On Thursday, the Boston Celtics began 2025 with a powerful 118-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis each missed the sport on account of damage. Nevertheless, a cohesive efficiency from Joe Mazzulla’s staff helped energy it to a confidence-boosting win.
Shortly after the sport, Jayson Tatum instructed TNT’s Allie LaForce that Boston goals to rediscover its identification throughout January.
“We have had a tough stretch the final eight or 9 video games,” Tatum stated. “This January, we’re attempting to show it round and get again to our identification. What higher strategy to are available on the highway, at a troublesome setting in opposition to a extremely good staff, down two of your greatest gamers? The best way that we responded and simply discovered a strategy to win, you may take that any day.”
The Celtics are presently second within the Jap Convention. Mazzulla’s staff has been with out its core rotation for more than 90% of the season. But, regardless of constant hurdles, Boston has discovered methods to safe wins at an elite price.
Tatum’s declaration that the Celtics purpose to rediscover the identification that propelled them to the 2024 championship appears like a battle cry. It is a warning to each different staff within the league that the Celtics are nonetheless bettering. In the event that they’re making this a lot noise with no totally wholesome roster, they will be borderline unstoppable when wholesome.
At the moment, solely the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder, New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers look able to standing toe-to-toe with the Celtics. If its protection returns to a league-leading stage, Boston will as soon as once more be head and shoulders above everybody else.
It is simple to gloss over the Celtics’ damage points this season. In any case, they’re nonetheless among the finest groups within the league. But when Tatum is telling the reality, some entrance places of work might wish to search for upgrades within the coming weeks. If not, the Celtics might be good worth for a repeat of their championship success. They’re too proficient to disregard, and now, they’re locking again in.
