Boston's Crown: Why Wednesday Night Proved the Celtics Are the NBA's True Kings
That Wednesday night tilt between the Celtics and Thunder wasn't just another regular season game. It felt like a heavyweight title fight, a measuring stick for two teams widely considered the best in their respective conferences. Boston, without Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, went into OKC and dropped 135 points on the Thunder, winning by 14. Jaylen Brown had 23 points and seven assists. Jayson Tatum added 24 points, seven boards, and three steals. They made it look easy against a team that’s been rolling, a team that had won five straight and sat atop the Western Conference.
Look, I get why some folks are still hesitant to hand the Celtics the crown. Tim MacMahon, bless his heart, still thinks Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets are the team to beat. He points to Denver's championship pedigree, their experience, and that's fair. The Nuggets did win it all last year, and Jokic is still the most unguardable force in the league. But what Boston showed on Wednesday, especially shorthanded, was a different kind of dominance. They shot 55.6% from the field and 50% from three, draining 20 of 40 attempts. That's not just a hot night; that's an offensive machine humming.
The Depth and the Dominance
Jay Williams has been banging the drum for Boston, and after that performance, it's hard to argue. The Celtics are now 59-16, a full five games ahead of the second-place Nuggets in the overall standings. They have the best offensive rating *and* the best defensive rating in the league. Think about that for a second. That's a level of two-way mastery we haven't seen consistently since the prime Warriors. They aren't just good at one thing; they're elite at everything.
But here’s the thing: people still look for cracks. They say Boston chokes in the playoffs, they point to past failures. Sure, they've stumbled before. But this team feels different. They added Jrue Holiday and Porzingis in the offseason, two legitimate difference-makers who immediately elevated their ceiling. Holiday's defensive tenacity is infectious, and Porzingis, when healthy, provides an offensive punch and rim protection they sorely lacked. Even without those two against OKC, they still had Derrick White dropping 27 points and drilling 5 of 8 from deep. That's depth. That's championship-level depth.
Why This Celtics Team Is Different
Real talk: the biggest argument against the Celtics has always been their mental toughness, their ability to close out when it matters. We've seen them fold in big moments. But this year, something’s shifted. They’re not just winning; they’re steamrolling. They’ve got 15 wins by 25 points or more this season. That’s not just luck; that’s sustained, suffocating dominance. They’re not playing down to competition, and they’re not letting teams hang around.
And for all the talk about Tatum's MVP case, it's the collective unit that truly shines. Brown is playing with a renewed focus, Holiday is a veteran presence, and White has become one of the most reliable two-way guards in the league. Even Sam Hauser, a guy who barely saw the floor a couple of years ago, is hitting 42.7% from three on significant volume. It’s a complete roster, top to bottom, and they all know their roles.
My hot take? The Celtics are not just the best team in the NBA; they are going to win the championship in five games, maximum, against whoever emerges from the Western Conference. They've found their stride, they've got the talent, and crucially, they've got the hunger. Don't be surprised when Banner 18 is hanging in the Garden next fall.