The Boston Celtics are among the favorites to secure the 2025 NBA championship. Despite dealing with numerous injury issues throughout the season, Joe Mazzulla’s team sit second in the Eastern Conference.
According to Lou Williams, Derrick White‘s and Payton Pritchard‘s growth has played a significant role in Boston’s success this season.
“We’ve been talking about the supporting cast more than those guys,” Williams said via FanDuel TV’s Run It Back. “We talked about Payton Pritchard and Derrick White making history. That’s what makes them a better team. When you can add like that to what they’re already doing, that makes them successful, that makes them a good group.”
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are the two stars of this Celtics team. However, White has become the heartbeat of what Boston does. His growth as a catch-and-shoot threat and all-around playmaker has helped unlock the roster. Pritchard, on the other hand, has been a reliable scoring boost off the bench.
The Celtics will need their entire rotation firing on all cylinders throughout the playoffs. They have a target on their backs due to the title of being reigning champions. Of course, if both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday can remain healthy, it’s hard to see how any team beats Boston in a seven-game series.
Celtics’ Torrey Craig is Enjoying His Time in Boston
During a recent discussion with Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog, Torrey Craig revealed the most difficult aspect of acclimating to the Celtics roster.
“The guys are great, the coaches are great, and it’s a winning culture,” Craig said. “I’m glad to be a part of it…Coming here, there’s more attention to details of switching defenses every so often, and the way they guard guys and the way they game plan for teams. So that’s been the most difficult part — trying to learn everything on the fly. But, I’ve been here long enough now, I pretty much got to understanding of how they do things, and I’m pretty much caught up.”
Craig is a recent addition in Boston. He joined the franchise as a free agent around the Feb. 6 trade deadline. He had previously been waived by the Chicago Bulls. Craig has played in 12 games for the Celtics, averaging 3.3 points and 1.8 rebounds per outing.
Tatum Tagged as NBA’s Heartbeat
During a recent episode of the “Colin Cowherd Show,” Tatum was labeled as the heartbeat of the NBA. Cowhered was praising Tatum for his competitiveness and how he doesn’t take games off due to load management.
“In an NBA locker room, the culture is set by the team’s best player,” Cowherd said. “It’s a game of follow the leader. If your star shows up every single night, the rest of the team falls in line. Forget load management; I want lead management, and Jayson Tatum is that guy. He’s always the first guy on the floor in warm-ups. Locked in both ends. He’s not coasting, not pacing himself. He plays and plays hard every single night. That’s a big deal. I don’t think he’s the face of the league yet. But he might be the heartbeat…Great player. Great attitude.”
Tatum has continued to prove himself as a top-five player in the NBA. With his current production and three-level scoring, he will undoubtedly play a role where the NBA championship ends up this season.
