Celtics 2025-26 Regular Season Discussion

[Donoghus]

 

Taylor Snow
@taylorcsnow
?
33m
Net rating leaders among NBA centers:

1. Neemias Queta ? 19.3
2. Nikola Jokic ? 19.2
3. Alperen Sengun ? 19.0

[Vermont Green]

Williams shot is horrible and needs built up from scratch.    I don't think Williams is much of a better athlete than Garza, neither is a good leaper.  Williams is a skilled passer and connector.

I agree with the first point, his shot is ugly.  But I disagree with the send part.  I think he is a much better athlete than Garza.  He can handle the ball, can pass.  Maybe you mean just pure foot speed or leaping ability.  Even that, I see more than Garza.

[Vermont Green]

Taylor Snow
@taylorcsnow
?
33m
Net rating leaders among NBA centers:

1. Neemias Queta ? 19.3
2. Nikola Jokic ? 19.2
3. Alperen Sengun ? 19.0

He has improved.  I don't think he will ever be anything but a lob dunk guy, but that is fine.  DAL made it to the finals with nothing more than a couple of lob dunk centers.  It would be nice to have a shooter, like Horford or Porzingis, at center, but I think if you have enough shooting and creation in the other 4 players, it is OK.

Not sure if Queta can be the starter or primary center on a title team, but he sure seems to be trying hard to prove me wrong.

[keevsnick]

Jaylen's scoring season is a bit under the radar.

He's currently 10th in PPG at 27.7.

But that number is somewhat deceiving because he's only playing 31 minutes per game.

He's 5th in terms of points/36 minutes at 32.0. Only guys ahead of him are Luka, Giannis, SGA and Mitchell AKA 4 of the best offensive players in the entire league.

[Vermont Green]

On Jaylen Brown.  I made a list of all the teams with their best player.  How many of these "best players" are better than Brown?  Not as many as you think I suspect.

There are 4 absolute no doubt players, SGA, Doncic, Jokic, Giannis (I am excluding Tatum).  After that, if you consider age, durability, as well as production and defense, how many are clearly, no doubt ahead of Brown?  Players like Mitchell, Edwards, and Brunson probably, but by how much?  Haliburton would be in there if not injured.  Then you get the old guys, Durant, Curry, Leonard, Davis, Butler, Embiid (old due to injury) would you rather have any of them?  Wembanyama is in a class of his own, but there are durability risks with him.  The younger bigs, like Banchero, Adabayo, Markkanen, are they clearly better?

CHI   Giddey
DET   Cunningham
NYK   Brunson
CLE   Mitchell
MIL   Giannis
PHI   Embiid/Maxey
ATL   Young
TOR   Ingram
MIA   Adebayo
BOS   Brown
ORL   Banchero
CHA   Ball
BKN   Porter
IND   Haliburton
WAS   Sarr

OKC   SGA
LAL   Doncic
HOU   Durant
DEN   Jokic
SAN   Wembanyama
POR   Avdija
GSW   Curry/Butler
MIN   Edwards
PHX   Booker
SAC   LeVine
UTA   Markkanen
LAC   Leonard
MEM   Morant
NOP   Williamson
DAL   Davis

[86MaxwellSmart]

JB is having a great season even though he can't dunk anymore....it's really crazy.

[keevsnick]

JB is having a great season even though he can't dunk anymore....it's really crazy.

Its worth pointing out that the lower dunk numbers A) Might have something to do with the hamstring injury, he's said he was avoiding explosive movements and B) probably also to do with less spacing. The last 2-3 years he played with at least 3, often 4 shooters around him at all times. This year the center position is a non-shooter, and guys like Hugo, Walsh, Minott ect are unproven shooters at the 3/4. There's just way less space to get to the rim.

[keevsnick]

On Jaylen Brown.  I made a list of all the teams with their best player.  How many of these "best players" are better than Brown?  Not as many as you think I suspect.

There are 4 absolute no doubt players, SGA, Doncic, Jokic, Giannis (I am excluding Tatum).  After that, if you consider age, durability, as well as production and defense, how many are clearly, no doubt ahead of Brown?  Players like Mitchell, Edwards, and Brunson probably, but by how much?  Haliburton would be in there if not injured.  Then you get the old guys, Durant, Curry, Leonard, Davis, Butler, Embiid (old due to injury) would you rather have any of them?  Wembanyama is in a class of his own, but there are durability risks with him.  The younger bigs, like Banchero, Adabayo, Markkanen, are they clearly better?

CHI   Giddey
DET   Cunningham
NYK   Brunson
CLE   Mitchell
MIL   Giannis
PHI   Embiid/Maxey
ATL   Young
TOR   Ingram
MIA   Adebayo
BOS   Brown
ORL   Banchero
CHA   Ball
BKN   Porter
IND   Haliburton
WAS   Sarr

OKC   SGA
LAL   Doncic
HOU   Durant
DEN   Jokic
SAN   Wembanyama
POR   Avdija
GSW   Curry/Butler
MIN   Edwards
PHX   Booker
SAC   LeVine
UTA   Markkanen
LAC   Leonard
MEM   Morant
NOP   Williamson
DAL   Davis

I think the best way to put it is this: Jaylen probably isn't an ELITE 1st option, the passing isn't good enough. But he could  be a first option on a solid team. Like a 48-50 win playoff team, he could be the best offensive player on that team for sure.
 
The Celtics this year have a 119.6 offensive rating with him on the floor. Last year it was 126.7 with him ON and Tatum OFF. He can clearly be the driver of good offense.

Also of note:

Alot has been made about the C's net rating being worse this year with Jaylen on. But that's mostly just shooting luck. With Jaylen on c's opponents shoot 38.8% from three, with him off its 32.8%. opponents also shoot 60% from 2 with him on, vs 50% with him off. Those numbers are completely unsustainable, the last three full seasons opponent shooting from both 2 and 3 has never deviated by more than 3 percentage point with Jaylen on/off.