MY ACCOUNT
Jayson Tatum was one of six Boston Celtics to reach double-figures in a dominant 131-112 home win against the Denver Nuggets, further boosting their league-best offense.
The Celtics boast an offensive rating of 119.4, meaning they average 119.4 points per 100 possessions. It is a stat detailing offensive efficiency, as it provides a more accurate representation than just raw points per game since teams play at different paces.
In second-place is the Utah Jazz at 116.0, but the gap of 3.4 from first-to-second is greater than the gap between the Jazz and the 11th-ranked Dallas Mavericks (113.1).
It illustrates just how impressive the Celtics have been on that side of the ball this season, after leading the league in defensive rating last campaign by a wide margin.
Against the Nuggets, Tatum top-scored with 34 points on 11-of-21 shooting to raise his season average to a career-high 31.2 points per game, while co-star Jaylen Brown chipped in a hyper-efficient 25 points (11-of-15 shooting) to keep up his career-high average of 25.4.
Speaking to the media after the win, Tatum said the key to their success has been following the principles laid out by new head coach Joe Mazzulla and remaining unselfish.
“I think it’s just the way we’re playing on offense,” he said. “Continuous movement, we trust in each other, we move the ball. You pass it, you trust you’re going to get it back.
“The only thing you can do wrong is stay still, so we just continue to keep moving, find the open man and make the right play.”
Coach Mazzulla is also enjoying the show, saying he believes his side’s team-first mindset is driving their play.
“The cool thing about offense, and basketball in general, is you have to be able to make each other better,” he said. “Whether you have the ball or not.
“Our guys have bought into making each other better, whether they have the ball or not. It’s cool to watch.
“It starts with decision-making. When you have great spacing, and you make the right play, and you read the coverage the right way, the passing is a little easier, so we stay out of those disadvantage situations that kind of force turnovers.”
Veteran big-man Al Horford added: “Guys are really conscious of understanding what coach wants from us, what he expects.
“He wants good spacing and we’re doing a good job of getting to those positions, and it’s fun to see when it comes together like that.”
The Celtics are now 9-3, and have won five in a row. They will try to keep their hot streak alive when they travel to take on the Detroit Pistons on Saturday.
