The Celtics Making The Eastern Conference Finals (Again) Is Cool And All, But Now Is The Time To Finally Reach The Top Of The Mountain

Adam Glanzman. Getty Images.

There was a time in my life when I couldn't even conceive the idea that the Boston Celtics would ever be playing in the Eastern Conference Finals. After hearing since birth all about the Russell Era, the Havlicek era, and the Bird era from people who were fortunate enough to experience them, my brain couldn't comprehend how that could be possible.

Why? Because this is what I was living through. This was the Celtics basketball that I knew and still loved. This is what molded me

I didn't even know what 40 wins felt like let alone an ECF appearance. It wasn't until I was 14 years old that the Celts made their first ECF of my life (they lost), and until 2008, I had never seen them win a title with my own eyes.

So if you're around my age, and you were molded by the Rick Pitino era, you can understand that in a time like this, perspective is important. Making 3 straight ECFs and 6 in the last 8 years is unlike anything many of us have ever experienced in our lives watching this team play. It's not normal. If it were easy, a lot of other teams would do it.

In this city, and this franchise, ECFs are nice but they generally mean nothing without finishing the deal. Knowing that, I think both things can be true. It's possible to take a step back and appreciate what we are watching in the Tatum/Brown era, understand how special and unique it is, while also understanding that NOTHING matters unless they finish the job. That making ECFs is cool, but winning them and then going on to win the Finals is even cooler. 

All I know is heading into this postseason, the expectation was to win. The Celtics have done that (so far). The expectation was to make quick work of their series. The Celtics have done that (so far). 

While we can't predict the future, what we can do is appreciate the present. So let's dive in.

The Good

- I'm not sure how you could watch what Al Horford did in this game and not be emotional. Above everything else, the main reason I would like to see the Celts finish the job during this run is so that this guy can finally get the ring he so rightfully deserves

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As someone who was in the building for Game 5, the first thing I did during warmups was look at Al. I wanted to see just how fresh he looked and boy was it clear what was about to happen

Now I can't say I thought to myself that Al was about to throw up a performance never seen before in NBA history, I was just hoping for a few open 3s and some passable defense in space against smaller/quicker players. What we got instead was an Al Horford masterclass, and it couldn't have come at a bigger time.

While the 3s were nice to see drop again, without a doubt the best part of Al's night for me was how he defended. Time and time again we saw the Cavs run a simple high screen to get Darius Garland in isolation against Al, and pretty much every single time Al won that matchup

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He stayed home at every hesitation move Garland would throw at him, he moved his feet, and when it came time to recover and challenge at the rim, Horford did it flawlessly all without fouling. To be doing that shit at 37 years old after the minutes Al has had to play since KP went down is special stuff, and it sets the tone for the entire team. If Al Horford is willing to die for this win, then everyone else needs to be as well.

- It continues to be baffling to me the way Jayson Tatum is discussed both online and in the traditional media. We see players with nowhere close to the level of success be hailed as the next MJ and their stinkers ignored, year after year another new shiny toy has suddenly "leaped Tatum". I've always felt that it's very easy to think Jayson Tatum stinks if you just ignore all the times he's awesome. Every year we have to hear the same old bullshit

"Is Tatum a dawg?"

"Does he have that special it factor?"

"Will he ever show up in the playoffs?"

It's as if these people have the memories of a goldfish. Fortunately, Tatum has no problem exposing these weirdos and reminding them just how stupid they are

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Last night, Tatum became the only player in NBA playoff history to have 25/10/9 with at least 3 3PM and only 1 TO. A performance that has only happened 5 times in all of NBA history. Unless your name is LeBron, Jokic, Isaiah Thomas (!!!), Latrell Sprewell and now Jayson Tatum, it's never happened.

Think about that for a second.

Game 5 was Tatum's 3rd consecutive playoff game with at least 25 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists. Guess who the only other Celtic is to ever do something like that? This fella named Larry Bird, maybe you've heard of him. It was Tatum's 20th time in his career during the playoffs having that line, which is 2nd all time in Celtics history behind Bird's 26. 

Appreciate what we are watching. It is not normal. 

The best part? Tatum was an efficient 9-16 in this game. The passing was incredible, the defense was nails, and when it came time for the best player to show up and end a series, that is exactly what he did. The Celts now move to 12-2 during the Tatum/Brown era when they get to at least 3 wins in a series, which means the formula is pretty simple. Get Tatum to a closeout game, and he's going to come through.

- There's a reason Aggressive Derrick White is so important to the success of this basketball team. The players know it, Derrick knows it, we all know it. They say it all the time and for good reason

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When Derrick White takes at least 12 FGA in a game, on the season the Celts are 28-6. So far in these playoffs, they're 6-0. His aggressiveness in the first quarter is what got this team rolling early, and after back to back stinkers in Games 3 & 4, White responded with a tidy 18/5/6 with 2 blocks in his 36 minutes. 

When opposing defenses have to put so much attention on slowing down the Jays, it allows guys like Derrick to feast. When he plays with force and doesn't hesitate offensively, the Celts become impossible to guard once he starts knocking down shots. There are simply not enough good defenders on the other side to limit all these options, which is why it's so important that White remains aggressive moving forward. 

Hopefully, this is the sign that he's ready to climb out of his shooting valley and get back to the level he's been all year, because make no mistake. The Celts are going to need the good version of Derrick White to show up if they have hopes of winning the title.

- Boy was it great to get back to seeing this team move the ball. They finished with 32 AST, the Jays had 16 between them, and every starter had at least 4. It should then be no surprise that the Basketball Gods rewarded the good ball movement with 52/44% splits and 19 3PM. 

In the 4th quarter when it came time to put this game away, the Celts did it exactly how most people should want. They shot 64/55%, won the rebounding battle 13-3, and of their 11 FGM, 10 came off ASTs. That's the type of 4th quarter execution that is going to win you a lot of games, and I loved that when it came time to close the door, the Celts did it through selfless play. 

- He may not have had the loud stat line, but make no mistake, this was Jrue Holiday's 3rd consecutive A+ playoff performance. The final line was more than acceptable at 11/3/4 on 5-9 shooting, but there were a couple sneaky big moments that really stood out.

There was the time where Evan Mobley did his best to try and back down Jrue in the 3rd quarter, only to be stonewalled into a turnover. That was crazy to see live. Zero help, zero doubles, just strength on strength between a point guard and a center. 

Then there were his buckets early in the 4th. Twice the Cavs cut it to 3 points, and twice it was Jrue who came up with the big bucket in the paint to give the Celts a little bit of breathing room. If he doesn't make those shots, who knows what happens? Then when it came time for a massive 3PM, he delivered there as well

As poor as he was offensively in the first few games of this series, the version of Jrue Holiday that we've gotten ever since Game 3 has been tremendous on both ends of the floor. Maybe he just needed a few games under his belt to feel comfortable, but do not overlook his importance in this series win. They sure as shit don't wrap this up in 5 without him.

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- Same thing with Pritchard. His 11 points off the bench were sneaky important too, because most of his scoring came at a time when this game was close. A very much needed 4-7 from the floor and 3-4 from deep, his 3s felt bigger and bigger as the game went on. Another game of 0 TOs for Pritchard, his shooting helped the Celts stay attached while their defense couldn't get a stop to save their lives, and without it, the Cavs most likely get some separation and everyone probably gets a little tight.

- For the 3rd time in 5 games in this series and the 7th time this postseason, the Celtics held an opponent under 100 points. Why is that important? Simple. When the Celtics hold someone under 100, they do not lose

They are 22-0 this season and 7-0 in the playoffs when keeping a team to under 100. As I've said time and time again, if the Celtics are going to win the title, the foundation of that run will be their defense. I don't give a shit who is playing or who is injured, in 2024 to be holding NBA teams to under 100 points at this rate is pretty nuts, and it hasn't mattered if the games are at home and away.

When this team defends, they become devastating to beat. 

The Bad

- If there's one thing that should have you slightly concerned so far in these playoffs, it has to be the Celts pick and roll defense. It's been a disaster. Through 10 games, when it comes to guarding the roll man, the Celts currently give up 1.21 points per possession (very bad), and rank in the 20th percentile (also very bad). 

When it comes to guarding the ball handler, things aren't all that better. The Celts have been allowing 1.00 points per possession, allowing 46% shooting, and currently rank in the 20th percentile defending that player.

We saw it happen time and time again in Game 5, where the communication was a disaster and Evan Mobley was able to walk to the rim with ease. This is a problem because guess who runs a fuck ton of P&R? The Knicks, Mavs, and Pacers. While the Nuggets don't run it with a high frequency, they get to run it with the best player on the planet, so it's still a factor.

Having KP available will help with this, but who knows about his availability. In the meantime, the Celts have to figure out this coverage, because in a playoff series against a competent team, they are going to run it every single time until you prove you can stop it. So far, the Celtics have not stopped it. 

Watch these Mobley highlights and look at how poor the P&R defense is. 

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That simply has to be fixed moving forward.

- We knew that once Tony Brothers was assigned to work this game, that there would be some typical Tony Brothers bullshit. I think it's fair to say that's exactly what we got

I mean what are we doing here? How does Adam Silver allow shit like this to happen? We see players ALL THE TIME have way more disrespectful reactions towards officials and it's nothing. Hell it happened in this very game! Yet your calling a tech on Tatum for doing that? In a playoff game? Fuck Tony Brothers man, just the absolute worst.

You miss a clear foul, the player barely reacts, and you compound your mistake by calling a tech. Another case of a ref getting emotional and taking it out on the players. That shit has no business in the playoffs regardless of who is playing, yet Adam Silver and the NBA continue to not care while it ruins their product. 

- I would like to know where this Mook offensive performance was in Game 7 of the 2018 ECF. Where were the 25 points on 10-13 (5-6) shooting in that game? The crazy part is after a few open ones, the majority of Mooks' makes were contested. Of course there was going to be someone who had the game of their life, but all I kept thinking about while it was happening was where the hell was this when the Celtics needed it from Mook? If they had lost this game after a performance like that, I may have never recovered.

- Everything about the Celtics defense early was awful. It felt like they weren't sure how they were supposed to be switching on screens, they allowed wide open jumper after wide open jumper, and as you saw in the Mobley video, couldn't stop P&R to save their life. 

While you have to give credit to the Cavs for coming to play and not just laying down and quitting, the frustrating part is the Celts were complicit in what was happening. If guys are going to make contested looks, you live with it. But the defensive pressure and communication was not on point to start this game, and then when you add in some careless passing (14 TOs), it's how you find yourself trailing after the first quarter and in a 6 point game at the half.

At some point, the Celts will play a team with their best players. When that happens, they cannot have the type of defensive start like we saw in Game 5. Those teams won't disappear over the course of 48 minutes, and they will bury you for giving them those kind of open looks.

The Ugly

- Not the best Luke Kornet performance we've ever seen, which makes it all the more confusing how Xavier Tillman is getting these DNP-CDs. I'm not saying he's the savior, but I am saying it cannot hurt to get him run. For all we know they might need him against the Knicks and their physicality, and on a night where Luke was getting eaten alive by Mobley every time he touched the ball, why not just give Tillman a look? 

Is he hurt? Is he in the doghouse for something? Isn't this situation the exact reason why Brad traded for him? None of it makes any sense. This is a guy who has playoff experience and plays a position of need right now. Should be a no brainer for 10ish minutes a night if one of the other rotation bigs doesn't have it, and so far it's been nothing.

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- I'll say this about the crowd. I think most of the issue is with how it comes across on TNT/ESPN/ABC. Being in the building, I didn't think it was a dead crowd. Yet people were tweeting me that it sounded dead on TV. I'm not sure what the technical aspect of that is, but it's pretty obvious what happens in these games.

When the Celts struggle or a team goes on a mini run, you can feel the nerves in the entire building. Maybe that's what people are referencing. In such a big postseason, everyone is on edge. When there was a drought, there was definitely a "oh fuck not again" vibe at times, but I feel like that's normal with any crowd of a team with title aspirations. I'm pretty sure it was loud during the 4th quarter and for everything Al Horford did, so maybe it's just a TV thing.

And now, we wait. No clue who the Celts are playing or when they're playing, but that'll be settled over the next few days. What matters is this team did what we all wanted and handled their shit. 8-2 to start the playoffs with a +11.3 differential is the kind of shit that wins you a title. Now it's time to rest up and be ready for whoever comes next.

8 down, 8 to go.