The Boston Celtics need to share the ball in crunch time

Granted, they still want the St. Louis native taking the last shot more often than he doesn’t.

The Boston Celtics do not have many flaws, but perhaps one of the biggest warts that still remains with this iteration of the storied ball club is the team’s late-game execution. The Celtics need to share the ball in crunch time to avoid teams loading up on star forward Jayson Tatum.

Granted, they still want the St. Louis native taking the last shot more often than he doesn’t. But at least in recent contests this season, Boston’s crunch time go-to has been far too easy to predict, and could use some of the several All-Star level talents around Tatum to help keep defenders on their toes.

What use is a decoy if that decoy is never anything else?

On a recent episode, hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” and “Talkin’ Cs” podcasts weighed in on what Boston could do instead.

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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Was Grant Williams really a bad locker room guy when he was with the Boston Celtics?

While he definitely had a habit of getting under the skin of his teammates a bit at times, the general consensus among most was that he also had a strong bond with his former teammates.

Was Grant Williams really a bad locker room guy when he was with the Boston Celtics? While he definitely had a habit of getting under the skin of his teammates a bit at times, the general consensus among most was that he also had a strong bond with his former teammates.

This flies in the face of comments from Hall of Fame Celtics announcer Mike Gorman, who suggested that Williams has perhaps been more irksome than we realize. Former Boston teammate made a point of noting Williams was a good teammate on social media in the wake of Gorman’s assessment, but that doesn’t mean that the truth is not somewhere in the middle.

To talk it over, the hosts of the CLNS Media “How Bout Them Celtics!” podcast dug into these rumors and shared their thoughts on what it all actually means.

Check it out above! 

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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Has Jayson Tatum shown us anything different since the All-Star break?

Has Jayson Tatum upped his game since the All-Star break?

Jayson Tatum‘s MVP candidacy has been a significant talking point since the All-Star break. Some national media members believe he deserves to be in the discussion due to being the best player on the Boston Celtics roster. Others believe his team-first approach has likely cost him a chance at winning the coveted award.

No matter which side of the fence you reside, there’s no denying that Tatum has been elite in his role. Still, the St. Louis native usually raises his game around this time of year as he begins to ramp up ahead of the postseason.

During a recent episode of the “All NBA Podcast,” ESPN’s Tim Legler and Adam Mares of All City discussed Tatum’s post-All-Star game production and whether he’s sticking to his usual script of increasing his production and his aggression with the playoffs drawing near.

You can watch the full episode by clicking on the embedded link above.

Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:

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YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8MbvY

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Is Jayson Tatum good enough to lead the Boston Celtics to a title?

And if he is not quite there yet, will he get there someday soon — or with the right supporting cast?

Is All-Star forward Jayson Tatum good enough to lead the Boston Celtics to a title? And if he is not quite there yet, will he get there someday soon — or with the right supporting cast?

These are the sorts of questions that the Celtics’ front office is asking itself, hoping they do indeed currently have the right mix of players around the superstar forward. And plenty of NBA analysts are also wondering the same questions as some nights, the Duke alum looks invincible, and others quite beatable. Which version will we see when the games matter most to Boston?

The crew of the eponymous ESPN “Domonique Foxworth Show” recently took some time to weigh in whether they think Tatum has what it takes to win it all with the Celtics 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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Is the Celtics’ depth their biggest strength?

The Boston Celtics have one of the deepest rosters in the NBA, but is that their primary strength?

The Boston Celtics are widely viewed as the deepest team in the NBA. Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis are the biggest star names on the roster. Jrue Holiday, Derrick White and Al Horford are the ideal connectors around the star trio. As such, Boston has a six-man rotation that wouldn’t look out of place at an All-Star game.

Furthermore, Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser are both legitimate NBA talents. They could get minutes on almost every team in the league. During a recent appearance on the “Green With Envy” podcast, The Boston Globe’s Khari Thompson discussed Boston’s deep roster, noting that it’s one of the biggest advantages available to Joe Mazzulla.

Of course, that depth is only useful if the Celtics can steer clear of injuries to their core players. As a result, the coaching staff have been cautious with their approach to minutes distribution and load management.

The Celtics will likely finish the regular-season as the first seed in the East. However, their goal has always been making it back to the NBA Finals and hoisting the Larry O’Brien trophy. To do that, they will need to remain healthy. However, their depth will ensure they have a solid chance of achieving their lofty goal.

Listen to the “Green With Envy” podcast on:

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

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3Oj4dhD

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3K8MbvY

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What makes star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum’s game so lethal?

Tatum is a force to be reckoned with in today’s league.

What makes star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum‘s game so lethal? The St. Louis native bulked up in the 2023 offseason, making his post and cutting games all the more dangerous, and as one of the better scorers in the NBA even before his prime has truly begun, Tatum is a force to be reckoned with in today’s league.

Capable of shooting the 3 in transition or off the catch, or cutting to the cup when off the ball as well as directing traffic when he’s playing the point, there are so many ways the Duke alum can make you pay as a defender.

Speaking on a recent episode of ESPN’s “NBA Today” show, former NBAer (and Celtics short-timer) Austin Rivers weighed in on what it is about the Celtics star’s game that makes him such a dangerous scoreer.

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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Is star Boston forward Jayson Tatum to blame for the Celtics’ late-game struggles?

Tatum’s tendency to go rogue late in contests while doing his best to emulate his friend and mentor Kobe Bryant has done damage to Boston’s aspirations.

Is star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum to blame for the Celtics’ late-game struggles? The St. Louis native’s tendency to go rogue late in contests while doing his best to emulate his friend and mentor Kobe Bryant has done damage to Boston’s aspirations.

Is he the only one to blame for this? Does head coach Joe Mazzulla and his bench carry some of that blame? And more importantly for the hunt to finally hang Banner 18, what can be done to exorcise this ugly blemish on the Duke alum’s otherwise elite play? That question may well need answering before Boston has a real shot at winning it all.

The hosts of the CLNS Media “Celtics Beat!” podcast did their best to answer these questions on a recent episode with Heavy’s Steve Bulpett. Check out the clip below to hear their thoughts.

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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ESPN’s Michael Wilbon is impressed with Jayson Tatum’s self awareness after Suns win

By his own admission postgame, Tatum said he “stunk it up” early in the contest, only finding his stroke late in the game.

It would not be hard for a fan of the Boston Celtics to look at the stat line produced by star Celtics forward Jayson Tatum in Boston’s recent bounce-back win vs. the Phoenix Suns and think the St. Louis native played well.

Tatum did put up 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists on 11-of-28 shooting (including 5-of-9 from beyond the arc), after all — hardly what most people would call a bad night for the Duke alum. But by his own admission postgame, Tatum said he “stunk it up” early in the contest, only finding his stroke late in the game.

The fact that the star Celtics swingman was self-aware enough to know how poorly he played and why it mattered to his team impressed ESPN’s Michael Wilbon on a recent episode of the “NBA Countdown” show.

Check it out in the clip above to hear what else Wilbon had to say about JT.

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 the Boston Celtics have a Jayson Tatum problem?

Tatum seems to think he is Kobe Bryant, hogging the ball and leaning into ill-advised isolation play in the game’s waning seconds.

Do the Boston Celtics have a Jayson Tatum problem? The St. Louis native is by all accounts the best player on his team. But when it comes to crunch time, Tatum seems to think he is Kobe Bryant, hogging the ball and leaning into ill-advised isolation play in the game’s waning seconds.

Those decisions are fine on nights when Boston is shellacking their opponents. But they have often come as the Duke alum has tried to play the hero, instead ending up the heel after not trusting his teammates and blowing close games. Will he ever outgrow such immature and harmful behavior?

To be clear, we aren’t attacking his elite overall game, but this lingering wart could cost the Celtics (and Tatum) a title again, and it has played a part in doing so in the past. The hosts of the “Dan LeBatard” show took a closer look at this situation 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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Boston’s Jayson Tatum ranked third-most likely to be next face of the NBA

Tatum has been described as the third-most likely player to become the next face of the NBA in a recent article.

Star Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has been described as the third-most likely player to become the next face of the NBA in a recent article by Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz. That assessment has the St. Louis native coming in after (in order) the San Antonio Spurs’ Victor Wembanyama and Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, and just before the Minnesota Timberwolves’ Anthony Edwards.

“Tatum has been knocking on the door of superstardom for years now, yet he always seems just a step away from becoming one of the league’s truly elite players,” writes Swartz. “An All-Star for the past five seasons, Tatum has the size, skill, and star power to become the face of the league.”

“Unlike others, he’s publicly spoken about wanting to take the next step in doing so as well,” adds the B/R analyst, referring to Tatum’s recent comments on wanting that status for himself.

“Tatum has elite three-level scoring ability at 6-foot-8,” he notes. “He can play either forward position, rebounds well and is averaging a career-high 4.8 assists. While he’s yet to be recognized for it, Tatum possesses All-Defensive team potential as well.”

Sounds like a pretty solid face to represent the NBA moving forward, but let’s get this man some titles to bolster his case, yeah?

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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