The 15

By Vinny Jace, Special to the15net dot com:

Throughout the first few weeks of the regular season, coach Joe Mazzulla has discovered what works and what doesn’t: tapering the rotation, trimming Anfernee Simons’ minutes when it’s clear he doesn’t have it, and putting Chris Boucher on ice to free up minutes for the emerging Neemias Queta and the hot-and-cold Luka Garza.

It’s no secret what Boston lacked heading into the season and continues to miss—a glaring void that stares you in the face during every game: the absence of elite passing, dribbling, a steady hand at the wheel during moments of crisis, and rebounding whenever Queta is on the bench.

Not having Jayson Tatum around makes it easier for opposing teams to strangle the offense, especially in the last two minutes. The Celtics in the clutch lack sufficient answers, and the offense reverts to a “cross your fingers and hope it works out” philosophy. Boston sports a 2-6 record in close games. Their offensive rating sits at 118.4; defensive rating at 112.9; and net rating at +5.4. Derrick White and Payton Pritchard are solid players, but filling in for the role Jrue Holiday once did is above their pay grade. They’re better suited as connective passers, not table-setters.

How the Celtics cobbled together 7 wins in the season’s first 14 games stems from a hard-nosed, barebones approach that takes every game to the wire. If I were to tell you White was shooting just 35.9% to start the year, you’d assume the team ranked amongst the dregs. But it’s how players like him have contributed on defense even when being challenged offensively that is a testament to “Mazzulla-Ball” and its flexibility. Defense is the real bulwark of this team that’s held together by duct tape—White being the best shot-blocking guard on any roster.

The aforementioned big man, Queta, and his 7-foot frame—able to shift his hips like a soccer player on the pitch to stay with his man even outside the paint—keeps the defense from having to collapse inside to help. His 108.7 defensive rating, on top of his +13.1 on/off-court rating, showcases the rewards of Boston’s years of development of him since coming over from Sacramento. It was once far-fetched to imagine Queta being anything but a rotational big man; now, you have to imagine a contract extension is in play if he keeps this up.

In the middle of their in-between season, the Celtics have managed to keep themselves interesting. Jordan Walsh is slowly emerging as a credible defender, having back-to-back solid efforts against Tyrese Maxey and James Harden. The younger players have earned their keep.

Fans have labeled the Celtics’ approach to the season “Ethical Tanking”—losing games while maintaining competitiveness. While it’s likelier to land the Celtics outside of the lottery, perhaps it leaves open the possibility that they aren’t far from re-entering the title conversation when Tatum comes back next season.

Vinny Jace appears on the Entitled Weekend podcast. He does not live in Johnston.

By Vinny Jace, Special to the15net dot com:

The expectations for this Celtics season were always tough to gauge. For one, not having your best player—Jayson Tatum, out with an Achilles tear—caps their ceiling dramatically. The dire salary cap situation forced management to prioritize jettisoning big contracts to clear the books, meaning free agents like Guerschon Yabusele and in-house vets Al Horford and Luke Kornet weren’t options.

It’s a bitter pill for a fan base riding the Jayson Tatum contention wave since 2018. One wrong step, and the franchise is mired in a rut not seen since the Big Three era cleared out.

The solace in this dour hour? Maybe the Celtics land among the NBA’s dregs, in the lottery, where a top-flight prospect rejuvenates a roster quietly desperate for youth and trade assets.

But even this talent-depleted squad isn’t bad enough for lottery glory. Like it or not, they house a Finals MVP (Jaylen Brown), an All-Defensive guard (Derrick White), and the reigning Sixth Man (Payton Pritchard). Not to mention 3-and-D sharpshooter Sam Hauser—a marksman any team would covet.

Yes, beyond that, they lack dudes who dribble, pass, and rebound. But the NBA—especially the East—is littered with worse. On any given night, Jaylen Brown can have flames shooting out his ass, scoring from a phone booth. Derrick White can rim-protect like a center. This leaves room for the scrubs role players to punch above: Minott, Garza, Boucher, Simons – channeling ghosts of better days.

Josh Minott, Luka Garza, Chris Boucher—and especially Anfernee Simons—aren’t championship pieces. Simons? Damian Lillard shot selection without the justification. But some nights, he splashes enough to steal W’s.

The three-point revolution proved basketball is math, not art. Bomb from deep, randomize outcomes, level the field. The Celtics are 3-4. Only the victims of one blow out, despite trash stats: 43.6% FG (27th), 32.6% 3PT (26th). No surprise—they lost three 7-foot rim protectors, replaced by barely warm bodies.

How bad are they? A 42-win squad waiting for luck? The worst clutch team ever, dropping 55 by slim margins? This ain’t 2014—no Vitor Faverani heater flipping Ws to Ls. There are made men here. That scares me.

This team wasn’t built to compete. It was built to carve cap space for Tatum/Brown 2.0. We’re too early to predict that era.

Vinny Jace appears on the Entitled Weekend podcast. He does not live in Denmark.