Celtics player grades before the playoff push

The Boston Celtics are 39-16, fifty-fivegames right into a strong (if very barely disappointing) title protection. The staff has fortunately shaken off a brutal second quarter, getting into the All-Star break on a 7-1 stretch that’s seen Jayson Tatum enjoying a number of the finest ball of the 12 months.

Two-thirds into the season, it looks like an excellent time to take inventory of how the roster has been performing with some participant grades.

Observe that I grade on a curve. These marks are relative to expectations and previous efficiency; gamers don’t get an A merely for possessing expertise. If we all know somebody is able to constant excellence, flashes received’t lower it. I would like gamers to satisfy or exceed the excessive expectations that earlier successes have engendered.

I’ve been accused of being a jerk harsh grader previously, however pretend nice-guy stuff is how the Chicago Bulls preserve being the Chicago Bulls. Actual groups and followers can take an unflinching have a look at their rosters, and I’ve tried to do this right here. That stated, these are at all times subjective, so be at liberty to share your grades within the feedback!

Jayson Tatum: A

Tatum has been a top-5 participant within the NBA but once more this season, and it appears like he’s cruising towards one other All-NBA First Staff end. His taking pictures effectivity (58.9% true taking pictures is simply barely above league common) hasn’t been elite because of a barely subpar season from deep (35.8% from lengthy vary), but it surely’s greater than ok given the sheer quantity of photographs he places up.

The protection is regular, as at all times. Tatum’s willingness to sometimes defend opposing facilities (with zero complaints, in contrast to sure different forwards) lets head coach Joe Mazzulla do some funky issues schematically. His rebounding has been typically elite, and the passing has noticeably improved, carrying over from final 12 months’s playoffs.

His persistence and processing pace are top-tier, however the technical enhancements, like hitting shooters proper of their pocket from throughout the court docket, are much more eye-catching:

It appears like Tatum can get a dunk every time he needs, which is why a number of the side-step threes will be so irritating to look at. In an ideal world, Tatum would consistently redline his aggression ranges, however he’s been greater than ok on this one.

Jaylen Brown: C

Please don’t twist my intent right here. I’m not saying by any implies that Brown’s been a foul participant this 12 months, however there’s no getting round the truth that Brown has had a down season by his outstanding requirements. That being the case, I can’t justify a excessive mark.

His on-ball protection stays glorious, and he has had by far the most effective passing season of his profession, displaying actual progress as a playmaker and decision-maker. The passing has persistently been a significant weak spot for Brown, so seeing him make such a leap this far into his profession is encouraging.

Nonetheless, Brown can also be having the worst three-point taking pictures 12 months of his profession. Whereas his ending has improved just lately, that is additionally his worst two-point taking pictures season since 2018. Brown hasn’t had as many hammer yams on fools as previously, and his dunk price is almost half of what it was final season. After all, accidents have performed an element, however Brown hasn’t appeared fairly the identical even when wholesome.

His off-ball protection has additionally dramatically regressed to the purpose the place superior metrics like EPM now suppose he’s an actively dangerous defender total. That is perhaps overstating it, however groups have been focusing on Brown in transition and with off-ball motion to typically ugly impact. Twice in a row, the Hawks exploited Jaylen Brown’s lazy protection in embarrassing style, prompting a livid Mazzulla timeout:

Yikes.

Once more, I’m not saying that Brown must be a benchwarmer. Maybe a while off will get him proper bodily, as he’s battled shoulder and knee illnesses all year long. However all in all, the Celtics are accustomed to — and wish — extra.

Derrick White — B+

Derrick White continues to up his three-point quantity to obscene heights, and he’s nonetheless canning them with regularity. In truth, the protection has slipped only a tad, however there’s nonetheless no sight fairly like White obliterating hubris-driven would-be dunkers on the rim:

White has frequently expanded his offensive sport whereas being both the most effective or second-best defender on the staff yearly since he arrived, and his sport — predicated on taking pictures and intelligence — ought to age like tremendous vino. I’ve liked watching his confidence blossom over time to the purpose the place he’s keen to take photographs sometimes reserved for mononymous superstars:

Maybe Payton Pritchard’s swagger has rubbed off on him.

Jrue Vacation — D+

That is powerful to put in writing, as I’m as huge a Vacation fan as there’s. However he’s noticeably a half-step slower on protection this season (nonetheless good!), and the decline in three-point taking pictures has been so extreme that groups have had no situation stashing a middle on him. The Celtics’ offensive ranking falls off a cliff like a bad-luck bungee jumper every time he’s on the ground (an offensive on/off of -10.5 is within the fifth percentile). Whereas that’s partly resulting from Payton Pritchard’s incandescence and accidents, together with a balky shoulder, Vacation merely hasn’t been ok on that finish.

Vacation stepped his sport up within the playoffs final season, and it’s greater than potential he can do this once more. He is perhaps saving his finest for when it issues most. 55 video games into his age-34 season, nevertheless, Vacation hasn’t practically lived as much as his earlier requirements.

Payton Pritchard: A+

Who may have seen this coming?

There have been occasions this season the place Pritchard has legitimately been the Celtics’ second-most-important participant. His taking pictures, pace-pushing, and sneering audacity slot in any lineup permutation — it’s not surprising that six of the highest eight lineups he’s utilized in most have outscored opponents by at the least 20 factors per 100 possessions (the Celtics’ internet ranking as a complete is +9.4).

Pritchard has deserted all pretense of being a table-setter. He’s on the court docket to do two issues: get buckets and chew bubblegum. Sadly for opponents, he’s all out of Wrigley’s.

The three-point taking pictures has been so vivid that it’s blinded folks to Pritchard’s different notable enhancements. For the second 12 months in a row, he’s been a legitimately freaky finisher on the rim, utilizing his tiny shoulders as mean-spirited battering rams to unencumber simply sufficient area to squeeze in a layup:

Pritchard nearly by no means turns the ball over and assaults the offensive glass like a miniature Thompson Triplet. I’ll by no means tire of seeing him squirt out from a dogpile with a dwell dribble.

He can get picked on defensively; that’s true for anybody his measurement. However I don’t suppose there’s rather more Pritchard can do on that finish, and he’s been so unbelievable offensively that he’s really closed a number of video games over Vacation.

Even with a current relative swoon, Pritchard was by far my best grade.

Kristaps Porzingis: B

It didn’t take lengthy for KP to return to kind (offensively, at the least) following a prolonged damage absence, and he’s been taking pictures the Wilson emblem off the ball from deep. Per Synergy, he’s scoring 1.21 factors on each post-up shot, too, a top-notch mark.

Nonetheless, the staff has suffered tremendously every time Porzingis is within the lineup on each side. A few of that’s dangerous luck — opponents shoot 39% from deep when KP is on the ground, an unusually excessive quantity. That’s not totally his fault, however Porzingis has not been tight in pick-and-roll protection this 12 months. There have been extra communication breakdowns than final season, and whether or not that’s KP’s fault or not, he’s typically concerned:

If Pritchard was my best grade, Porzingis was the toughest. If you wish to transfer him a full letter grade up or down, I wouldn’t put up a giant struggle.

Al Horford: C+

Like Vacation, Horford’s age (39!) is beginning to present. He’s all the way down to 35% from three and has clearly misplaced a step on protection.

That stated, the Celtics are nonetheless elite on each side when he’s on the ground. Opposing groups would nonetheless fairly assault different gamers on protection and are reluctant to go away Horford alone on offense utterly. I’d be mendacity if I stated I wasn’t nervous about what may occur to him within the playoffs, however maybe he can flip the change.

Sam Hauser: B+

Hauser struggled out of the gates however discovered his shot and his confidence six weeks in. Curiously, he’s grow to be much more one-dimensional this season, as he’s taking pictures fewer than one two-pointer per sport; maybe that’s merely a byproduct of the staff’s total emphasis on placing up big numbers of threes.

Regardless, whereas Hauser has been regular in his function, I can’t utterly low cost the primary a part of the season, both.

Luke Kornet: A-

Kornet has nimbly maintained his spot because the third huge on the roster behind Porzingis and Horford regardless of sturdy stretches from Neemias Queta. His underrated rim safety, offensive rebounding, and sure-handed finishes on the rim present a dependable increase night time in and night time out.

If something, I want the staff would attempt to function Kornet extra on offense. He has some underutilized expertise, and his teammates look him off extra typically than I like.

He has his occasional struggles, and coach Mazzulla is greater than keen to swap in a special participant if Kornet isn’t in the appropriate matchup. However on the finish of the day, the staff outscores opponents by practically 14 factors per 100 possessions when Kornet is on the court docket, the very best mark of any main rotation participant.

Neemias Queta: B+

Queta at all times brings drive and vitality, two issues the Celtics typically want. Generally, meaning he’s crashing the boards, laying the toughest screens on the staff, and sprinting for lobs. Often, it means he’s fouling the bejeezus out of opponents and working in random instructions like a decollated rooster.

However you are taking the dangerous with the great, and we’ve seen way more of the latter than the previous this season. He’s a situational participant who deserves credit score for the true enchancment he’s proven this season.

Drew Peterson: B

Peterson hasn’t had a whole lot of burn, however he’s typically made essentially the most of it. The taking pictures is promising, however he’s additionally had a number of defensive moments that I’ve discovered mildly intriguing.

Jordan Walsh: D+

The nasty protection is actual. Walsh can fly across the court docket, smack away lazy photographs, and harass ballhandlers. He has the dimensions and quickness to compete throughout at the least three positions. In his very restricted minutes, he’s averted foul hassle this 12 months, a earlier bugaboo.

However the offense stays woeful. Walsh has the intention of a drunken snake. It’s affecting his confidence. Everybody loves the try-hard defender archetype, however Walsh has to deliver one thing to the desk offensively to earn actual minutes. Proper now, I’m undecided that even Walsh is aware of what that might be.

Xavier Tillman: D-

Tillman has been handily surpassed within the rotation by each Kornet and Queta. He’s barely performed and has appeared horrible in his restricted minutes.

I nonetheless suppose Tillman’s perimeter switching may make him an intriguing wildcard within the playoffs, however he hasn’t even executed that significantly effectively in his scant alternatives.

Baylor Scheierman: Incomplete

We’ve barely seen the first-round choose this season, and that shouldn’t be a shock. The Celtics have Sam Hauser and Drew Peterson as depth bench gunners, who’ve shot extra precisely and defended much better.

We’ll test again in a 12 months or two.

JD Davison: Incomplete

I can’t assign a letter grade to somebody with 24 minutes of enjoying time. That’s an excellent factor for Davison, who continues to battle on the NBA degree.