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The Celtics’ Assortment of Two-Way Players Will Win Them the Title

Tyler Key

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 20: Marcus Smart #36, Jayson Tatum #0, and Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics look on during the first half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 20, 2021 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)

The Celtics Have Shown the Most Consistency Post-Allstar Break

The Celtics entered this postseason as a quiet contender for the NBA title. NBA fans and analysts all around focused more attention on the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks, the #1 seeded Miami Heat, the star-studded Philadelphia 76ers, and even the 7th seeded Brooklyn Nets, who some picked to upset Boston in the first round of the playoffs.

Despite the lack of attention, the Celtics have been a sleeping giant for quite some time. The Celtics posted a 17-5 record after the all-star break which was the best record in the NBA for the last stretch of the season. Following the break, they ranked 4th in points per game (119.7), 4th in 3FG% (39.0), and 3rd in assists per game (28.2). Boston also ranked 2nd in the NBA in points allowed following the All-star break, allowing only 107.3 points per game, led by Defensive Player of the Year, Marcus Smart. Now taking a 3-2 lead over the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics are in a great spot to win their first title since 2008.

What is a Two-Way Player?

In this experiment we will only be looking at players who are deemed as net-positives for both offense and defense, even if they are only slight positives. The metric we will be using is RAPTOR, which uses player-tracking data and play-by-play calculations to evaluate each player’s individual plus-minus measurements and wins above replacement. The Celtics noticeably have the most labeled two-way players of the four teams left, with 6 players posting both a positive offensive and defensive RAPTOR. This includes guards (Marcus Smart and Derrick White), wings (Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum), and big-men (Al Horford and Robert Williams III), giving them an excess of two-way guys at every position and the flexibility to matchup with anybody during crunch time. RAPTOR has them as the clear favorites to win the 2022 NBA title.

The Conference Finalists Two-Way Player Count (According to RAPTOR):

Boston Celtics: 6 players (Jayson Tatum, Marcus Smart, Al Horford, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown and Robert Williams III)

Miami Heat: 3 players (Jimmy Butler, Kyle Lowry, Max Strus… Oladipo not shown, but has a negative offensive RAPTOR)

Dallas Mavericks: 3 players (Luka Doncic, Dorian Finney Smith, and Dwight Powell)

Golden State Warriors: 1-3 players (Steph Curry… Otto Porter Jr and Gary Payton II both qualify but are currently injured)

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