The Celtics have now won six games in a row, illuminating a ray of hope in an otherwise underachieving season. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have been carrying the team over this six-game stretch, with Tatum scoring a season-high 53 points against the lowly Minnesota Timberwolves and Jaylen Brown scoring a season-high 40 points against the LeBron-less Lakers. If this team is playing meaningful basketball in June, we will look back and say that the turning-point of the season came in the come from behind win against the Denver Nuggets. The Celtics outscored the Nuggets 31-8 in the fourth quarter to seal the comeback win. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 48 points and 18 rebounds, while Nuggets C Nikola Jokic still had a triple-double with 17 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists. Although Nuggets G Jamal Murray was out for Denver, the team could have easily folded like they have many times in the past. It was a good sign to see that the team didn’t quit on themselves and had some resolve like head coach Brad Stevens said the team desperately needed.
In the next week, Boston plays two of the premier teams in the league in the Suns and the Nets. Devin Booker has led the Suns this season, averaging 25.5 points per game, and could be in the conversation of making an All-NBA team. C Deandre Ayton has averaged a double-double this season, with 15 points and 11 rebounds. But, the player who has undoubtedly made the most difference has been Chris Paul. CP3 is widely regarded as an exceptional leader and provides the Suns with a savvy veteran that they sorely missed. Meanwhile, the Brooklyn Nets have been widely regarded as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference since adding James Harden and Blake Griffin to the mix. Most people questioned if this experiment would work, since Durant, Irving, and Harden all need the ball to be successful. People also questioned if there would be enough shots and touches to go around. But, in the games where all three superstars have played, Brooklyn has looked unstoppable and very dangerous. By the time Boston faces the Nets on Friday, it's entirely possible that Brooklyn could have James Harden back from injury. We will definitely learn a lot about Boston in these two games, especially considering that they are on back-to-back days. It will be interesting to see if G Evan Fournier will be back in time for the Suns game, as he has been out due to being in the health and safety protocol. We’ll also see if newcomer Jabari Parker will continue to add some much-needed scoring off the bench, after posting an impressive 11-point outing in his debut with Boston on Saturday against the Warriors. It should be an interesting week to be a Celtics fan.
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