After another week of Celtics’ basketball, the team finds themselves at 11-3 and the best record in the NBA. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown continue to solidify their spot as the best duo in the NBA. Malcolm Brogdon missed all but 14 minutes in the past four games with a hamstring injury, but have no fear. Marcus Smart, Derrick White, and Payton Pritchard have stepped up during this time. Let’s recap.
Nov. 9: Pistons VS Celtics
Last season, the Pistons gave the Celtics a run for their money several times during the Celtics’ hot streak. Boston faced off against Detriot twice during week four and won the first matchup 128-112. Tatum and Brown scored 30+ points each for the 15th time as teammates. In the past 30 years, only the duos of Russell Westbrook/Kevin Durant and Shaquille O’Neal/Kobe Bryant have more games of such.
The Pistons played gritty all night and had six players over 10+ points. Despite this, the Celtics did not let rising star Cade Cunningham get his groove as he finished with four points. The Celtics’ depth has been on full display as Sam Hauser scored 24 points off the bench for Boston. His shooting has earned him a consistent spot in the lineup.
Player of the game, Jaylen Brown: 30 points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
Nov. 11: Nuggets VS Celtics
The reigning MVP Nikola Jokic tried to keep his Denver Nuggets afloat but ultimately fell to the Celtics 112-131. The Joker had 29 points and snagged eight boards, but it wasn’t enough. Al Horford racked up 21 points, and Brown added 24 points of his own. Smart had just four points but finished with a team-high +28. Per usual, Tatum continued his MVP campaign with another 30+ point game.
Player of the game, Jayson Tatum: 34 points, eight rebounds, and five assists.
Nov. 12: Celtics AT Pistons
The Celtics did not lay down on the second night of a back-to-back against a team they saw just a few days ago. Boston pulled out a 117-108 win against Detroit in their second matchup of the week. Pistons’ rookie Jaden Ivey put up one of the best performances of his young career with 26 points. Bojan Bogdanovic had a team-high of 28 points, but it wasn’t enough.
With Brown, Brogdon, and Horford out, Tatum showed he can put a team on his back with a 43-point performance. Another Player of the Game for Jayson Tatum, as he also added ten rebounds.
Nov. 14: Thunder VS Celtics
The Celtics had one of their worst first halves of the season. They were down at halftime, and Tatum wasn’t having the efficient night we were expecting. This is where the guard depth came to play. Pritchard gave the Celtics a spark with 10 points in 14 minutes. White added 16 points, and Brown scored 26 points. With all this good play, Smart is the engine that fought the Celtics to a 122-126 win.
Player of the game, Marcus Smart: 22 points, five rebounds, and eight assists.
TatuMVP Watch
Tatum has jumped to a career-high third place on the MVP ladder. While he still sits behind Luka Doncic and Giannis Antetokounmpo, he can close the statistical gap by winning games, which his Celtics have won seven straight.
Final Thoughts
Another great week of basketball in Boston. A 4-0 week is always great, but how they won these games show this team can win in many ways. Wire-to-wire wins, comebacks, or offensive shootouts. The Celtics can do it all. The Celtics will take a trip to Brown’s hometown of Atlanta to play the Hawks on Wednesday, the 16th. They will also play the Pelicans on Friday, the 18th, and the Bulls on Monday, the 21st.
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