Today's' Celtics' Game is a Must-Win, Here's Why:

Today is a must win for the Celtics because they are facing the 76ers, an opponent in the eastern conference, with a potential league MVP, in contention for the championship in the opinions of most reputable analysts. With a loss, they undermine the confidence in the team on being a real force in the east.

A Quick Look at the 76ers


The Philadelphia 76ers are the current fourth seed in the eastern conference. They are 8th in team defensive rating, 4.2 points from first place. They are 14th in team offensive rating, 5 points from first place.The 76ers have won 7 of their last 10 games, and their best player, Joel Embiid, currently averages 29.5 PPG (points per game), 11 RPG (rebounds per game), 4.5 APG (assists per game), 1 STL (steals per game), and 1.5 BPG (blocks per game) on 60.7 % true shooting.  

In the past 5 games, Embiid has averaged 33.2 PPG, 13.6 RPG, 4.8 APG, 1.8 SPG, and 1.8 BPG. Specifically, against the Celtics, Embiid in 3 games has managed to average only 26 PPG. 11.9 RPG, 5.7 APG on 40.7% FG and 26.7% 3PT. Our defense obviously influencing the superstar big, evidenced by similar free throw percentages from the games against the Boston Celtics compared to the rest of the league teams. However, in those same 5 past games, Embiid has scored more than 30 points three times, with 40 points in a win in the last game against the third seeded Cavaliers. He’s a favorite to win the league’s most valuable player award, alongside Nikola Jokic.

The 76ers roster also includes all-star caliber talent in Tobias Harris and Tyrese Maxey. Tobias Harris scores 19 points per game, while providing 7 rebounds and 4 assists per game. Maxey scores a similar 17 points per game, while contributing about 4 rebounds and 5 assists per game. Matisse Thybulle is a defensive threat, averaging 2 steals and a block per game. The rest of the team works together to create an intimidating presence both offensively and defensively.

Unfortunately, in a recent trade package that included Seth Curry, Ben Simmons, Paul Millsap, Andre Drummond, and James Harden, the 76ers lost a core piece, Seth Curry. During this season’s tenure on the 76ers, Curry was averaging 15 points, 3 rebounds, and 4 assists while shooting 40% from the three. He’s now gone. Harden is also currently injured and will be out in tonight’s game against the 76ers. At this moment in time, they are not at full-strength.

A Celtics Win: An Achievable Reality

Roster issues in the 76ers after a blockbuster trade that included James Harden lessens the stress on the Celtics defense considerably and makes a win the more likely outcome.

The Celtics’ recent schedule has been criticized for relative ease. After a recent win against the other MVP in contention, Nikola Jokic, and his Nuggets, there is a wait to see if the Celtics are truly a competitive team. The Celtics have been enjoying the best defense in the league, with multiple All-NBA caliber players contributing to a league best eight game win streak. Their recent trade, which swapped Romeo Langford, Josh Richardson, and two picks for Derrick White, has been a success. Since the trade, their record has been 2-0. They’ve been winning even with less-than-stellar performances from their star offensive players. The team is more than capable than defeating Philadelphia.

A Quick Look at the ‘new’ Celtics

Since the new year, the Boston Celtics have become the number one defense in the league, and their star center, Robert Williams, boasts the best defensive rating in the entire league, at 101.2. Multiple players find themselves on the top of defensive statistics lists, such as Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, and Jaylen Brown. They are evidently playing well as a team, on an 8-game win streak, and are playing well despite shooting woes from their best players. Through the new year, their record is 16-6. A massive turnaround from their 17-19 start. 

The Celtics did not let themselves coast on their good record and were very active during the trade deadline. They traded for Derrick White and Daniel Theis, and traded away Josh Richardson, Dennis Schroeder, Enes Freedom, Romeo Langford, and a couple of draft picks. These moves have proved worthwhile, with the Celtics getting two wins since they were made.

The Takeaway


Statistics support Boston’s claim for being an elite team. They’ve gotten hot and stayed hot. A great trade deadline and two recent wins against the Nuggets and Hawks have given more legitimacy to their streak.  The team has every reason to keep on winning. Another win, against their conference rivals, cements them as a true power who can vie for a championship. A loss, and questions regarding their actual impact are going to gain a lot of traction. Let’s see if the Celtics’ luck continues.

 

Want more Celtics content?! Check these out:

Another Celtics Win, 12-6 to Start New Year (Highlights)

Top 10 Celtics Play since the New Year

Why Rob Williams is the big the Celtics needed

New Year, New Celtics?

 

Stay updated with the blog by subscribing!



images not mine. copyright to those that hold it.
Celtics fanatic. Basketball lover. All things sports.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What is Highrise City?: A New Cities-Skylines Competitor [EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW]

Image
No new city-builders have tried to do the modern city building theme. While Tropico, Aven Colony, Frostpunk, Surviving Mars, Anno 1800, and Surviving the Aftermath all exist on their own as great simulation games, they are not truly based on building a modern day city.    [Exclusive Interview Below Game Overview] Modern city-building games have been in a drought, with the last major releases being Cities: Skylines and Simcity 2013. Almost 7 years have passed since Paradox published their competing product against Simcity, Cities: Skylines. It was a great game with minor issues that fixed and addressed many of the issues that the 2013 release of the legendary Simcity franchise contained. However, enough time has passed that Skylines has unfortunately been showing its age. But, until now, no game had the potential to improve on what Cities: Skylines now lacks. What new game is this? Highrise City. Highrise City is a new city-building simulation game that is going to be published in 2
Read more

The Best Jaylen Brown Poster Dunks of All-Time

Image
Jaylen Brown has been on an absolute tear of posterizing opponents his entire career. A fierce scorer, he is not going to let anything get in the way between him and the rim. He has had many amazing highlights throughout his career. In this list, his top 5 poster dunks will be highlighted. Stay until the end to not miss out on spectatular rim rocking slams. images by  (AP Photo/Morry Gash) , copyright to those that hold it. Stay updated with the blog by subscribing  HERE ! Suggested Article:  TOP 5 MARCUS SMART PLAYS SINCE THE NEW YEAR 5. Jaylen Brown Throws it Down on LeBron Brown shows that the King is not fallible. It seems like the Celtics have a penchant for dunking on LeBron. 4. Jaylen Brown Dunks all Over Giannis Antetekounmpo  Jaylen Brown actually dunked on Giannis three times, but this one looked the best.  3. Kleber gets Cleaved In this play, he uses athleticism to poster Max Kleber, then receives a dap-up from KG on his jersey retirement day. Even without th
Read more

Who is Payton Pritchard?

Image
Payton Pritchard is a third year NBA player who was drafted by the Boston Celtics. He’s 6’1, 195 lbs, and full of energy. The 2020 Draft Prospect page on NBA.com for Pritchard has him at 6’2, 206 lbs. They list his strengths;  Confident ball handler, passer and shot maker. Creates space with hesitation dribbles and burst. Has deep shooting range and a quick release. Plays with poise and tenacity.   All of which have been ringing through, especially as of late. From when this article was being written (3/25/22), Pritchard has shot 58% from the three-point line in his last 5 games. He also had 2 games of perfect shooting. This season, he is shooting an elite 40% from beyond the arc. From the free-throw line, he is a perfect 100%. Clearly, the man can shoot lights out. If his offensive pace keeps up, he will carve out a nice role not only on the Boston Celtics, but the NBA as a whole, as an elite shooter who can give you plenty of buckets at any time. Payton Pritchard’s Past Payton Prit
Read more

Was the Derrick White Trade Worth It For the Boston Celtics? Who is Derrick White?

Image
The Derrick White trade was a surprising one when it was first broken during the chaotic times of the trade deadline. Boston exchanged Josh Richardson, Romeo Langford, and two picks for Derrick White. Since the trade, the Celtics have won 10 out of the last 12 games they’ve played. He has averaged about 10 points, 3 assists, 3 rebounds, and 1 block. Shortly after the trade, in an interview, head coach Ime Udoka said that “He checks a ton of boxes. He's a perfect fit on and off the court. A guy who's going to come right in and be selfless, work hard offensively and defensively. He'll do a lot of things for us -- another guy with good length who can add versatility to our group.” With their recent elevation of play, Udoka looks like he was right on the money about Derrick White. He has seemingly been an amazing addition to an already-amazing roster. It has been a few weeks since the trade, and now we can look back to see if this trade was worth it, at least in the short t
Read more

TOP 5 MARCUS SMART PLAYS SINCE THE NEW YEAR

Image
Marcus Smart, a lifelong Celtic, has shown himself to be the heart and soul of the team. Going out of his way to produce the work that does not show up on the box score, he is capable of casually creating plays that can only be described as work of a basketball genius. Stay updated with the blog by subscribing  HERE ! 5. Let me just shoot this three real quick, thank you. The Brooklyn Nets have been very hospitable to opponent offences this season. They were very polite with Marcus Smart on this play, allowing him to stroll up and sink a three in the defender's mouth. 4. Marcus Smart, a gold-medal winning gymnast or just a very acrobatic athlete? You decide. Marcus Smart, after taking over point guard duties, has become a versatile playmaker. Here, he drives in and contorts his body around a defender, faking the layup and dishing it out for a quick drive and easy layup by Jayson Tatum. 3. Marcus Smart shows he's the heart and soul of the team No matter if we are l
Read more