Boston Celtics New Year’s Resolutions

Boston Celtics New Year’s Resolutions

What do you get the squad that seems to have it all? Not much has to change for the Celtics,

who with a 26-6 record boast the best record in basketball.

But it doesn’t mean that in order for the Celtics to have what may turn out to be a historic season,

everyone involved can’t make a few small adjustments and changes.

Jayson Tatum: Will he maintain his 5.8 pull-up three-point shooting percentage

even after it dropped to 29.7% at the start of the new year?

Despite the misses, Mazzulla and Tatum defended the shots as needed to keep

the defence honest and thought they were generally good attempts.

Tatum was a prolific scorer at the rim,

had a respectable mid-range game,

and could always make an impact on the boards and defence when he wanted to.

Boston will be in the best position to win a title if they can find the ideal balance in

their shot selection and improve their defensive dominance.

Tatum had an average

From a shot mechanics perspective, Mazzulla replied, “I don’t know.”

“I don’t really discuss that with him. He studies something on his own and does a fantastic job at it.

In my opinion, he will ultimately have to take a shot for a few of them, depending on who they are playing.

Depending on the time, score, and matchup,

I feel safe taking that shot. He simply needs to keep working at it,

but so far this year, I think he’s done a great job of reaching other shots.

It simply depends on how the game is playing out, the matchups,

and the additional matchups that are available.

I believe that he is developing the ability to continuously evaluate

how he is being protected and where he might have the upper hand.

He visited the nail ISO last night and took a few catch-and-shoot pictures.

It’s just not being characterised by a single kind of photo, in my opinion.

It is impossible to play the same way against every team.

Every game offers the chance to gain a tiny advantage; the shots will change every time.

Jaylen Brown: In December, his three-point shooting % and playmaking began to trend upward.

His defence started to become more and more dominant,

and occasionally those plays ended up changing games.

Although his seven turnovers against Toronto didn’t seem good on paper,

he made clutch baskets and passes late in the game to break through the Raptors’ formidable defence,

which had rallied to force the Celtics into a game that needed to be won without Tatum.

large questions about where he belongs on this team were raised at the start of the season;

if he can continue to provide the answers, he deserves the large money.

Kristaps Porziņģis: Continue to provide your updates and maintain your health.

Not to mention, a couple more assists wouldn’t hurt.

The Celtics benefit most from his direct play and emphasis on scoring,

although his average of 1.7 assists per game is the lowest since 2021.

Defensively, it ends differently as well if Robert Williams III can avoid foul trouble and improve his off-ball role.

Derrick White: It would be ideal if he could control the ball more when it matters most,

such as in the last minutes of the Lakers, Raptors, and Pistons games.

His ability to score three points will be crucial to his postseason success.

For him, December turned into a month he would never forget.

When given more authority, he won’t always shoot as well as he did,

but he will always have an impact on the game.

Jrue Holiday: He started to find his shooting more regularly in December,

but he’s actually making the biggest offensive sacrifice in an offence that was expected to

have a greater impact on Brown’s role than anyone else’s.

It’s impressive that he handled it well, grabbing rebounds,

controlling the defence, and passing in a more subdued manner than he has ever done in his career.

Increasing his shooting percentage in rim-running plays will be the icing on the cake.

Al Horford: It’s difficult to expect much more from the 37-year-old,

who is playing a bench position for the first time. He shoots 37.9% from three,

up significantly from last year’s 65.5% two-point shooting,

and pulls down 7.0 rebounds a game. He should be used more by the Celtics against post-mismatches,

but there isn’t a better backup five in the league.

Payton Pritchard: Shot 42.5% from three point range and averaged 8.9 points and 3.3 assists in a quiet December.

He still has the most offensive influence on games when he makes outside shots,

so keeping up that high average will put him in the best possible position to succeed in the playoffs.

He’s grown to be a threat on the offensive glass as well.

In huge games, Mazzulla can shift towards staggering White and Holiday if Pritchard’s efficiency collapses,

much like it does for other players off the bench.

He’s currently playing the greatest basketball he’s ever played with the squad.

Sam Hauser: In December, the three-and-d wing shot 40.3% from beyond the arc,

played solid defence, and added some rebounding and attacking prowess.

Pritchard played a part in the group’s 2022 Finals run.

Hauser sat during the 2023 playoffs primarily.

To guarantee Boston’s seventh rotation slot, he must demonstrate his roundedness.

Luke Kornet: didn’t have a great start to the season,

but after recovering from an injury, he finished the year with two of his best scoring performances.

That’s not his style of play, but if opponents have to guard him throughout the playoffs,

the Celtics can play bigger more frequently.

Mazzulla also mentioned how his screening may put teams that start small and change everything to the test.

In San Antonio, Kornet pulled down three offensive rebounds,

something he is now focusing on.

Earlier this season, Kornet told CLNS Media,

“A lot of it is recognition of when the shooter is going into their shot and just being ready to crash and take up as much space.”

A significant improvement was made last year in terms of truly prioritising it.

“Going as deep as you can in as good a position and it’s more wings and people

who are crashing from outside taking longer rebounds or kind of seeing

how it might be coming off,” the statement reads.

And do whatever it takes if there’s a method that actually helps you win games.

Oshae Brissett: Continue bouncing back.

It’s about altering games and bringing him back into the picture of the rotation even in the absence of a reliable scoring performance.

His career-high 3.4 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes are achieved.

Offering him a player option early on gave the impression that the Celtics were interested in keeping him around.

He is arguing his point.

Dalano Banton: With three guards playing well in front of him,

he’s in a challenging situation. With Hauser and Brissett outplaying him,

there was less hope that he would be able to play some wing minutes.

In the event of an injury, he will be able to play through the trade deadline,

but it’s difficult to see him doing anything else.

Svi Mykhailiuk: Like Banton, he’s staring at too many guys

who are performing well in front of him and is only shooting 19.2% from three.

He and Banton must demonstrate that they can contribute meaningful depth minutes in order to stay in

those agreements if the Celtics hope to transfer salary out while bringing in a $5–6 million contract.

Due to the absence of several starters, Mykhailiuk has recently received some spot minutes ahead of Banton.

Though he didn’t play most nights, Lamar Stevens,

when Kornet was injured, carved himself an interesting role as a small ball centre.

He’ll need to screen, shoot, and rebound more reliably in order to accomplish that.

Neemias Queta: If he plays at the calibre he did in December,

he appears to be the rightful occupant of the fifteenth roster position.

His first task in 2024 will be to maintain his health. After that,

he must master Boston’s defensive scheme in order to keep pace with Kornet for playing time.

In the coming months, the Celtics will be patient in their offer of a normal contract,

but as of right now, it appears that he should be on the postseason roster.

Jordan Walsh: In the event that several players go before the trade deadline,

can he position himself to play in the NBA?

The Celtics appear more interested in having him spend at least the entire season in Maine,

but it would be wise to give him a look here and there if he wants to develop into even a backup option in the postseason.

Surprisingly, late in the Clippers rout, Drew Peterson played over him.

His shooting still needs to be improved, but he has shown a lot of promise.

JD Davison: He’s now setting himself up for an NBA opportunity while having a fantastic season in Maine,

but until the Celtics trade for a guard or two, that opportunity is unlikely to present itself in Boston.

Drew Peterson: Looking terrific as he started his career in Maine. Mazzulla compared Hauser’s prospective trajectory to his own,

and if Hauser ends up landing a major contract elsewhere in the future,

this signing may be remembered as a pivotal one.

Joe Mazzulla: Setting an example for sacrifice, defence, pace, preparation,

refusing to back down from a challenge, and employing a simple yet potent offensive system.

Could do better by focusing more of his play calls on the crunch time offence,

but it’s difficult to see a more impressive debut from him.

Brad Stevens: A team that appears to need one extra big front-court player with positional diversity in

the roster spot that Williams relinquished may gain from using the Grant Williams trade exception.

Other than that, Stevens’ work is done for this season. His next moves will centre on roster sustainability,

depth, and the extension of Holiday.

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