Fw: Celtics star makes candid admission amid unexpected winning streak and 4 more

[Jack Jemsek]

Lots of articles re: the Toronto win and the torrid streak against all odds play the Celtics have been showing us!

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Subject: Celtics star makes candid admission amid unexpected winning streak and 4 more

Celtics star makes candid admission amid unexpected winning streak Because you selected: Basketball Brian Robb | December 08, 2025 at 06:15 AM The Celtics matchup with the Raptors on Sunday was expected to cap their toughest schedule stretch of the season. With six games in nine nights, five of which were coming against elite playoff teams, a stretch of .500 basketball over those six games for the Celtics would have been considered a moral victory by most fans. Instead, Boston ended their weekend by putting the finishing touches on a five-game winning streak with an impressive 121-113 victory over the Raptors in Toronto. The win puts Boston in sole possession of the third seed in the East after going 10-2 in their last 12 games. The Celtics sat in the 10th spot in the Eastern Conference as recently as two weeks ago before starting on their speedy rise towards the top of the Eastern Conference. Through two months, the team has beaten all the other playoff teams surrounding them in the top six of the East in head-to-head matchups, and now sits with the fifth-best net rating in the NBA. That type of progress is surprising even players on the roster. “I didn’t expect us to see this amount of growth this soon,” Brown told reporters in Toronto via the Boston Globe. “I knew it would happen as we continued to go about the journey, but to see it blossom 24, 25 games in is a great sign for us.” Read the full story Joe Mazzulla saves Celtics winning streak with savvy adjustment vs. Raptors Because you selected: Basketball Brian Robb | December 08, 2025 at 06:00 AM The Celtics looked like they were going to run away with their fifth straight win on Sunday against the Raptors in the first half. However, a 23-point Boston lead evaporated in just 10 minutes of playing time, leaving Boston on the verge of a massive collapse in the early moments of the fourth quarter. A late-game meltdown would have been relatively understandable for the visitors given the circumstances. Boston was playing their third game in four nights, finishing their busiest stretch of the season of six games in nine nights. The Raptors also entered the contest as the third-best team in the East and were hungry for a victory after an ugly home loss to the Hornets last time out. The Raptors’ defensive pressure was clearly getting to Boston in a 20-point third quarter after the Celtics looked dominant with 77 points at halftime. Read the full story Derrick White is the Celtics ‘Name to Know’ Player of the Game in Sunday’s win over Raptors Because you selected: Basketball Brian Robb | December 07, 2025 at 06:53 PM Derrick White helped put the finishing touches on the Celtics’ fifth straight win on Sunday over the Raptors while leaving his early-season shooting slump in the past. The veteran guard scored eight of his 27 points in the fourth quarter, making him Sunday’s “Name to Know” Player of the Game. The Name to Know Player of the Game is sponsored by John’s Sewer and Drain Cleaning, the Name to Know when your drains don’t flow. White has now hit at least five 3s in three straight games after Sunday’s victory, knocking down six of 15 attempts to help Boston take down their division rival on the road. The veteran guard also had a terrific all around game as he posted five assists, four rebounds and three blocks in the victory. He also hit a crucial 3-point early in the fourth quarter to help stem the Raptors momentum after a 23-4 Toronto run in the second half. Read the full story 4 takeaways as Celtics rally past Raptors for 5th straight win Because you selected: Basketball Brian Robb | December 07, 2025 at 06:02 PM The Celtics extended their winning streak to five games on Sunday with a 121-113 road victory over the Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Boston led by as many as 23 points in the third quarter, but a furious 23-4 run by Toronto helped to erase that deficit early in the fourth quarter. However, Boston’s starters were able to regain control in crunch time with Derrick White and Jaylen Brown scoring eight points each in the final frame, while also clamping down on the Raptors offense to help extend their winning streak to an East-best five games. Jaylen Brown led the way for Boston in the win with 30 points, eight rebounds, and five assists over 39 minutes. Derrick White added 27 points, five assists and three blocks as five different Celtics players scored in double figures. Read the full story Raptors injury report: 2 starters added for Sunday’s game vs. Celtics Because you selected: Basketball Brian Robb | December 07, 2025 at 09:45 AM The Celtics will go for their fifth straight win on Sunday against a shorthanded Raptors squad at Scotiabank Arena. Toronto is listing starting forward RJ Barrett out with a knee injury. Starting point guard Immanuel Quickley is also questionable for the matchup due to illness. The Celtics will be fully healthy for the matchup outside of Jayson Tatum (torn Achilles). Jaylen Brown returned from a one-game absence on Friday night due to illness, scoring a team-high 30 points in a win over the Lakers at TD Garden. Sunday’s matchup will be the first head-to-head game for the two divisional rivals this year, with both teams surpassing expectations so far. The Raptors sit a half-game above Boston in the East standings with a 15-9 record, including 8-4 at home. However, they have hit some turmoil this past week with four losses in their last five games including an ugly home blowout defeat to the lowly Raptors on Friday. Read the full story

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[david Pontrelli]

I'm wondering how a Jason  Tatum return affects the reduction of minutes for those making the most of them now. But IF, we can continue this effort of team play when he comes back, OKC may see us in the finals.

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[Jack Jemsek]

It will be a good problem to have . . . 

That 4th and final takeaway is a great one:

Some well-deserved rest on the horizon for the Celtics: Boston wrapped up six games in nine days with a 5-1 record after Sunday’s win, and they are also 10-2 in their last 12 games. . . . With the Celtics having tallied wins over all the other top-six teams in the Eastern Conference on their way to the third seed in the East, Joe Mazzulla and his staff will have plenty to feel good about as they prepare for the new year.

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[JB]

On Dec 8, 2025, at 10:24 AM, david Pontrelli <david...@gmail.com> wrote:

I'm wondering how a Jason  Tatum return affects the reduction of minutes for those making the most of them now. But IF, we can continue this effort of team play when he comes back, OKC may see us in the finals.

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Me too! Chemistry is related to sacrifice, a slogan bandied about last season, but mostly was just lip service.

If Tatum can give up the MVP and 1st. team All-Star recognitions and the notion that the offense has to run through him… yes, we’d be a match for any one, but if he reverts to his old ways and pouts if Mazzula tires to reign him in…. not so much. In fact, with the “Superstar” Tatum in, I contend we'd have lost some of the games we've won this year, when the big leads were dwindling and we held on, as opposed to last year, when we couldn’t stop the opponents runs.

JB

                                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                            Yes Indeed!

[david Pontrelli]

6 in 9 days? How many other teams get that. I hope it isnt isolated to a few?

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