Getty Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics continue to stack up victories and now hold the best record in the NBA, having won 21 of their first 26 games.
Speaking on a December 8 episode of ESPN’s First Take, Stephen A. Smith shared his belief that the Celtics are capable of ‘winning it all’ this season, courtesy of their star duo of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.
“I think Boston might win it all. I’m looking at them right now; Jayson Tatum is clearly my MVP…In the end, Devin Booker was looking spectacular, and then he goes up against Boston last night, and they get slaughtered…Jayson Tatum is averaging 30, on like 48% shooting. This brother is trying to make amends for the Finals. Right now, the Boston Celtics should be the favorites to win it all. Number one offense and they’re 12th defensively, which isn’t bad, and that’s without Robert Williams – he isn’t back yet,” Smith said.
The Celtics currently boast the best offensive rating in the NBA, and the best net rating in the NBA, while their defense has cracked the top 10, with Boston currently ranked 9th in defensive rating.
Robert Williams Set to Return Within Weeks
According to a December 7 report by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Celtics big man, Robert Williams, is nearing a return to the basketball court following a second surgery on a torn meniscus over the summer.
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“He’s been practicing. He’s made great progress on that offseason surgery. The timeline right now is still potentially 10 to 12 days, but don’t rule out the possibility that Robert Williams wakes up one day and decides he’s ready to return. We expect he’ll be back before Christmas, but Boston’s defense, which was no. 1 in the league last season, certainly is going to get a great bump when they get Robert Williams back here in the very near future,” Wojnarowski said.
Tatum Urges Celtics to Remain Focused Against Warriors
On Saturday, December 10, the Celtics will face off against the Golden State Warriors for the first time since the NBA Finals. When speaking to the media following Boston’s December 7 victory over the Phoenix Suns, Tatum made it clear that he’s just taking things one game at a time.
.@jaytatum0 isn’t getting caught up in the hype of Celtics’ rematch with the Golden State Warriors #BleedGreen
“You know, it’s just one game. You know, obviously, it’s probably a big deal, and everybody is gonna make it a big deal. But for us, being honest, they beat us last year. They won a championship, and we lost. So, they got that over us, and you know, we understand that. But, obviously, we wanna go in there and continue to build off of what we’ve been doing. And you know, go in there and get a win. But, in the grand scheme of things, it’s just one game, so it’s not gonna make or break whatever we’re trying to accomplish once the game is over,” Tatum said.
If the Celtics can sustain their current level of play, there’s no reason to believe they won’t be in a position to challenge for another Eastern Conference title and make a run to the NBA Finals, where they will be hoping to exercise the demons of last season – hopefully, Robert Williams return to the rotation will help propel them closer to that goal.