The Boston Celtics won their 20th straight home game on Wednesday, January 17, with a convincing 117-98 victory over the San Antonio Spurs.The win improved Boston’s NBA-best record to 32-9, and impressive feat since the Celtics played without two starters.
After the game, Jaylen Brown, who finished with 21 points, delivered a short message that should strike a little fear into the rest of the league, saying the Celtics continue to get better.
Jaylen Brown: ‘I Think We Still Are Improving’
The Celtics played Wednesday game without center Kristaps Porzingis and guard Derrick White. Both were nursing minor injuries that aren’t expected to keep them out for any length of time. Still, the Celtics found themselves in cruise control, taking a 70-45 halftime lead and rolling to the 19-point victory.
"I think we still are improving. This is the part of the regular season where you gotta embrace… because you can get complacent"
Jaylen Brown talks about the Celtics' mindset as they pass the midway point of the season pic.twitter.com/BPxTXrLedZ
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) January 18, 2024
The win gave Boston a comfortable four-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks for the best record in the Eastern Conference. After the win over the Spurs, Brown was asked how he saw the Celtics at the midway point of the season. Brown hinted that the best from the Celtics may still be on the horizon.
“I feel good,” Brown told Abby Chin of NBC Sports. “I don’t think we skipped no steps, ad I think we still are improving. This is the part of the regular season where you got to embrace because you can get complacent, mentally checked out.
“We’re trying to make sure that we are all engaged, and this is where you build your endurance for a long playoff drive. This is the part of the regular season that I think is most important, going into the All-Star break. Team start counting the days, and we’re going to keep stacking the wins.”
Brown and the Celtics Are Built Differently This Year
https://youtu.be/JjX3yq5amvU
A year ago, the Celtics won 57 games and reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, only to get blown out at home by the Miami Heat. This year, the vibe is different.
After a pair of offseason acquisitions, Boston is much more well-rounded on offense. The Celtics no longer just rely on Jayson Tatum and Brown down the stretch. Bringing in Porzingis and veteran guard Jrue Holiday gave the Celtics the best starting five in the league. Even though the Porzingis deal cost Boston its floor leader in Marcus Smart, White has replaced Smart in the starting lineup and has gotten serious All-Star consideration this year for his two-way play.
Brown signed a supermax deal with the Celtics in the offseason which was the richest contract in NBA history at $304 million over five seasons. With big money comes big pressure, and Brown has handled it well. He’s averaging 23.3 points on a team loaded with offensive talent.
The name of the game this year for Boston has been sacrifice. Tatum, Brown, Holiday, and Porzingis have all seen their scoring numbers take a hit this season. White is the only Boston starter to see his numbers improve over last year. For the Celtics, stats no longer matter. The only number that matters is 18, as the Celtics look to hang Banner 18 from the rafters in June.
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