Celtics Make Emphatic Statement In 136-86 Win Over Nets

If anyone had any remaining questions about the current favorites in the NBA, the Boston Celtics answered them emphatically Wednesday night. The team dominated the Brooklyn Nets 136-86 to take a six-game lead in the Eastern Conference.

In the second game of a back-to-back against the Nets, the Celtics had everything their way from the opening tip to the final buzzer. Boston outscored Brooklyn in every quarter, even after most of their starters checked out early. The 50-point margin of victory at the end is the 46th largest in NBA history.

With a 43-12 record, not only does Boston tower over its own conference, but the West as well. The Minnesota Timberwolves, currently out-dueling the Thunder, Nuggets and Clippers for first, only stand at 38-16. The Celtics are in a league of their own, with the playoffs fast approaching.

Guard Jaylen Brown has resumed his duties as the team’s star supporter, and newly acquired big man Kristaps Porzingis has been a revelation, scoring 20 points per game in his first season as a Celtic. But the key to Boston’s success this season has been team leader and MVP candidate Jayson Tatum.

Tatum has stepped into the ranks of superstardom in the last three or four seasons, steadily improving into a franchise-caliber player. With 27 points per game this season and a stellar reputation on defense, he is the difference-maker on the best team in the NBA. His versatility was on full display Wednesday; with the game well in hand from the beginning, he scored a modest 20 points while racking up nine assists and seven rebounds in 28 minutes on the floor.

After the Celtics’ first game against the Nets Tuesday, a 118-110 victory and 41-point night for Tatum, the 25-year-old forward told reporters that he does not feel pressure to perform in a typical superstar role. Surrounded by talented teammates, he claimed that he can be versatile because he has options.

“We’ve got a really good team where in any given possession we could have two, three advantages and it’s not always just going to be me,” Tatum said. “So just understanding that and knowing that I need my teammates. I need everybody, we all need each other.”

With just over a quarter of their schedule remaining, the Celtics will more than likely lock up the first seed in the NBA Playoffs with time to spare. This meant very little last season, however, as the eighth-seeded Miami Heat beat both first-seeded Bucks and second-seeded Celtics to advance to the NBA Finals. Despite several impressive regular seasons in recent years, Boston has not won a championship since 2008.