Getty Jayson Tatum and LeBron James Facing Off in The All-Star Game
Throughout the entire season, the Boston Celtics have looked like a shoo-in to make the NBA Playoffs, which they succeeded in by finishing the season as the second seed in the Eastern Conference.
However, their most storied rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, haven’t had such luck and had to earn their way into the postseason courtesy of a play-in tournament victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
During the Lakers’ victory, veteran superstar LeBron James saw the floor for 45 minutes of gameplay, yet according to his Instagram and Twitter page, he struggled to get a good night’s sleep after the game. When LeBron posted to his Instagram account in the early morning California time, Jayson Tatum took the opportunity to remind him to get some sleep.
“Dawg you played 48 last night go to bed,” Tatum replied.
During the Lakers’ win over the Timberwolves, LeBron provided his team with 30 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks while shooting 57.1% from the field and 50% from deep. However, the Lakers still appear to be a distance away from being ready to challenge the Celtics in a race to win an 18th championship banner.
Quin Snyder Understands the Celtics’ Talent Level
On the same night that the Lakers booked their place in the postseason, the Atlanta Hawks set up a first-round series against the Celtics, courtesy of their own play-in tournament victory over the Miami Heat.
When addressing the media following the game, Snyder discussed his team’s difficult task as they look to make their own mark on this year’s playoffs.
“They’re really connected offensively,” Snyder said. “And, I think it’s more than them just having like a lot of weapons. I think they really have a feel for one another and how they play together. And you can see that in the way they play. I mean, their reads are terrific. And they’ve got a lot of guys that can make plays, and they want to do that for one another, which makes them really, really hard to guard.
I think their versatility defensively is unique also, you know, some of the different lineups they can put on. I don’t know who the Defensive Player of the Year will be this year, but I know Marcus Smart. I have tonnes and tonnes of respect for him. I just think he’s one of those guys and is the heartbeat, and they’re just really good. And Joe’s done a terrific job.”
The Celtics are undefeated when facing the Hawks this season and will likely feel confident about navigating their first-round matchup against Jaylen Brown‘s hometown team with minimal difficulty.
Rajon Rondo Issues Reminder to Boston
It’s now been 15 years since the Celtics raised an NBA championship banner in the TD Garden, despite looking capable of doing so on a number of occasions. Of course, last season was Boston’s best opportunity in recent memory, but they fell to the Golden State Warriors in six games.
When speaking on ESPN’s First Take, former Celtics guard Rajon Rondo reminded the current iteration of the Celtics roster that Boston doesn’t celebrate conference success but is a city built on championships.
“It’s called Title Town. Bean Town,” Rondo said. “They expect to win. It’s been a very long time since their hoisted that trophy. So, going back to the Finals last year, and (not) getting it done that’s not gonna work. We don’t hang Eastern Conference banners in Boston.”
Now, the Celtics will be hoping to embark on a championship run, and that all begins on Saturday, April 15.