The Boston Celtics defense stepping up to start 2025 shows their slump is officially behind them.
Jaylen Brown’s right shoulder injury against the Raptors meant people needed to compensate for the shooting guard’s numbers. Instead, they’re making up for it on the defensive end.
The backcourt looks rejuvenated, focusing on individual matchups to force bad shots. Boston held opponents to around 39% from the floor in the last three contests.
Jrue Holiday’s return is an immense reason why the Cs are incredibly difficult to break down. Holiday’s 107.1 DRTG is the best among Celtics averaging 20+ minutes per game.
Although the Celtics have struggled to create turnovers this season — and score on those turnovers, ranking 27th in the league — their last couple of games marks a step toward improvement. They are frustrating teams and gaining more possessions.
The Celtics forced the Timberwolves to have 16 turnovers on Thursday and cashed in. From disrupting passing lanes because of active hands to straight-up grit, Boston’s defense is a force to be reckoned with again.
Transition has also improved recently, guiding the Cs to more stops. Correct positioning has also helped the squad shut down fast-break points. For the season, Boston is tied for seventh with 14.1 fast-break points allowed per game.
Mazzulla has almost the same squad as last year and sets up his team so that every Celtic remains flexible when guarding the basket. Even if a size or skill mismatch exists, Boston must switch.
Switching then creates confusion or panic. Shooters now have to consider different factors based on who’s defending them and may put up shots that hit the rim.
This was evident in against the Rockets.
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And where would the Celtics’ defense be without the hustle of Derrick White? While White ranks 10th in fan All-Star Voting, his blocks are incredible.
He plays a large part in how defense turns to offense by creating additional possessions, especially in the third quarter of the Rockets game. His blocks come down to determination and a willingness to lock down the rim.
Despite a challenging January with difficult road games, Boston has relied on accountability to get results in the past. Jayson Tatum called for more effort.
Tatum’s comments are eerily similar to Brown’s “The energy is about to shift” tweet, which helped the Cs make the 2022 NBA Finals.
The energy does seem to be shifting, on defense.
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