Tag: 2022-23 nba season

Has Blake Griffin exceeded expectations for his play with the Boston Celtics?

The fact that the Oklahoma native has been playing so well for the Celtics this season when his number has been called bodes well for Boston’s postseason potential.

While the locker room presence of veteran Boston Celtics big man Blake Griffin is nothing to be sneezed at, the fact the Oklahoma native has been playing so well for the Celtics this season bodes well for Boston’s postseason potential.

That is especially true if reserve forward Grant Williams continues to play inconsistently for the Celtics or if the need for additional depth becomes a concern in event of an injury. The former Oklahoma standout might not have had the highest of expectations for his ability to help Boston win, but he may have already exceeded them.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “First to the Floor” podcast recently got together to talk about just how well Griffin has been playing lately.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear what they have to say about Griffin playing the role of next man up beyond what some expected he’d be able to provide.

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 get an ‘A’ for their most-used lineup

Over the course of 909 total possessions this season, that lineup has produced a positive 12.2 net rating for the ball club.

It likely goes without saying that any team in the NBA that is actively contending for a title is not putting garbage lineups on the court all that often. And a new assessment from Bleacher Report’s Andy Bailey added more weight to that perspective with his A grade for the Boston Celtics’ most commonly used lineup of Marcus Smart, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford.

Over the course of 909 possessions this season, that lineup has produced a positive 12.2 net rating for the ball club.

“Smart and White make up one of the league’s stingiest defensive backcourts, and both are solid playmakers, too,” Bailey wrote. “They don’t have to expend a ton of energy on that latter portion of their games either since Brown and Tatum handle such a significant load of the offense.”

“Throw in Horford (one of the best shooters in the NBA this season) with his veteran savvy, point center skills, and defensive versatility, and this is among the most complete lineups in the game.”

The lineup may have come together as a result of Robert Williams III being out injured, but it has stuck given how effective it has been — and anything lower than an A would have been lacking.

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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Is there a chance the Miami Heat could beat the Boston Celtics in the first round?

Of course, they’d need to make the playoffs — but if they do, is a win set in stone for Boston?

There is a very good chance the Boston Celtics will end up playing the Miami Heat in the first round of the NBA’s 2023 Eastern Conference playoffs. The Heat and Atlanta Hawks are set to battle in the league’s play-in tournament for the right to play the Celtics.

And while this version of Miami may not be quite as dangerous as some Boston has faced in past seasons, any team with Jimmy Butler, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro on the court and Erik Spoelstra helming the club from the sidelines needs to be taken seriously.

Is there a chance the Miami Heat could beat the Boston Celtics in the first round?

Of course, they’d need to make the playoffs — but if they do, is a win set in stone for Boston? The hosts of the CLNS Media “Garden Report” recently debated if they could.

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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A ‘special crew to be a part of’ – how Payton Pritchard joined Larry Bird, Hondo in the record books

The Oregon native opened up on his historic triple-double.

It might have been the last game of the 2022-23 NBA season. But reserve Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard made the most of it, and by the end of the game, the Portland Native found himself landing among the storied ball club’s all-time greats.

Putting up an impressive 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists in a rare opportunity for extended floor time, Pritchard did something no other Celtic has done apart from Hall of Famers Larry Bird and John Havlicek. Asked about his historic outing postgame, Pritchard replied that it was a “special crew to be a part of. I definitely feel honored.”

“I looked forward to these last two games,” he continued. “It’s an opportunity for me to go out and play and show what I’m capable of, and to try and get a win.”

“There’s going to be ups and downs, and I think every NBA player goes through it,” said the Oregon native of his lack of regular playing time this season. “I think it’s through those down parts, how you approach it.”

“A lot of it is frustrating, and I went through a lot of frustrating times, but I always went back to work, to finding little areas to always keep getting better.”

From the looks of the history he made in Game 82 of the 2022-23 season, it seems that strategy is a good one.

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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Do you feel better about Jaylen Brown staying with the Boston Celtics?

Which take (if any) is right about Brown’s future with the team?

A series of interviews made star Boston Celtics forward Jaylen Brown sound noncommittal about his future with the club when his current contract ends after the NBA’s 2023-24 regular season. Those interviews caused fans to get very worried about whether Boston will be able to keep the Georgia native in green and white.

Not long after, Brown spoke at length with Stadium’s Shams Charania about his relationship with fellow star wing Jayson Tatum. He also spoke about his feelings about winning the team’s Red Auerbach award, making it seem as if his time spent in Boston means quite a lot to him.

Which take (if any) is right about Brown’s future with the team? Do you feel better about retaining his services after his recent words?

CLNS Media’s Bobby Manning recently spoke about this shift in footing coming from the onetime Cal standout; take a look at the clip embedded above to hear what he 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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Hypothetical hardware for the 2022-23 Boston Celtics

The NBA and each of its 30 teams have no shortage of awards to honor the players that make the league go, but that has not stopped people from trying to think of even more.

The NBA and each of its 30 teams have no shortage of awards to honor the players that make the league go, but that has not stopped people from trying to think of even more ways we can fete our favorite athletes with novel hardware every season.

Such was the hypothetical range of honors devised by Bleacher Report NBA analyst Grant Hughes, who put together a range of non-existing team-specific honors the Boston Celtics and every other ball club in the Association could hand out to properly credit the players on the team who have gone above and beyond in 2022-23 in ways both good and bad.

Hughes came up with a handful for the Celtics in particular — let’s check out the awards and recipients he has in mind for Boston.

Why Malcolm Brogdon should win the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year aweard

The Virginia alum has been a key part of the Celtics’ excellence this season.

While it has become trendy in some circles for other names to rely on recency bias for their case to win the NBA’s 2023 Sixth Man of the Year award, veteran Boston Celtics point guard Malcolm Brogdon has quietly put together a massive season off of the bench.

The level-headed floor general has been precisely what the Celtics needed in a super sixth man role in 2022-23. The former Virginia player has been the calm and collected distributor and scorer in a reserve role that has helped propel Boston to one of the best records in the league.

And recognizing his contributions to Boston’s winning ways this season recently had NBC Sports Boston’s Abby Chin and Chris Forsberg making the case for Brogdon to win the award on the “Forsberg’s Four” segment of their “Celtics Post Ups” show.

Check out their argument in favor of the former Pacer point guard taking home the award, and see if you agree with their takes.

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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Roundtable: Who is the biggest x-factor for the Boston Celtics this postseason?

We asked a few members of the Celtics media who they think will step up for Boston this postseason.

The NBA postseason is finally here and the Boston Celtics will once again compete for a coveted 18th title. The Celtics are among the favorites to win it all this spring, but anything can happen in the playoffs.

Boston enters the postseason not just with two dynamo stars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, but with one of the deepest supporting casts in the league as well. And indeed each year we see guys make their mark on the playoffs by stepping up exactly when their team needs them most. Sometimes its the right role player who ultimately tips the scales and can even decide a series.

With formidable series against teams like the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers perhaps on the horizon, Boston will need strong performances up and down the roster. In order to identify the biggest x-factor for the Celtics these playoffs, Celtics Wire asked a few members of the media their thoughts. Here’s who Boston’s best basketball minds pegged as the key role players for the Celtics for the 2022-23 postseason.

Payton Pritchard logs first triple-double as Celtics defeat Hawks 120-114 to close season

Payton Pritchard’s first career triple-double helped Boston secure a 120-114 win over the Hawks and a 57-25 record for the season.

Sunday afternoon the Boston Celtics played host to the Atlanta Hawks to conclude the 2022-23 regular season, grabbing a 120-114 win in the process. Boston will end the year with a 57-25 record and the No. 2 seed in the East as the playoffs begin next week.

Both sides rested their key players, making this Easter tilt a showcase for role players and bench guys, and while Boston saw key contributions from guys like Mike Muscala am Hauser, it was Payton Pritchard who stole the show. Pritchard ended the night with 30 points, 14 rebounds, and 11 assists securing his first career triple-double as a professional in the process. (He also logged 46 minutes of action, suggesting his injured heel is doing okay.)

The Celtics now turn their attention to the postseason. As the second seed in the East, Boston will face the winner of Tuesday’s game between the Hawks and Miami Heat. For now, here’s what you may have missed from Sunday’s action.

PHOTOS-Atlanta at Boston: Celtics finish season with 120-114 win over Hawks

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ game No. 82 of their 2022-23 campaign.

The last game of the NBA’s regular season is always an atypical tilt compared to the other 82 or so, and the Boston Celtics‘ final game of 2022-23 — a home game against the Atlanta Hawks — fit the bill to a tee with the Hawks and Celtics both resting all of their starters save Derrick White (3 points, 1 assist) and some rotation players as well.

Despite the absent stars (or perhaps because of it), the game was a close affair from tip to buzzer and saw some outstanding games from several players to give Boston the 120-114 win. A career-first triple-double from Payton Pritchard (30 points, 14 rebounds, 11 assists) highlighted the Celtics’ 57th win (their most since winning it all in 2008), with big nights from Mike Muscala (27 points, 8 boards), Sam Hauser (26 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists), and Luke Kornet (12 points, 7 boards, 6 assists) securing the victory.

Let’s take a look at some of the best plays captured in images from the Celtics’ game No. 82 of their 2022-23 campaign.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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

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

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