All-Stars, Rookie Debuts, and a (potential) Finals Preview
This is only the third edition of the Celtics Film Room newsletter. I've quickly realized that this doesn't need to be an "article or blog post." It doesn't need to follow a general structure. I can take this in whatever direction I want as long as you all jive with it. So, I'm going to try out a structure I like. If you rock with it, let me know. If you don't, then also let me know :)
All five Boston Celtics starters remain in the top 10 for All-Star voting
Technically, All-Star voting, in terms of the fan vote, finishes tomorrow. At this point, we pretty much know who the starters are going to be. The fan vote is what counts when it comes to selecting starters; it counts for 50% of the overall decision-making process. 25% belongs to players around the league, and 25% to selected media members.
Right now, Jayson Tatum looks like the only Boston Celtics player who's going to be an All-Star starter this year. I get it; the forward positions are full of elite talent in both conferences. Jaylen Brown will likely be a reserve. Kristaps Porzingis could make the cut, or could miss out. He's seventh in All-Star voting right now.
Then we have Jrue Holiday and Derrick White. In my opinion, they're the most versatile backcourt in the NBA. Defensively, they're both exceptional point-of-attack defenders; they can switch multiple positions, and they can marshall a defense. Offensively, they both play a connecting role. Need them to be playmakers? You got it. Scorers? Yup, they can do that too. Need inverted screeners to generate mismatches? They've got your back. There may be more talented guard pairings in terms of pure offense, but in terms of being an elite two-way pairing, I dare you to name me a guard duo that comes close.
Still, neither is going to be a starter in this year's All-Star game, and both will face a battle to make the reserves.
LeBron James and Giannis Antetokounmpo lead their respective conferences in the third fan returns of #NBAAllStar Voting presented by AT&T.
Fans account for 50% of the vote to decide All-Star starters. NBA players and a media panel account for 25% each. pic.twitter.com/fyGeQXgEhH— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) January 18, 2024
Here's the thing: I don't really care about the All-Star selections.
I get it. It's a source of pride for the players. It probably helps in contract negotiations. Some players have escalators in their contracts that allow them to earn more money if they make an All-Star team. There are a lot of reasons to be like, "Yo, All-Star games matter."
Not this season. Not for me, at least. Instead, I see it as a chance for the Celtics to rest. To give their bodies a chance to heal after a tough run of games throughout December and January. To be ready for the second half of the season and, more importantly, the playoffs. Make an All-Star game, or don't make an All-Star game; you'll still be playing in the postseason with only one goal on your mind.
To me, this season, that's the only goal that matters. Look at the contracts on this team.
Brown's supermax kicks in next season.
Tatum is due his own supermax.
Porzingis starts a two-year extension next season.
Holiday has a $37.3 million player option for next season, then he's a free agent, and that's if he opts in.
White has one more year left on his deal after this season.
Horford enters the final year of his two-year extension next season.
That's the core right there. Outside of Brown and almost certainly Tatum, most of the guys have negotiations right around the corner. There's no guarantee this iteration of the Celtics is here for the long haul. Right now, I'm looking at it as "they're here for a good time, not a long time." So, winning a championship has to be the priority.
You make an All-Star team, cool. If you don't, well, then rest up because there's a huge battle ahead of you, and the Celtics need you at your very best. That's where my head is at, at least.
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Jordan Walsh makes his Boston Celtics debut
It may have taken 41 games, but Jordan Walsh finally made his NBA debut. The 38th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft got 3 minutes of playing time at the end of Boston's blowout win over the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday. It's a start, though. Walsh came into the NBA as a raw prospect. As such, he's been developing his game in the G-League with the Maine Celtics. It also doesn't help that he's trying to crack the rotation of arguably the best team in the league. He said as much himself after the game.
“For me personally, it’s been easy knowing that I’m in the best team, the best organization there is in the NBA right now,” Walsh said. “So, keeping that in my mind, knowing that the time is coming, it’s a process for everybody. I’m just at this point in my process, and hopefully by the end of this process, I’ll be where I want to be. And that’s kind of like how I approach every day, just wanting to get to that final end goal.”
Three minutes is nowhere near enough time to evaluate a player. You need hundreds upon hundreds of possessions. However, we did get a very brief glimpse into what he brings as an on-ball defender.
He starts the possession by playing up-to-touch with the screener. This allows Walsh to make a snap decision. He can switch the action, blitz the ball-handler, or stick with the roll man and look to limit his movement toward the rim.
Walsh switches the screen and is matched up with Blake Wesley on the perimeter. From there, it's a straight-up isolation matchup. Walsh does a great job of staying in front of Wesley until he shifts directions; at this point, the rookie forward connects to his hip and slides his feet to limit a middle drive toward the rim. Walsh's on-ball pressure funnels Wesley toward Lamar Steves, leading to a turnover.
It's only one possession, but there are some encouraging signs. Of course, we still need to see how he deals with navigating multiple screens, operates as a help defender, and can fulfill a role on the perimeter. What I do like, though, is the length he provides due to his incredible 7-foot-3 wingspan.
“I’d say the one thing about Jordan is he got Defensive Player of the Game by Blaine (Mueller), the head coach, after one of the games,” Mazzulla told reporters after the game. “And so just his mindset and approach to understanding how he’s going to be an effective player for us, and I can just tell a difference in his growth from the couple times he played at the beginning of the year to now with his defensive communication, his rebounding, and he’s starting to see how important that is."
I'm not expecting to see too much of Walsh this season. Spot minutes here and there might be his ceiling this year. However, if he can keep improving, working on his catch-and-shoot release, and proving that he can provide solid defense at the NBA level, he could slot into the rotation next season, perhaps as a replacement for Stevens or Osahe Brissett – who are both on one year deals with the Celtics.
If not, he's in the first year of a four-year deal – which has two team options – so there is plenty of time to continue developing and working toward a spot in the rotation.
Luke Kornet is the Celtics third-string big man, and that's perfectly fine
Longing for an upgrade at the center position feels like a prerequisite for Celtics fans at this time of year. It doesn't matter who's on the roster; there's always talk of how the Celtics need to add more talent or depth at the five. This season, the major discussion point is based on adding more physicality in the middle of the floor. I've dabbled with this train of thought, too.
I've been vocal about how Andre Drummond could be a good option off the bench due to his size, rebounding, and physical presence. Would it be nice? Sure. It's not necessary, though. Why? Because Luke Korent is good. He's legitimately good. I'm not sure what's not to like.
He's seven feet tall. He screens. He defends the rim. He rebounds. He makes smart decisions out of the short-roll. And he can finish with dunks or with finesse around the rim. Is he an elite big man? No. But if that's what you're expecting for a third-string center, I would advise readjusting your expectations.
Kornet is a steady presence. He's reliable. With Porzingis out of the rotation against the Spurs, he stepped into Boston's starting five as part of a double-big lineup and hardly put a foot wrong. In fact, he had some nice moments throughout the season.
Here's a great example of what Kornet can bring to the court. A simple short-roll into a rapid pass out to a shooter as the defense begins to rotate and stunt to pressure their rim. You don't need exceptional production from a third-string guy. You need them to play within their role and be a positive factor when called upon.
In this clip, he's playing as part of a double-big. The Celtics go to a stagger screen as part of the drag action. Kornet slips the contact on the second screen, dives into the restricted area, commands his space, and finishes an easy lob.
Here, Kornet tracks the baseline cut, squares his hips, and positions himself to get the block without fouling. This was one of three blocks against the Spurs, as he used his size to make a difference when protecting the rim.
These three plays are all from different games. They're all snapshots of moments I have noted down as good examples of what Kornet brings to the table in terms of the role he's being asked to play. Yes, there are better big men out there. No, the Celtics don't need one. Kornet has been solid as the third-string big and should have no problem continuing his impressive season.
The Boston Celtics face the Denver Nuggets in a potential NBA Finals preview
The 20-0 home record will be tested tonight. The Denver Nuggets are coming to the TD Garden, and with them comes one of the biggest tests of the season so far. This is a measuring stick game for the Celtics. They want to be champions. No better way to figure out what areas you need to improve on than by facing the current champions and seeing how things shake out.
I've watched some Nuggets games this year. I haven't watched enough for me to confidently say the actions they run or which role player you need to watch out for. As I said in the last edition of the newsletter, I want to be honest when I don't know something. I don't view that as a weakness. Instead, I think it's a strength.
So, to keep things moving, here's how the Celtics have faired in the last few meetings against the Nuggets.
April 11, '21 – Celtics 105 - Nuggets 97
February 12, '22 – Celtics 108 - Nuggets 102
March 21, '22 – Celtics 124 - Nuggets 104
November 12, '22 – Celtics 131 - Nuggets 112
January 2, '23 – Celtics 111 - Nuggets 123
To put that into context...the Celtics have won four of their last five games against the Nuggets. To add a key point, Jamal Murray was absent from the Nuggets rotation for four of those five games, and that's something worth noting due to his importance to Mike Malone's roster and their style of play.
Key questions
Does Mazzulla task Jrue Holiday with guarding Nikola Jokic?
Boston has routinely put Holiday onto opposing bigs, including Joel Embiid. Part of that is to negate advantages on switches, and part of it is because of how disruptive Holiday can be when getting underneath a bigger opponent.
Holiday on Jokic makes sense on the perimeter – kind of – but his passing creates a caveat that Boston hasn't had to deal with this season. Figuring out how to pressure those passing lanes while disrupting Jokic on the post is going to be key for the Celtic's chances.
Who guards Jaylen Brown?
The Nuggets will likely task Aaron Gordon with guarding either Brown or Tatum. Logic dictates he will get the Tatum assignment, at least to begin with. That leaves Brown, who will thrive in any space afforded to him. Denver's defense may struggle to contain his mid-range game and the forcefulness when driving to the rim.
Will Boston be able to contain Murray?
The Celtics usually struggle with shift guards. Especially ones that can create off the dribble and work as a catch-and-shoot threat. White and Holiday are both elite point-of-attack defenders. Still, Murray knows how to create and exploit space. So, it's going to be a fun battle throughout the night – a battle that will have a significant impact on the potential outcome of the game.
More 2-1-2 zone?
I really do hope so!
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