It’s been an intense four-game street journey for the Boston Celtics.
The C’s have been examined with matchups in opposition to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves, Ime Udoka and the Houston Rockets and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder to start 2025. Nonetheless, it’s not over but. Boston has one ultimate journey in Tuesday night time’s battle with three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
The Western Convention’s fourth seed intends to be conscious of what challenges the reigning champion Celtics might current.
“It doesn’t matter what you do, they’re gonna get 50 threes up. I actually imagine that,” Nuggets head coach Michael Malone mentioned Monday, per Bennett Durando of The Every day Digital camera. “Nineteen of their 50 threes they take are off the bounce. They’re capturing pull-up threes in transition. They’re capturing pull-up threes in pick-and-rolls. That’s their factor offensively. ‘We’re gonna simply put quite a lot of threes up.’”
Malone added: “In pick-and-rolls, you can’t be down the ground and provides (Jayson) Tatum, (Jaylen) Brown, (Payton) Pritchard, (Jrue) Vacation (and Derrick) White straightforward walk-in threes.”
Story continues beneath commercial
Currently, the Celtics haven’t replicated their trademark Mazzulla-ball success, which made them the perfect of the perfect offensively, only a season in the past.
Boston opened its title protection run with a robust 5-1 begin that positioned it second within the league in 3-point capturing (40.7%). Since then, nonetheless, Mazzulla-ball took a success. The Celtics presently rank 14th in 3-point proportion (36.7%) whereas additionally main the league in makes an attempt (50.2) and makes (18.4). That method, thus far, simply hasn’t carried over and positioned Boston in a routinely dominant state.
Whereas a staple of the workforce’s identification, the 3-point-chucking was pricey at instances all through the workforce’s 26-10 begin.
Boston has shot simply 35.2% from Mazzulla’s completely happy place all through the street journey, rating twentieth within the league in proportion, third in makes (16.2) and first in makes an attempt (47.3). The flip facet is the Celtics have additionally ranked twenty sixth in factors (106.3), solely forward of the Rockets, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets and Orlando Magic.
Story continues beneath commercial
Will that immediate the Nuggets to take a step again, realizing that the Celtics simply haven’t been the Celtics? No, not precisely.
“You ain’t gonna be capable of cease them from capturing them,” Russell Westbrook mentioned, per Durando. “However you’ve simply gotta be capable of make them tough pictures. That’s it. Make them tough pictures, and rebound the ball. After which do what we do.”
Denver has garnered a repute for being essentially the most disciplined workforce within the league, and for good purpose. No matter how sizzling or chilly Boston has shot the ball, the Nuggets are making ready for the Celtics to indicate their perfect.
Boston made a mixed 38-of-108 (35.1%) complete 3-pointers throughout its two-game preseason duel in opposition to Denver in Abu Dhabi, together with 60 makes an attempt within the first matchup.
Story continues beneath commercial
The potential preview for June’s 2025 NBA Finals is about for 10 p.m. ET at Ball Area.