9% chance of finishing first in the Eastern Conference. This figure seems absurd, considering over a quarter of the season remains.
Additionally, the report gives Boston a 66.7% chance of winning the Eastern Conference and a 48.2% chance of clinching the NBA Finals.
30- Speaking of the Eastern Conference, the Celtics boast an NBA-best 30-6 record against conference opponents. They stand as the only team in the league with 30 wins against their conference and are one of just two teams, alongside the Minnesota Timberwolves, with fewer than 10 losses.
22- The amount of wins Boston has against teams with a .500 or better record this season. Their 22 wins are the most in the Eastern Conference and are one behind Minnesota (23) for the league-high. The Celtics are the only team in the East with 20 or more wins against teams .500 or better. Additionally, Boston’s 11 losses are tied for the fewest in the league.
1- The number of losses Boston has against teams below .500. The Celtics have posted a 21-1 record against sub-.500 teams. So much for “playing down to their opponent.”
23- Boston’s wins at home. The Celtics have been near unstoppable at home, posting a 23-3 record at TD Garden this season. Boston ripped off 20 straight wins at home to start the season, setting a new franchise record. The previous franchise high of 17 consecutive games had stood since the 1957-58 season – a team led by Bill Russell, Bob Cousy, and Tommy Heinsohn, coached by Red Auerbach.
The Celtics are outscoring opponents by +396 at TD Garden (13.7 points per game).
9- The number of losses the Celtics have suffered on the road. Their nine losses are the second-fewest in the NBA, standing as one of just two teams (The Cleveland Cavaliers, 9) with single-digit road losses. On the other hand, their 17 wins are tied for the second-most in the league.
Even after opening the season 6-5 on the road, the Celtics hold the league’s best point differential on the road, outscoring opponents by +160.
+556- Boston’s point differential this season. No other team in the league is north of +400, and only three are at +300 or better. The difference between the Celtics’ point differential and the next closest team (the Timberwolves at +399) is a remarkable +157.
Compared to other Eastern Conference hopefuls, the Celtics are +255 ahead of the Cavaliers (+301), +306 ahead of the Knicks (+250), and a whopping +378 ahead of the Bucks (+178). On average, the Celtics are defeating opponents by 10.1 points per game, with 23 of their 43 wins (53.4%) coming by double digits. Conversely, the Celtics have suffered just four double-digit losses this season.
10.3 - Boston’s net rating. Net rating measures a team’s point differential per 100 possessions. Boston’s 10.3 is a league-best. The advanced numbers love the Celtics. Boston ranks first in offensive rating (120.8) and third in defensive rating (110.5). They are the only team in the NBA to rank in the top three in both offensive and defensive ratings.
22-5 - Boston’s record with its preferred starting five, consisting of Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis. In their 438 minutes together, the star-studded lineup has posted a 118.6 offensive rating, 108.0 defensive rating, and 10.6 net rating, outscoring opponents by 105 points.
1- The number of times Boston has lost back-to-back games. The Celtics are 11-1 following a loss this season. The last time they lost back-to-back games was the second week of the season.
8-2 - Boston’s record on the second night of a back-to-back. Fortunately, there are no back-to-backs in the postseason. However, they have been no issue for the Celtics. Boston’s eight wins lead the league, while their two losses are tied for the fewest. With Horford and Porzingis not playing in back-to-backs, Boston’s bench has been a big reason for the success on the second night of back-to-backs, leading us to the following number.
+180 - Boston’s point differential off the bench, a league-high. No other team is north of +140; just three others are higher than +100. Boston’s +180 off the bench more than doubles the next Eastern Conference team (the Philidelphia 76ers +87). Entering the season, especially after the Holiday trade, the depth of Boston’s bench was a concern for many. Led by Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Luke Kornet, Boston’s bench has been a strength more than the weakness fans expected, posting a league-best 5.3 net rating.
+251- Pritchard’s plus-minus, which leads the league. Right behind Pritchard, slotting in at number three, is Hauser (+232). Pritchard and Hauser are one and two in the Eastern Conference, respectively.
Pritchard, Hauser, and Kornet have been excellent supporting pieces for the Celtics, ensuring no drop-off when Boston’s top five/six are not on the floor. Regarding the back-to-backs, Pritchard has five 20-point games this season, all five of which occurred on the second night of a back-to-back.
18-8 - Boston’s record in the clutch. The NBA defines “clutch time” as the final five minutes of the fourth quarter or overtime when the score is within five points. Boston’s 18 wins are tied for the most in the league, and their eight losses are the fewest among teams with at least 25 clutch games played. The Celtics are outscoring opponents by a league-best +66 in the clutch. Only one other team is north of +60 (The Dallas Mavericks +61).
Additionally, the Celtics are a league-best 23-4 in games decided by 10 points or fewer. Finding ways to close games has been one of the most encouraging aspects of the new-look Celtics.
+75 - Derrick White’s league-high plus-minus in clutch situations. White has been incredible in the clutch, emerging as Boston’s X-Factor in those situations. He is the only player with a clutch plus-minus greater than +65. The 29-year-old has totaled 48 points in the clutch this season, second behind just Tatum (59) on the Celtics.
White is shooting 14-of-25 (56.0%) from the field and 10-of-20 (50%) from deep in the clutch. His 56% field goal percentage is good for ninth-best in the NBA among players with at least 20 attempts, ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo, Stephen Curry, Luka Doncic, Lillard, Joel Embiid, Donovan Mitchell, Lillard, and last year’s Clutch Player of The Year Award winner, De’Aaron Fox. The six-year vet is tied for second in made threes in clutch, trailing just Curry.
16.2- The number of made threes per game by the Celtics. Under the guidance of Joe Mazzulla, you can always expect a lot of threes. Boston’s 16.2 made threes per game are the most in the NBA, and they are shooting 38.0% from deep, the second-best mark in the Eastern Conference. Boston has outscored its opponents 2,679- 2,184 on the perimeter, a 495-point difference.
The Celtics are 30-3 when they make more threes than their opponents and 7-8 when they are outscored on the perimeter. So, if you are wondering why Mazzulla has such a heavy emphasis on the three-ball, that’s why. It’s an important shot.
7.3% - Boston’s post-up frequency. Despite what nonsense Kendrick Perkins may try to sell, the Celtics’ 7.3% post-up frequency is good for second-most in the league. To take it a step further, their 1.17 points per possession in the post puts them first in efficiency. The Celtics are scoring on 58.6% of their post-ups and are getting to the line 21.5% of the time. Match-up hunting has been a focal point of Boston’s offense, and the post has been a significant factor in that, helping Boston find an escape when the three-ball isn’t falling.
47.3 - Boston’s rebounds per game, which leads the NBA. While rebounding might not be the first aspect many associate with the Celtics, they have proven to be elite in this department. Led by Tatum, averaging 8.6 boards per game, five of Boston’s top six players average at least five boards per game. Holiday has also emerged as a terrific rebounder for Boston, snagging a career-best 5.9 boards per game, good for fourth-most among all guards.
The Celtics’ rebounding, specifically their work on the offensive glass, has provided them an additional outlet when the threes aren’t falling. Boston is averaging 14.9 second-chance points per game, good for ninth-best. Mazzulla closely monitors the margins of the box score: Are you attempting more shots than your opponent? Are you getting more possessions? Typically, that starts with rebounding, an area where the Celtics have excelled.
10.3 - The percentage of possessions Jayson Tatum is posting up. That number is double his 5.1% a season ago. The 6-foot-8 Tatum (who looks taller than that) noted on media day that he had put on 12 pounds over the offseason, and he has put that size to use, attacking mismatches often and utilizing a post-up game he has honed with assistant coach Sam Cassell.
The three-time All-NBA wing is scoring on 58.9% of his post-ups, a higher percentage than Joel Embiid, Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, and Karl-Anthony Towns. According to Cleaning The Glass, he is also shooting a career-high 72% at the rim (shots within four feet of the basket), using all three levels to score. Additionally, Tatum has been an elite rebounder, is averaging a career-best 4.8 assists per game, and has been impactful on the defensive end. The 25-year-old is well on his way to his third consecutive first-team All-NBA selection and deserves more attention in the MVP conversation.
1.41 - Kristaps Porzingis’ points per possession in the post, good for third-best in the NBA. Although no singular statistic justifies how much of a game-changer Porzingis has been for the Celtics, this feels like a fair representation, highlighting just how deadly the big man has been punishing switches and mismatches in the post. Porzingis has been everything the Celtics could’ve hoped for. He has wholly revolutionized Boston’s offense with his ability to space the floor, exploit mismatches, and shoot from anywhere on the floor. He has been just as impactful on the defensive end, providing elite rim protection with his 74 blocks.
42.6% - Jaylen Brown’s defended field goal percentage is good for fifth best among players who defend at least 10 attempts per game. Brown wanted to set the tone for the Celtics on the defensive end and has put his money where his mouth is. The All-NBA wing is limiting his opponents to an output of 5.0% below their expected level; among players defending 10 attempts per game, that ranks eighth best. Brown and Kevin Durant are the only non-bigs amidst that group.
Although an All-Defensive team for Brown feels like a long shot, he has undoubtedly made a difference on that end. The three-time All-Star is playing the best basketball of his career and has been worth every penny of the 5-year, $304 supermax extension signed over the season.
185 - the combined “Stocks” from Derrick White and Jrue Holiday. If you are unfamiliar with the term, it simply combines steals and blocks. Coined as “The Stock Exchange” by White’s father, Richard, this duo has recorded 94 blocks, including 59 by White, the highest among guards for the second consecutive season, along with 91 steals. Their combined efforts significantly contribute to Boston’s elite defense. There were high expectations for this duo entering the season, and they have lived up to them on both ends of the floor.
+112 - The Celtics point differential when Jayson Tatum is off the floor. The non-Tatum minutes have been a severe issue for the Celtics the last couple of seasons.
Including playoffs, the C’s were a -3 with Tatum off the floor last year, a -98 in 2021-22, and -61 in 2020-21. At long last, the Celtics appear to have fixed one of their most persistent problems.
10-of-12 - The Celtics have been outscored in the third quarter in 10 out of their 12 losses this season. While the 2023-24 Celtics have few weaknesses, the third quarter has proven notable. They struggled in this period for much of the season, ranking among the league’s worst third-quarter teams. Although there has been some improvement, the Celtics still possess the 21st-rated offense in the third quarter, averaging just 28.6 points on 46.2% shooting (26th), a significant decline from their usual efficiency. Third-quarter struggles have plagued the Celtics for years, and while there are signs of improvement, they are not yet in the clear.
0 - There are zero egos on the team. Pairing Porzingis and Holiday with Tatum, Brown, Horford, and White has undeniably given Boston the best top six in the NBA. Before the season, this group had combined for 3,707 career starts, including the postseason. A defining characteristic of the 2023-24 Celtics has been their commitment to “sacrifice,” which is easier said than done. Nevertheless, the Celtics have fully embraced this principle, setting aside personal accolades to prioritize the team’s success and the pursuit of raising Banner 18. This team displays a genuine connection and unparalleled chemistry, a quality that transcends mere Xs and Os.
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