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Why does Boston’s Jayson Tatum walk the ball up the court so much?

If Taco Jay can excise any lingering bad habits, Kobe-style fadeaways are likely at the top of the list. But eliminating point Tatum can’t be too far behind.

The Boston Celtics are rarely at their best when star forward Jayson Tatum freelances as the team’s point guard while bringing the ball up the floor. Yet, we see it fairly often even now in games after Boston paying a steep price for Tatum’s bad habits in more than one postseason run.

Now, an anonymous opposing NBA exec has shared with Heavy’s Steve Bulpett why he believes JT plays point guard, even with plenty of evidence his casual pace up the court is hurting the Celtics. “It’s when he gets tired,” they explained. “When you’re fatigued a little bit, you turn and get the ball, and you walk up at your pace.”

“If you don’t get the ball, then you have to run,” they added. “You’re required to run the court.”

“They’ve got point guards,” noted the exec. “Every one of them should dribble the ball up the court so he doesn’t have to. But that means he’s got to run. Remember the Finals against Golden State? He was bringing it up, and they were pressuring him.”

“I think that took something out of him and out of their offense. He’s too important to have him doing that job, too, unless he’s got the ball and sees an opening for transition.”

If Taco Jay can excise any lingering bad habits, Kobe-style fadeaways when not utterly necessary are likely at the top of the list. But eliminating point Tatum can’t be too far behind.

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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How concerned are you with the Boston Celtics heading into the postseason?

Are we simply counting off the days before another disappointment, or will Boston start to grow as a ball club?

That the Boston Celtics dropped a game at State Farm Arena to the Atlanta Hawks on this past Monday is excusable, if annoyingly familiar to similar collapses that have given Celtics fans pause. But for the Celtics to lose consecutive games to a Hawks roster with more players out injured than an entire starting lineup is the sort of thing to spark panic among some fans.

And it has, if a measured, contextual panic over how Boston will play when they find themselves in a tight game in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. Are we simply counting off the days before another disappointment, or will Boston start to grow as a ball club? The eponymous hosts of the CLNS Media “Bob Ryan, Jeff Goodman, and Gary Tanguay!” podcast weighed in on their level of panic on a recent episode.

Check it out below!

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

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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Will the Boston Celtics extend Jrue Holiday after April 1?

Will the Boston Celtics extend Jrue Holiday after April 1 to avoid pending business heading into the 2024 NBA Playoffs?

At this very moment, veteran Boston Celtics combo guard Jrue Holiday could be extended by the Celtics. But as of April 1, the range of what Holiday could get for an extension improves in a way that makes signing one before that date unlikely at best.

But the UCLA alum will also command a big chunk of Boston’s cap space as the team soars in cost — and there are legitimate concerns about how well that deal will end, given Holiday is no spring chicken. Will the Celtics extend Holiday after April 1 to avoid pending business heading into the 2024 NBA Playoffs?

The host of the NBC Sports Boston “Celtics Talk” podcast, Chris Forsberg, took some time to talk it over on a recent episode with Celtics cult cap expert Ryan Bernardoni (a.k.a. Dangercart).

Take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what they had to say.

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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Second loss in a row to undermanned Atlanta Hawks squad for Boston Celtics

Should we be worried about this unsettling mini-trend?

The Boston Celtics somehow found a way to blow a 30-point lead to an Atlanta Hawks ball club that was without almost half of their roster due to injury on Monday night at State Farm Arena. And on Thursday night, they managed to find a way to lose to the Hospital Hawks once again, despite having gotten healthier with the return of Jrue Holiday.

What is going on with these bizarre losses for the Celtics? Is this just midseason boredom, and nothing to worry about? Or are some bad habits of the past coming home to roost at the worst possible time?

The hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast, Jack Simone and Sam LaFrance, took a closer look at the loss on a recent episode. Check it out in the clip embedded below.

If you enjoy this pod, check out the “How Bout Them Celtics,” “First to the Floor,” and the many other New England sports podcasts available on the CLNS Media network.

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 holds steady in latest Bleacher Report weekly power rankings

We take issue with the Nuggets staying on top despite dropping a game to the Dallas Mavericks last week.

The Boston Celtics have held steady in the latest round of Bleacher Report’s weekly NBA power rankings put together by league analyst Andy Bailey. The Celtics now remain in the second spot of the power rankings this week, behind the Denver Nuggets and ahead of the Oklahoma City Thunder. “Wednesday’s 3-point win over the Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks was closer than expected, but the … Celtics are now 18-2 in their last 20 games,” he writes.

“And with each of the 6 wins prior to Wednesday being by double-digits, Boston’s season-long point differential sits at plus-11.52,” notes the B/R analyst.

“Only the 1971-72 Los Angeles Lakers, 1970-71 Milwaukee Bucks, 1995-96 Chicago Bulls and 2016-17 Golden State Warriors had bigger averages for margin of victory.”

We take issue with the Nuggets staying on top despite dropping a game to the Dallas Mavericks last week. But considering the neck-and-neck returns from each team this season, it is a close race indeed, and we don’t have too much umbrage at this conflicting point of view.

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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How to buy New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics tickets

Want to watch New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics in person on Saturday, Feb. 24? Tickets still remain for as little as $267.

After a sensational month of January, point guard Jalen Brunson and the New York Knicks stubbed their toe going into the All-Star break but remain very much in the thick of things in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Like every other team in the Eastern Conference, the Knicks are chasing the Boston Celtics, who own the No. 1 seed by a sizeable margin after a dominant first half of the 2023-24 regular season.

The New York Knicks will host the Boston Celtics on Saturday, Feb. 24, with tip-off set for 8:30 p.m. EST.

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With things as tight as they are in the middle of the pack in the playoff race, the Knicks need to finish the season strong if they want to secure one of the top-four seeds to guarantee home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs. Meanwhile, every win the Celtics can secure will move them closer to wrapping up the No. 1 seed, which would be huge for their hopes of winning a title.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for New York Knicks vs. Boston Celtics are $267.

If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience or just won the lottery, the most expensive ticket would cost you an astounding $900,000.

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How to buy Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics tickets

Want to watch Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics in person on Thursday, Feb. 22? Tickets still remain for as little as $67.

After missing the playoffs last season, small forward DeMar DeRozan and the Chicago Bulls are trying to get back to the postseason, with the team in contention for one of the play-in tournament spots in the Eastern Conference.

The Boston Celtics and their impressive roster led by small forward Jayson Tatum and shooting guard Jaylen Brown are in a very different position, as Boston is currently threatening to run away with the No. 1 seed in the same conference.

The Chicago Bulls will host the Boston Celtics on Thursday, Feb. 22, with tip-off set for 8:00 p.m. EST.

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With the Celtics vying for an NBA title, locking up the No. 1 seed and home-court advantage throughout the playoffs would go a long way toward helping their cause. Meanwhile, the Bulls’ margin for error is razor thin and every game could be the difference between a play-in spot or not.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics are $67.

If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, the most expensive ticket would cost you $16,838.

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How to buy Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers tickets

Want to watch the Boston Celtics vs. Los Angeles Lakers in person on Thursday, Feb. 1? Tickets still remain for as little as $149.

The Boston Celtics will host LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday in a clash between two historic franchises.

The Celtics are currently perched atop the Eastern Conference with a decent cushion over the Milwaukee Bucks. Jason Tatum leads the team in points per game average, putting him right at the edge of the top 10 in the scoring race.

The Lakers, on the other hand, have been mired in mediocrity and are hovering around the .500 mark coming into the game. Future Hall of Famer LeBron James has kept the ship steady with his team-leading scoring but has not been enough to escape the depths of the Pacific Division.

The Boston Celtics will host the Los Angeles Lakers on Thursday, Feb .1 at 7:30 p.m. ET.

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Once upon a time, this matchup was among the greatest ever and the excitement still continues to this day — albeit at a less-heralded level. The Celtics could always use more cushion to their conference lead while the Lakers need a victory to stay afloat.

At the time of publication, the cheapest available tickets for the Boston Celtics vs Los Angeles Lakers are $149.

If you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, the most expensive ticket would only cost you $68,540.

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Robb: Celtics ‘strongly expected to make some kind of move’ ahead of NBA’s 2024 trade deadline

Could Boston use their $6.2 million traded player exception, or go another route to improve their bench?

While a consensus is growing that the Boston Celtics will not be making any major moves at the NBA’s 2024 trade deadline, rumbles persist that the ball club is still looking to make some improvements around the margins. Per MassLive’s Brian Robb, the Celtics “are strongly expected to make some kind of move ahead of the trade deadline.”

“Keeping the team’s roster fully intact now past the guarantee deadline keeps more potential opportunities open for getting a deal done to bolster the back end of the roster,” adds the MassLive reporter, alluding to the decision of Boston’s front office to guarantee the contracts of Luke Kornet, Svi Mykhailiuk, Dalano Banton, and Lamar Stevens by not cutting them in time for the league-wide guarantee date.

The Celtics may well elect to deal one or more of those players ahead of the Feb. 8 deadline in order offset the cost of using their $6.2 million traded player exception generated when Boston signed-and-traded Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks this past offseason.

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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Jayson Tatum asks us not to take Al Horford for granted after the Boston Celtics’ blowout of Indiana

He also called him his favorite teammate.

Veteran Boston Celtics forward Al Horford may not fill up the stat sheet with gaudy numbers, but what he does for the Celtics has been the engine that has kept Boston at the top of the standings this season, and All-NBA teammate Jayson Tatum wants to be sure you know it.

Lauding Horford after the Celtics’ blowout win of the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Saturday night, Tatum let it be known we need to appreciate what the Florida alum brings to Boston. “We just can’t keep taking him for granted,” said the St. Louis native via Boston Dot Com’s Colin McCarthy.

“(He’s the) best teammate I ever had, ultimate professional, and somebody that we can count on, night in and night out,” added Tatum. “He proved that again tonight.”

The 16-season vet has indeed been as integral as ever to what the Celtics need on any given night in spite of the fact that Horford is putting up a career low in scoring.

But as has been the case for some time, the intangibles that do not show up in the box score — and plenty that do — have become almost clockwork for Boston as he scales his production and energy up or down depending on the role he is asked to play.

And as Tatum notes, we should not take that for granted.

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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