The Celtics proved once again why they are the best team in the NBA Saturday night in a 110-107 win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
Despite having a relatively quiet night, Jayson Tatum showed up when the team needed him most. With the game tied at 107-107 and only two seconds left on the clock, Tatum was able to stop on a dime while being defended tightly, cross over, and pull up from the three-point line to drill the game-winning shot. Tatum finished the night with 18 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
Joel Embiid, who was unstoppable with 41 points, 12 rebounds and five assists, hit one of the craziest shots that the NBA has seen, launching it from behind half court and hitting nothing but net. Fortunately for the Celtics, the time on the clock had already expired, leaving the desperation heave meaningless.
Jaylen Brown, playing his second game since his facial fracture, led the Celtics with 26 points on 10-of-21 shooting to go along with four rebounds, three assists and three steals.
Derrick White continued to show he’s one of the most underrated players in the league, as he continues to remain confident in his role despite a move to the bench and provide points and elite defense. White finished the game with an efficient 18 points, shooting 7-of-9 from the field and 2-of-3 from behind the arc. This month, White is averaging 20.4 points per game while not being the primary or secondary scoring option.
As for Al Horford, he continues to make clutch shots when he is needed the most, including a crucial three-point shot with under two minutes remaining to keep the Celtics in the game. Horford finished the game with 15 points, shooting 5-of-9 from the field and 5-of-8 from behind the arc.
Watching this Celtics team grow has been amazing to witness. Early in Tatum and Brown’s careers, the Celtics’ biggest weakness was holding on to big leads and failing to close out when it mattered the most. A prime example of this is when the Celtics in the 2020 Eastern Conference Finals consistently blew fourth-quarter leads to Jimmy Butler’s less talented but hungrier Miami Heat.
Three years later, closing out games has become a major strength. Tatum and Brown now have the experience to slow down the game when needed and make the right plays as leaders. Robert Williams is now a 25-year-old center who has developed into a player who is capable of being unstoppable in the paint and playing elite defense.
Brad Stevens as the president of basketball operations has done an amazing job surrounding Tatum, Brown and Marcus Smart with talent by trading for players like Horford, White and Malcolm Brogdon who are reliable scorers and defenders that excel playing within their roles on the team.
Instead of the Celtics following the “Super Team” recipe that has been popularized by the likes of Kevin Durant and LeBron James, they have gotten back to their roots of being fundamentally sound on both sides of the ball, with the perfect combination of veterans and young players who play within an certain role and create a level of teamwork that can’t be replicated or matched by anyone else at the moment. But have no doubt, this chemistry and perfect balance has been something that has been in the making since Stevens was coaching Tatum in 2017 as a rookie.
We are witnessing a Tatum and Brown-led team of six years of disappointments blossom into a powerhouse for years to come before our eyes. The Celtics are the best team in the league because of patience by ownership and good drafting and trades from management (Danny Ainge and then Stevens).
Other teams around the NBA should be studying the process and formula that the Celtics have followed if they want success that will last for a long time. The C’s haven’t won a championship with the roster they have yet, but they have the potential to have runs in the Finals for years to come with Tatum and Brown still getting better and youth being on their side.