JJ Redick Reveals Key Lesson That Saved Celtics Season

Getty Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics

They’ve done it! The Boston Celtics are heading to the NBA Finals following their game seven victory over the Miami Heat on May 29.

For a Celtics team that stuttered out of the gate to begin the season, their post-season form is a testament to their resiliency and determination to prove themselves on the biggest stage the NBA has to offer.

Since the turn of 2022, the Celtics have been a vastly different team, and have developed a reputation for being the best defensive unit in the league, backed up by their first-place ranking in the NBA’s defensive rating for the regular season.

However, while their defense has clearly set the tone, JJ Redick believes there was another key alteration that saved the Celtics’ season, one that was far more subtle. In a recent episode of Redick’s Old Man and the Three podcast, the former NBA Sharpshooter details how figuring out that Jayson Tatum was the team’s ‘alpha’ was the true turning point in their season.

“I think, to me, the biggest thing that has happened this year, and it didn’t happen the first two months, it didn’t happen until January. They figured out that Tatum is the alpha, he’s the Batman, and Jaylen Brown is the Robin. And for a time, it felt like those guys couldn’t quite grasp that. There was a little bit of the young player ‘I want to be the guy, you want to be the guy,’ and they’re friends, obviously. Tatum talked about it on this podcast, he had conversations with Jaylen, they didn’t want to split up…I think figuring that out was huge,” Redick said.

Marcus Smart Excited for NBA Finals

When you think about the most important players on the Celtics roster, it’s clear that Smart, while not the most talented, is clearly an integral piece to the puzzle. The veteran guard has improved every aspect of his game throughout his first season in a starting role and is the emotional leader of the team.

Following Boston’s game seven victory over the Heat, a clearly emotional Smart took time to reflect on what making it to the NBA Finals means to him after missing out on the opportunity multiple times throughout his career.

“This is every athlete’s dream, to get to that final stage and get that opportunity. I’ve been to the conference finals four times, and I’ve been sent home every year. It feels really good, and it feels really good for Jayson and Jaylen. And even Al, he’s played all these games and he’s worked his tail off, so it feels really good,” Smart told reporters following Boston’s win. 

Tatum Credits Early-Season Criticism

Boston’s in-season turnaround has been a talking point for fans and media since the turn of the year, with most people believing that the Celtics are now primed to go all the way and raise banner 18. However, no matter how deep they dive, or who they talk to, nobody has been able to pinpoint the moment Boston’s season changed for the better.

Some believe that Jaylen Brown’s now infamous tweet is what got Boston heading in the right direction, while others credit Marcus Smart’s post-game mauling of Tatum and Brown’s perceived selfish play, to have played a part. But, according to the Celtics’ All-NBA wing, a lot of their fuel came from outside criticism, and people questioning Tatum and Brown’s ability to succeed as the team’s core duo.

“All of those things have helped. From saying we need to split the group up, or get rid of somebody, to saying that me and JB can’t play together. That fueled us to figure it out, and not run from it. We’re going to be here for a while, we trust in each other, and that we had to be better. I think instead of separating, we came closer, and I think it’s shown throughout the season,” Tatum told the media.

Regardless of what the actual root cause of Boston’s improvements was, it’s clear this team is now ready to contend for a championship for multiple years to come, and their first shot at glory begins on Thursday, June 2.