NEW YORK — All the Celtics continue to do this season is put together victories. The latest data point came in a 116-102 victory over the Knicks on Saturday for the team’s eighth straight win.
Thus far, the pieces have seemingly fit together perfectly. That requires buy-in from every part of the roster, and the Celtics haven’t had many issues there as they work toward a common goal. So when asked if he was surprised the C’s are this good so seamlessly, Kristaps Porzingis credited the decision-makers at the top.
“We have to give a lot of credit to our front office for putting this type of team together,” Porzingis said. “When the opportunity presented, for me at least, I said this is gonna work, 100%. Or we’re gonna figure it out sooner than later. And it just worked right away because of the fit, because of where I am in my career, and adding Jrue (Holiday). … So just overall great players but also great people and that makes the team connect very easily.”
BetMGM BET $5, GET $158! BONUS BETS
STATES: MA, KY, AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, KS, LA, MD, MI, NJ, NY, OH, PA, TN, VA. Visit BetMGM.com for Terms and Conditions. 21 years of age or older to wager. MA Only. New Customer Offer. All promotions are subject to qualification and eligibility requirements. Rewards issued as non-withdrawable bonus bets. Bonus bets expire 7 days from issuance. In Partnership with MGM Springfield. Play it smart from the start with GameSense. GameSenseMA.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-327-5050 or visit gamblinghelplinema.org.
Compared to the Celtics from just a few years ago, they look significantly different with the front office naturally having a lot to do with that. Just last season, the C’s employed guys like Marcus Smart, Grant Williams, Malcolm Brogdon and Robert Williams III. But all four of those contributors are gone, leading to Porzingis, Holiday and others being a part of this team’s core.
Of course, Porzingis should get his credit for helping transform this team. Not only is he a talented big man, but the way in which he’s able to attack mismatches in the post have altered the team’s identity for the better. The team itself also deserves praise for everyone willing to sacrifice roles for the sake of hanging Banner No. 18.
While the Celtics lap the field in the East — they have an eight-game lead on the second-place Cavaliers — they’re still enjoying the process of the regular season. Naturally, they will also be ultimately judged on what happens in the playoffs considering the title expectations. But at this point, they’re simply looking to improve their play, all made possible by the front office.
“I thought it would be important for us to be No. 1, and we are No. 1,” Porzingis said. “But I think we always try to still look at the things like, we can get better here and we can get better here. We want to be the whole package as a team and have no weaknesses. Of course our record is what it is and we’re doing what we’re supposed to do, but we always try to find something we can work on and still get better at.”
- Highly anticipated sportsbooks like BetMGM Massachusetts, along with Caesars Sportsbook Massachusetts have been live since Spring of 2023. New players can use promo codes like the FanDuel Massachusetts promo code and the DraftKings Massachusetts promo.
