The Celtics’ 117-107 victory in Philadelphia on Wednesday has now tied the regular season series between the Sixers at one.

With players missing for both teams, it was expected to be a close game for the Celtics. Jaylen Brown woke up feeling sick, and Kristaps Porzingis was nursing a small injury.

However, the Celtics led by as many as forty points at the beginning of the first quarter, and in the second, they quickly widened their lead to seventeen points.

For the Celtics (9-2), Jrue Holiday added 18 points, 10 rebounds, and three assists, while Jayson Tatum put up a game-high 29 points.

Tatum, the former Duke Blue Devil, is said to have a sizable fan base in China. After the game, a reporter told the press that Tatum’s nickname among Chinese fans is “cute rabbit” or “rex rabbit.”

Tatum told the reporters in response,

“I’ll accept it. I believe I have some good looks. I’m grateful for it.

As of right now, the Celtics have the best net rating, second-best defense, and third-best offense in the NBA. Tatum also revealed after the game,

“I think it just speaks to the culture of our team and our organization and how it is just the next-man-up mentality. There are going to be nights throughout the season when certain guys might be out. We don’t make excuses. We just find ways to try and win. I think how tough we are as a team and how hard we play, we’re going to give ourselves a chance to win every night regardless of who’s in and who’s out.”

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Celtics: Jay Williams gives a huge shoutout to Derrick White and Jrue Holiday

As he begins his career with the Boston Celtics, Jrue Holiday is off to a great start. This past offseason, Holiday was sent to Portland by the Milwaukee Bucks and then traded to the Boston Celtics by the Portland Trail Blazers in an effort to give the team’s talented offensive attack more consistency.

Shooting guard Derrick White, who joined the Boston team midway through the 2021–22 season and helped the team reach the NBA Finals that year, joins Holiday in the backcourt. White has been something of an unsung hero for the team.

Boston’s backcourt has been so good, in fact, that a reputable NBA insider recently gave them some very high praise.

The league’s top defensive backcourt is made up of Jrue Holiday and Derek White, according to ESPN NBA analyst Jay Williams on Get Up.

Derrick White and Jrue Holiday do, in fact, fit the profile of exceptional defenders, both with and without the ball. This season, opposing guards have had terrible dreams trying to find lanes to the rim or space for their perimeter jumpers when the two are together. The fact that Holiday and White, despite their offensive prowess, have been able to somewhat defer to a Boston team that includes players like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, and others, makes the backcourt tandem even more impressive for the Celtics.

The Celtics are now 9-3 so far this season.

Concerning the Writer

Jackson Stone, an Atlanta native and senior at Mercer University, plans to earn a BA in communications. Jackson has always loved sports and is an ardent supporter of all Atlanta teams. 2023 saw him join ClutchPoints.