Derrick White was THE INBOUNDER on this play! In less than 3 seconds, he:
1) Inbounded the ball.
2) Spaced to the corner for a potential kick-back pass.
3) Read Smart's shot and crashed the glass.
4) Tipped in the game-winner.
Just an absurd basketball IQ and high-effort play.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are what everyone thought Kawhi and PG13 were gonna be in LA - except Tatum and Brown haven’t even hit their prime yet.
This. Is. Scary.
Can we talk about what
@jaytatum0
has done to every other MVP candidate this season?
41/7/5 vs Giannis (W)
25/5/2 vs Booker (W)
29/11/1 vs Durant (W)
37/13/5 vs Luka (W)
34/8/5 vs Jokic (W)
39/3/2 vs Morant (W)
35/12/4 vs Embiid (W)
Brad Stevens just said the only thought going through his head during this moment was that his daughter told him over the phone earlier in the day of Tacko, "It's time to give the people what they want." I'm dead lol
This guy just averaged 30 PPG, 7 APG, 5 RPG and 2 SPG with 46/45/87 shooting splits while checking Kevin Durant for an entire series. Mean mug allowed.
Pretty wild that Duke has been viewed for decades as this powerhouse program that has been the standard for college basketball, yet UConn now has won more titles in the last 25 years than Duke has won in its entire history.
Guys I've been here for 14 seasons. I've worked the NBA Finals. I've worked four Conference Finals in this building. NEVER have I heard this place THAT loud. INSANITY!!!!
.
@Grant2Will
came to the Celtics office today and handed out candles to every employee as both a holiday gesture and as a thank you for everyone’s hard work. No other player in the 11 yrs I’ve been here has done something like this. He did it as a rookie. He is a special person.
A fan sitting behind Brad Stevens just yelled out to Jaylen Brown, who had the ball in his hands, telling Brown to drive to the rack. Jaylen does so and draws a foul. Stevens turns around and says to the fan, "Good job."
I hope everyone out there is understanding of what Jayson Tatum is doing right now. He's leading Boston's offense with scoring and passing, and he's also the guy who has been initiating the containment of Kevin Durant at the other end. This is borderline unprecedented stuff.
The fact that Grant puts time and effort into planning this, and then takes the time to do it in person every year is extraordinary. He remains as the only player I’ve seen do this (where I’ve worked) in my 14+ years in the league.
Jaylen Brown: "When I got hot there, Steph was like the main person that was cheering me on, and I shot one from the logo, and it didn’t go in, but Steph said he liked it. So I was like, ‘Man, I thought I was you for a second,’ and he started laughing."
Obstacles Celts have overcome during 13-gm streak
-No Hayward
-No Horford
-No Kyrie
-No Hayward AND Horford
-No Hayward AND Horford AND Kyrie
-Trailed by 18 in OKC
-Trailed by 18 vs CHA w/o Hayward/Horford/Kyrie
-Shot < 42% on FGs 6x
-Bench totaled 12 pts 1x
-Won by 7 or fewer 7x
Those who voted for Biden must accept this challenge over next 4 yrs: It‘s now your responsibility to treat everyone - esp those who voted for Trump - w/ the decency & kindness you sought from your president thru the last 4 yrs. Choose words wisely. Take deep breaths. Be leaders.
The Celtics are the only team in the NBA that has two players who have dropped 50 or more in a game this season. You're lookin at them:
@jaytatum0
and
@FCHWPO
.
Wow, VERY rare to see this out of Jaylen Brown during Q1 of a game. Goes to the TO late bc he wanted to play up to the crowd at mid court. Think he might've been irked by the game plan Golden State brought into today, to basically entice him to shoot?
Kemba told me today that he’ll be asking guys like Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum what it takes to be successful in the postseason. He’s humble. He acknowledges they’ve been there, and he hasn’t. He wants to learn.
Kevin Durant says, in part, of becoming Team USA's all-time leading scorer in the Olympics, "This guy to the left (Jayson Tatum), I think he's going to be the next one to break that record."
Kemba Walker never ceases to amaze. Bus is leaving for airport in the next few minutes and he still stopped to sign autographs for every single fan who was outside of the hotel. I can’t explain to you how rare that is.
Jayson Tatum on Al Horford: "We just can't keep taking him for granted. Best teammate I ever had. Ultimate professional, and somebody we can count on night-in and night-out, and he proved that again tonight."
This was the definition of a schedule loss for the Celtics. They landed at 5:30am yesterday after playing three games in four nights to end a 10-day road trip. Then, without Porzingis, hosted a rested Suns team that had its entire Big 3 healthy and needed a W.
Boston won by 15.
Watching these last two games, it's as if Al Horford has been saying through his play, "This is my real shot at a championship. I will not allow us to waste this opportunity."
An example of why it's
#DifferentHere
in Boston:
Jordan Walsh just checked in for his first career minutes and the entire crowd knew it was his debut. The crowd was on its feet for the final few mins of a blowout cheering him on in hopes that he'd score his first career points.
Marcus Smart’s tribute video ends, music begins playing in the arena, and fans begin chanting “WE LOVE MARCUS!” The building turns the music off and allows the crowd to serenade No. 36
The Celtics have gained two extra days of rest due to Orlando forcing a Game 7 against Cleveland. Thats certainly a benefit for Boston, for multiple reasons.
Jaylen Brown says after Boston's win, "That looked like the team I recognize. We came out, we played 48 minutes, we didn't take our foot off the gas, and we took care of business."
There is finally legitimate talk about Marcus Smart being the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year. FINALLY!!!
DPOY shouldn't be an award for whatever center defends the rim at the highest level. It should be an award for the league's best defender. Period.
A year ago, Boston had just been swiftly eliminated by BKN, Danny Ainge shockingly retired the next morning, and Brad Stevens was elevated to President of B-Ops seemingly out of nowhere.
Now the Celtics are set to tip off in the Finals tonight. What a difference a year makes.
Blake Griffin said he’s been taken aback by “the amount of maturity and welcomingness” (he admitted that isn’t a word) that he’s found within Boston’s locker room since his arrival yesterday. He said that isn’t something he’s used to finding in the league.
Marcus Smart just made the most ridiculous off-hand runner, in traffic, off the glass, and then stared at his left hand as if it were God.
And, honestly, it might be.
Jayson Tatum on Al Horford: "I love Al. Like, that's one of my favorite teammates of all-time. He's a big reason for my personal success, for everybody's success, and the ultimate team guy. And we're just really lucky to have him."
Mazzulla says the Celtics purposefully allowed Porzingis to defend Dejounte Murray on switches bc it was good practice reps for 1-through-5 switching, of which the Celtics haven't done much.
Boston has positioned itself to be able to use games as practices for certain scenarios.