Are the Celtics OK despite their recent stretch? Plus, weekly NBA team rankings

The Bounce newsletterr | This is Athletics daily NBA newsletter. Register here to receive The Bounce straight to your inbox.

It’s January 2nd. If you haven’t completely given up on your 2025 resolutions already, I can only assume you weren’t making them in the first place. Happy New Year!

---

Is This Celtics Skid Real?

What’s up with the Celtics’ recent skid?

The defending champion Celtics waltzed through the Eastern Conference playoffs and the NBA Finals last season. After knocking on the door for years, they finally kicked it off the hinges. Their regular season dominance was historic, as was their playoff run. And they entered this season as the definite favorites to win it all and be the first repeat champions since the 2018 Warriors. At 24-9, the Celtics remain the favorite (+225) to win the title as the Thunder (+325) loom, according to BetMGM.

The Celtics have been so good over the last year plus their recent stretch of losing four of seven games is actually remarkable. The wins have been monstrous: by 25 points over Chicago, 37 points over Indiana and 54 points over Toronto. Yes, they really did beat the Raptors 125-71. But also Boston lost to the Bulls and Pacers (more on the latter defeat here), dropped one to Orlando and was beaten by Philadelphia on Christmas Day.

The Cavs (29-4) are pulling away from the Celtics in the East, and the Knicks (24-10) are on a winning streak that has closed the gap on Boston for the No. the 2 seed. The defending champions are five games behind Cleveland and just a half game ahead of New York. Let’s look at the six games that preceded the blowout against Toronto, because a 54-point win will skew some things: During that stretch (2-4), the Celtics were fifth in offense but dropped to 15th on defense – pretty terrible on defense by their standards and expectations.

Coach Joe Mazzulla was recently asked a question he loved by Noa Dalzell of CLNS Media, who asked why it is that when players miss shots it’s considered a letdown, but when it comes to poor defense or rebounds, players are considered lazy or giving a subpar effort. Mazzulla, in the most Mazulla way possible, said it was the most profound statement he had heard in his three years as Boston’s coach. He basically replied that there are 10-12 possessions a game where they just have to be better and accept it. He didn’t necessarily chalk it up to effort or laziness.

Here are two big areas where Boston slipped during the six games before beating Toronto:

• 23rd in 3-point percentage (previously 13th)
• 18th in 3-point percentage allowed (previously eighth)
• 23rd in free throw rate (previously 21st)
• Ninth in free throws allowed (formerly first)

Ultimately, the 3-point line has not been the Celtics’ friend as of late, and they are no longer keeping opponents away from the free throw line as much. I asked Jay King, our Celtics reporter, what’s wrong with the team, and here’s what he said:

“Prior to getting it right with an easy win over the Raptors, the Celtics shot just 34.4 percent on 3-point attempts during December — that seems nearly impossible given the shooting talent on the roster. Their defense has dropped from second to seventh this season – it’s still been good, just not as elite as the Celtics usually defend.”

Jay also mentioned that the Celtics’ regular starting lineup has only played 85 minutes combined all season. The 3-point shooting slide in December is interesting. Good floor spacing separated them last season, and seven of their eight guys in the rotation shot above league average from deep. So far this season, that’s down to five of their eight shots above the league average.

Maybe the Raptors reminded Boston how to execute and play and that got the Celtics out of their slump. Let’s see if this skid is just that or a larger trend after Boston faces the Timberwolves (17-15), Rockets (22-11), Thunder (27-5) and Nuggets (19-13) all on the way next week.

---

The last 24

Bryce James chooses his school

LeBron’s youngest son commits. Bryce, 17, announced on Instagram he will play for Arizona next season.

What an amazing picture! Josh Robbins posted a new photo of Gheorghe Muresan (7-foot-7) and Muggsy Bogues (5-foot-3). It is a must-see.

Get well soon. Detroit’s Jaden Ivey was carried off the field last night after suffering an apparent leg injury.

David Aldridge always deliversso just enjoy him profiling Alex Sarr by finding out with the Wizards (more on them below).

Knicks brotherhood. Josh Hart used to dislike Mikal Bridges. James Edwards III brings it again.

Trade Talk Jimmy Butler wants to stay in Miami? Even he is unsure at this point.

Sam Amick explains why The Kings must do better by De’Aaron Fox.

Don’t miss this match tonight. Celtics at Timberwolves, 7:30 PM ET on TNT. Anthony Edwards talking trash to the Celtics is good money.

All-defense game. Clippers (19-14) at Thunder, 7 p.m. 20 ET on League Pass. If you want some throwback ’90s hoops, these two defenses are for you.

---

Rank them!

Top three, middle three, bottom three

We usually do this section on Tuesdays, but thanks to the holidays this week, we’re shaking things up by ranking teams on a Thursday! As always, not only will we leave you with the top three and bottom three teams in the NBA, we’ll also give you the controversial middle three – team no. 14, 15 and 16. (Here are Law Murray’s weekly NBA Power Rankings if you want to rank in full.)

Top three: Cleveland Cavaliers (29-4), OKC Thunder (27-5), Boston Celtics (24-9)

I keep wondering if the Cavs will be able to do this type of thing in the postseason, but I’ve decided to stop qualifying their games by it. This team has dominated at a historic level. Cleveland is the real deal right now and indicates it will be in April and May. I keep forgetting that the Thunder still don’t have 22-year-old Chet Holmgren backwhich is a good reminder that OKC is somehow going to be better than what we’re currently seeing. And while the Celtics have looked a little vulnerable in the last week or so, there’s no reason to think they’re not still the favorites to win it all if they’re healthy.

Between three: LA Clippers (19-14), LA Lakers (18-14), Miami Heat (17-14)

I know Cleveland’s Kenny Atkinson will probably be the favorite for coach of the year, but what Ty Lue has done with this Clippers team deserves your full considerationespecially considering Kawhi Leonard hasn’t played yet. This team is as well coached as any in the league. lakers’ acquisition of Dorian Finney-Smith for D’Angelo Russell is exciting. It is addition by addition and addition by subtraction. The Heat have been playing better lately and we could easily see them go on a run in the next few games. Is any of this a showcase for Jimmy Butler or Tyler Herro?

Bottom three: Toronto Raptors (8-26), New Orleans Pelicans (5-29), Washington Wizards (6-25)

I can’t believe it either! I thought the Jazz, Pelicans and Wizards would be locks for the bottom three for pretty much the rest of the season, but that’s not the case. The Jazz have played just well enough to get out of here, while the Raptors have been on a slide reminiscent of when they tanked in the final third of last season. Toronto has lost 11 of its last 12 and finally won last night. The Pelicans have gotten healthier, but are still missing Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram. They have also lost 11 straight. The Wizards are 4-1 against the Hawks and Hornets. They are 2-24 against everyone else.

---

Throwback Thursday

Two years ago today, Spida made history

There have been 15 games in NBA history in which a player has scored 70 points or more. (And yes, Wilt Chamberlain has six of them. He’s always going to skew so many of those individual scoring performances.) When Kobe Bryant dropped 81 points in 2006, it was the first time anyone broke 70 since David Robinson in 1994. When Devin Booker dropped 70 in 2017, it was the first time in 11 years that it has been done. And we’ve had four games of 70 or more in the last two years!

The most recent run started with Donovan Mitchell’s 71-point outing two years ago today, and the way he did it was an offensive feat we’ve literally never seen before. You would have never known Mitchell would do this at halftime of tonight’s Bulls-Cavs game. At the time, he had just 16 points on 5-of-10 shooting. Then he left in the third quarter.

Mitchell dropped 24 points in the third period alone before following it up with a brilliant fourth quarter. The Cavs needed every one of those points. With 4.7 seconds left and the Bulls up three, they beat Mitchell to prevent him from setting up a potential game-tying 3-pointer. Mitchell scored his 56th point on the first free throw, but then had to intentionally miss the second so the Cavs could try to tie it up. Mitchell took care of all that in one fell swoop.

What is the success rate of intentionally missing a free throw to try to get another bucket for a tie? Does it even work five percent of the time? Mitchell’s magical night made it work here, sending it into overtime. It was there that he continued his ridiculous scoring streak. Mitchell had 13 points on four shots, making all three of his 3-pointers, a layup and two free throws to outscore the Bulls 13-4 alone.

He finished with 71 points and 11 assists. It gave Mitchell the only 70-point double-double with assists in league history. Although his regulation stat line stood on its own that night, only James Harden had ever scored at least 58 points and recorded at least 11 assists in a game. Yes, Mitchell needed OT, which could make people discount a 70 point night somehow. But it was one of the most ridiculous nights in NBA history.

Do you love The Bounce? Check out The Athletic’s other newsletters.

(Top photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images )