The Boston Celtics are led by two of the best fullbacks in the NBA. Jayson Tatum was just named to his third consecutive All-NBA First Team, and Jaylen Brown scored 40 points in Boston’s Game 2 victory over the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Tatum and Brown have led the Eastern Conference for the better part of a decade, but this year, their supporting cast has expanded and starts in the backcourt.
For years, Marcus Smart’s elite defensive play helped Tatum and Brown rise to the top of the East. His play began to shine in his later years with the Celtics, and his shooting in the playoffs was largely overlooked, but this year, the Celtics are getting a new level of offensive production from their backcourt. .
Derrick White and Jrue Holiday have been instrumental to Boston’s postseason success, relieving a lot of pressure on Tatum and Brown in the process.
In Thursday night’s Game 2, they combined for 38 points, seven rebounds and 16 assists with just one turnover. They shot 14/22 from the field and 7/12 from the three-point line as a duo.
“They’re really good basketball players,” Joe Mazzulla said.
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White and Holiday were recently named to the All-Defensive Second Team, marking the second consecutive season of defensive recognition for both players.
What makes the tandem so special is its ability to affect both sides of the ball. Defensively, they are one of the best defenders in the league, but offensively they are capable of carrying the load.
Whether it was White’s 38-point performance in Game 4 against the Miami Heat or Holiday’s 28-point night in Game 1 against the Pacers, both have made monumental contributions to the offense. Combined with a stellar defense, they have given the Celtics an indescribable boost.
“Utility guys. Guys who will do anything to win,” Holiday said of him and White. “I feel like that’s what’s important. “It’s not necessarily about getting your stats or seeing what they look like, but doing whatever it takes to win.”
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In the postseason, rosters are often thinned out. Guys who played important roles in the regular season are knocked off the court because they can’t contribute on one end. Peyton Watson barely played for the Denver Nuggets because of his offense.
And in some cases, players get minutes, but are treated differently on the court. Boston left Cleveland’s Isaac Okoro practically open from three for the entire series in Round 2, and he struggled mightily.
Boston’s defense and the entire squad don’t have that problem. In fact, it’s the opposite. White and Holiday are not only passable at both ends of the track. They are exceptional.
More importantly, they are willing to be exceptional in whatever way the Celtics need on any given night.
“They come into a game with an open mind about how they can impact it in different ways,” Mazzulla said. “Sometimes it’s defense, sometimes it’s pick-and-roll management, sometimes it’s screen, sometimes it’s scoring, sometimes it’s shooting.
“They just have the ability to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Its versatility is important.”
If teams want to pressure Tatum or Brown, White and Holiday are ready to fire. If Tatum and Brown struggle to make plays with the ball in their hands, White and Holiday can serve as the primary playmakers. If the Celtics want to use Tatum and Brown as decoys, White and Holiday can create them for themselves.
White and Holiday are wildly overqualified for the roles they need to play, and that’s a huge luxury for the Celtics.
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