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Simply a few months in the past, lots of people thought of this season to be over for the Boston Celtics. They had been hovering round .500 and had proven no indicators of getting above that mark. Then 2022 got here round.
The Celtics are 19-7 in 2022 and 11-2 of their final 13 video games. With the latest surge, some have begun to query what the true ceiling of this group is. Might they find yourself shocking most of these followers who had given up on the season?
On the newest version of the Celtics Beat podcast on CLNS Media, Adam Kaufman posed an essential query to Celtics legend Cedric Maxwell: is that this stage of play sustainable? Maxwell pointed towards Boston’s bread and butter for his reply.
“Protection is all the time sustainable. As a result of it’s about effort. And for those who give that most effort, you then’re going to get these most outcomes.”
In 2022, Boston has posted the very best defensive ranking within the NBA (101.2), with the next-best group being a full 4 factors behind them. They’ve solely allowed 98.7 factors per sport over that very same time span.
On the flip aspect, the C’s have continued to battle capturing the ball. Maxwell confused the significance of emphasizing protection over shot-making.
“Once they determine they’re going to out-defend you, they win their share of video games. Once they determine they’re going to out-shoot you, they lose these video games. Final night time can be a kind of examples [Pistons game]. They by no means actually out-defended Detroit.”
Boston’s loss to Detroit snapped their nine-game win streak. It additionally marked the primary time the Celtics had given up over 100 factors in a sport since January 19.
Whereas Maxwell pointed towards the Detroit sport as a poor instance, he concurrently seemed on the sport in opposition to the Philadelphia 76ers because the quintessential instance of how the C’s must be enjoying.
“Most video games you’ve seen within the final couple of weeks, they’ve defended at such a rare tempo that the opposite group by no means actually even had an opportunity. You consider the Philadelphia sport, Philly was down 20 earlier than you could possibly blink your eye… The Celtics have been forward with most groups this 12 months, particularly throughout this re-found vitality of simply enjoying the sport at a really excessive, constant stage.”
And as Maxwell defined his ideas on the sustainability of Boston’s latest enhancements, Kaufman had yet another essential query to ask – what is that this group’s ceiling? Based on Maxwell, that reply is the convention finals.
“I nonetheless suppose they’ve a whole lot of progress. From their coaches to the gamers to all people round. Their ceiling for me, I mentioned if they will get to the convention finals, I feel that might be the gem of gems. After which form of construct from there.”
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