Category: .Analysis

Celtics Lab 225: On Boston looking good to start the season and what they can do to get better with Yossi Gozlan

Will this team need more moves as the season wears on? Does it realistically have the assets, cap space, or budget for such moves?

The Boston Celtics are now 2-0 to start their 2023-24 NBA season after having defeated the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden to kick off their current campaign, following it with a 119-110 victory over the ball club that bounced them from the 2023 postseason, the Miami Heat.

The Celtics top six players look as good as any team in the league so far and there are only a few lingering concerns it seems the team still needs to iron out, but some of them have been ongoing concerns with the team for several seasons now. Still, they appear to have the talent and more importantly the chemistry and fit to overcome what’s left of momentary lapses of focus or devolution into “my-turn, your-turn” basketball.

Will this team need more moves as the season wears on to address those issues? Does it realistically have the assets, cap space, or budget for such moves? Or can we count on improvement from within to ameliorate the few remaining problems that could be a barrier to Banner 18?

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Lab” podcast linked up with HoopsHype’s Yossi Gozlan to talk over where the Celtics stand as a second apron team that might need to make more moves. We also get into what we’ve seen from the team so far in their home and road openers.

The Celtics Lab podcast is brought to you by FanDuel.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Derrick White and Jaylen Brown go off as the Boston Celtics dominate the Miami Heat

Despite a less impressive performance from the bench, the Celtics found ways to win.

Veteran point guard Derrick White helped to lead the Boston Celtics to a 119-111 victory over the Miami Heat at TD Garden in the Celtics’ home opener, showcasing a superstar performance with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 blocks, his game particularly shining in the contest’s fourth quarter. T

The Celtics faced a tough test in what has become one of the NBA’s best rivalry games in recent years, Boston coming back from a 13-point deficit to win the tilt and start their 2023-24 campaign out 2-0, highlighting their resilience early in the season. White’s ability to elevate his play in crucial moments continued, and despite a less impressive performance from the bench, the Celtics found ways to win.

To talk over what they say from Boston in their home opener win over Miami, the hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast sat down postgame on Friday.

Check it out in the clip embedded above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Celtics’ top six players held meeting to determine 2023-24 starters

White jokingly suggested that Tatum should come off the bench, to which the St. Louis native playfully responded that he would come off the bench for at least one game.

The Boston Celtics‘ top six star players, including Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jason Tatum, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, held a meeting to determine the team’s starting lineup for the upcoming season. The players collaboratively discussed the lineup, focusing on what’s best for the team’s success. While there were reportedly some lighthearted moments, the overarching theme was a strong desire to win.

White jokingly suggested that Tatum should come off the bench, to which the St. Louis native playfully responded that he would come off the bench for at least one game during the 2023-24 season. Horford, who had been a regular starter throughout his career, came off the bench in the Celtics’ season opener against the New York Knicks in the wake of that talk.

The folks over at the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast weighed in on this seemingly momentous meeting’s impact on a recent episode.

Check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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The Boston Celtics will have as many as nine free agents in 2024

Finding the right balance between players the front office ought to want to retain without also paying too much to do so is a fraught needle to thread.

The Boston Celtics are officially a second apron ball club as they gear up to contend for an NBA-record 18th title this season, and will thus need to take great care with the talent on the team around the margins with the Celtics needing to keep good players on cheap contracts around, which is no easy task even without the additional exigencies of trying to win a title.

Finding the right balance between players the front office ought to want to retain without also paying too much to do so is a fraught needle to thread for Boston moving forward, but one they will need to pull off if they want to stay in the title hunt.

And they will have to do it a total of as many as nine times in the 2024 NBA offseason, with as many potential free agents looking at new deals; let’s take a look at who they are.

Inside Boston icon Kevin Garnett’s new 3-on-3 basketball league, STR33T

Garnett’s involvement as the face of the league adds credibility to what has been a slippery slope for 3-on-3 leagues so far.

Hall of Fame Boston Celtics big man Kevin Garnett’s Big Ticket Sports, in collaboration with the ProLeague Network, is launching a new 3-on-3 basketball league called STR33T. Basketball News’ Alex Kennedy, in a recent interview with Big Ticket Sports CEO George Daniel, discussed how the idea for STR33T came together and the potential of 3-on-3 basketball as it gains popularity, especially with its inclusion in the Olympics.

STR33T will stand out from existing 3-on-3 leagues, such as Ice Cube’s Big3, due to its focus on quick games, adherence to Olympic and FIFA rules, and a lineup of dedicated street basketball players. STR33T also plans to include women’s and co-ed competitions. Garnett’s involvement as the face of the league adds credibility to what has been a slippery slope for 3-on-3 leagues so far.

To hear more about the league and KG’s vision for it, take a look at the clip embedded below.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Can Kristaps Porzingis be as impactful for the Boston Celtics as Kevin Garnett?

Such comparisons seem almost blasphemous at first blush, but when you take a closer look at two stretches of play where Boston couldn’t get over the hump followed by a big shakeup to get the goods, you can bet that if a banner does indeed get hung that such comparisons are going to abound.

In the Boston Celtics’ opening game of the 2023-24 NBA season, the focus was squarely on star big man Kristaps Porzingis and his impact on the Celtics’ play on both ends of the court as the Latvian center set league and team records on the strength of his debut performance.

Garnering comparisons to Boston Hall of Fame greats Kevin Garnett and even Larry Bird in the wake of that performance, some are questioning as to whether the Celtics may have struck gold by dealing for the former Washington Wizards star. Could he be as impactful on a Celtics run at a title as Garnett was for his version of the team on their way to the ball club’s 17th title in 2008?

Such comparisons seem almost blasphemous at first blush, but when you take a closer look at two stretches of play where Boston couldn’t get over the hump followed by a big shakeup to get the goods, you can bet that if a banner does indeed get hung that such comparisons are going to abound.

To talk it over, the hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” podcast convened on a recent episode. Check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Reacting to the Boston Celtics’ 119-111 win over the Miami Heat

The Celtics’ resiliency shone through as they trailed by as much as 13 points in the game.

In a thrilling 2023 Eastern Conference Finals rematch, the Boston Celtics secured a hard-fought victory against the Miami Heat with a final score of 119-111. The performance of the game came from Derrick White, who put on a superstar display with 28 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 crucial blocks.

White showed off his versatility, including a pivotal 3-pointer. His ability to elevate his play in crucial moments mirrors his previous heroics in the East Finals’ Game 6. The Celtics’ resiliency shone through as they trailed by as much as 13 points in the game but came back to win soon after a tough challenge from the New York Knicks just two days prior.

However, these two victories revealed the team’s ability to grind out wins even in challenging situations, emphasizing their mental fortitude.

To hear more about Boston’s big win vs Miami, take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what the folks at NBC Sports Boston.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Boston Celtics beat Miami Heat 119-111: Full game highlights

Boston’s starters all scored in double figures in a hard-fought victory.

The Boston Celtics secured an impressive 119-111 victory against the Miami Heat in a 2023 Eastern Conference Finals rematch in their 2023-24 home opener on Friday night with big games from all five starters, who all scored in double figures in a hard-fought victory.

Derrick White emerged as a defensive force early on in the game, delivering several remarkable blocks from behind while showcasing his defensive skills in the first half of the game, and turned up his offense late in the contest to help secure the win. Jaylen Brown’s Brown’s inside scoring and 3-point shooting were vital for the Celtics with Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, and Jrue Holiday all having great games as well.

If you missed the gutty win for the Celtics, or just want to see it again, take a look at the clip embedded below from the folks at NBC Sports Boston to see the full contest’s highlights.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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PHOTOS – Boston vs. Miami: Celtics outlast determined Heat, win 119-111

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in the Celtics’ second game of the 2023-24 NBA season vs. the Miami Heat.

The Boston Celtics hosted the team that knocked them out of the 2023 NBA Playoffs for their home opener on Friday night, and the Miami Heat reminded the Celtics why they were such a tough opponent in the East Finals early in the game, jumping out to an early 12-point lead in the first quarter.

Boston’s talent kept the game close for much of the rest of the game, with the Celtics breaking the game open in the latter half of the final frame to win 119-111. A balanced scoring night with big games from Derrick White (28 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks), Jaylen Brown (27 points, 6 boards), Jayson Tatum (22 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists), Jrue Holiday (17 points, 10 boards, 7 assists), and Kristaps Porzingis (17 points, 9 rebounds, 3 steals) — who fouled out — won the game for Boston.

Let’s take a look at some of the best moments captured in images in the Celtics’ second game of the 2023-24 NBA season vs. the Miami Heat.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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Who will be the Boston Celtics’ No, 2 star this season, Jaylen Brown or Kristaps Porzingis?

Could the new arrival end up a bigger piece of the Banner 18 puzzle

Who will be the Boston Celtics‘ No. 2 star for the ball club’s 2023-24 season — All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown or star Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis? The Boston Celtics kicked off their season with a good win over a determined New York Knicks team at Madison Square Garden, but Porzingis’ big game and Brown’s off night gave rise to speculation over which of the two Celtics stars will play a bigger role for Boston in 2023-24.

Could the new arrival end up a bigger piece of the Banner 18 puzzle than the team’s longest-tenured Celtic now that veteran floor general Marcus Smart is a member of the Memphis Grizzlies as a result of the deal that brought him to Boston? Or will Brown quickly regain his form with all the team’s stars sharing the load?

The folks over at NBC Sports Boston recently got into a debate on “Arbella Early Edition” to discuss which player will fall into the number two slot.

Check it out above!

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

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