Picks 'n Pops: Another retired Celtics number, clutch problems, and meat

Every week I gather some thoughts about the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Because I'm way too excited for 5 p.m. sunsets to arrive.

- Congratulations Jaylen Brown on his fourth All-Star selection. I’ve written this before, but Brown is almost certainly on a Hall of Fame path. He has four All-Stars and an All-NBA, a championship, and a Finals MVP. He’s 28, and with nine points tonight, he’ll score his 11,000th point. 

If he puts out this kind of production for four more years, he should get to 17,500 points by 32 years old. Toss in a few more All-Stars, maybe another All-NBA, and hopefully another championship, and that's as rock-solid a Hall of Fame case as you’ll find. He can get to 20,000 points, which is basically guaranteed entry. 

And you know what that means? That number 7 is going into the rafters someday. Jayson Tatum's is going up there, too. That means only 4, 8, and 9 will be left for single-digit numbers. And let me tell you something ... Derrick White might have something to say about that number 9 if things go right. 

My idea for adding zeroes in front of these numbers (so 01 through 09 would become available as jersey numbers) doesn't sound so stupid now, does it? 

- Congratulations to JD Davison as well. He’s in the Rising Stars competition as a G League representative. 

- Terry Rozier is under investigation in an illegal betting investigation. Allegedly, there was heavy action on people betting the under on him in a game where he left early with a sore foot while he was with Charlotte. 

First, I would hope that someone with $133 million in career earnings isn’t that stupid. 

Second, I understand the backlash against the betting industry. It’s so easy for people get involved that it makes it seem easier for this kind of thing to happen. 

Third, it’s the betting irregularities that led to the bust. Sportsbooks saw heavy action on Rozier unders and that pointed authorities in that direction. 

I think sports betting regulations need to tighten to protect people, but I also would rather have it out in the open and regulated. I think it’s easier to catch the cheaters that way. 

- If the Celtics do keep Jaden Springer, then I think Xavier Tillman would be moved to save at least a little money. But that's the extent of anything trade deadline-related. The rules are stacked against Boston doing anything. Don’t expect much.

- That said I’d be all for a Guerschon Yabusele reunion. I underestimated how well he’d do in the NBA this time around. I don’t think it happens, but good for him for making himself a desirable trade candidate. 

- Dillon Brooks is still on a bit of a roll, but after shooting 10-15 from 3 against Boston, he was a combined 6-15 against Atlanta and Memphis. They were basically the same shots he got against Boston.

- The words you don’t hear in this clip cost Brooks $25,000 for swearing on live TV

-  The Celtics are 19-12 since Kristaps Porzingis came back. Over that stretch, they have the league’s sixth-best offensive rating, third-best defensive rating, and second-best net rating. The stats suggest they should be a juggernaut. 

I asked Joe Mazzulla about that. 

Boston’s clutch defense has been abysmal. Since Porzingis has returned, they are 27th in clutch defensive rating giving them slightly negative net rating. In January, their clutch offense is 14th, the defense is 21st, and their net rating is -10.7.

At this point, I just want them to play even in the clutch. I don’t care if they exchange baskets over the last two minutes. They should be heading into most of those games with leads, so I don’t care what they need to do to hold them, they just need to hold them. I don’t care if they never come back from a late deficit again. They rarely need to. 

- After the Bulls game, I used this quote from Porzingis: 

“It varies from game to game. Some games, they just completely take away, for example, my 3, and then every basket I have to earn with (force). … Some games is more like they're doubling (Jayson Tatum), blitzing JT … so he’s just willing to give it up and we have to make the next play. Then I'm getting open shots and I don't have to work as hard maybe to get the points.”

Yes, I took a little liberty with the quote to convey what he was actually saying. Here’s his actual quote. 

“It varies from game to game. Like some games, they just completely take away, for example, my 3, and then every basket I have to like earn with meat. And like ... (reporter interjects “force”) Maybe yeah, force. Maybe that sounded crazy, (laughs) but I have to like go in the paint and fight and get fouled. Some games are like that, some games is more like they're doubling JT, blitzing JT, and umm (laughs, and says he’s still thinking about the meat line) then they're blitzing him so he’s just willing to give it up and we have to make the next play. Then I'm getting open shots and I don't have to work as hard maybe to get the points. Just varies from game to game and that's the cool part about this team is we're selfless in that way and we'll feed the ball, whoever, whatever the defense gives us.”

Here, you should probably listen to it. 

Earning it with meat? Sounds like he’s been watching Rocky. 

- Side note, I know there's some debate within the journalism world about using the exact quote to the word versus minor cleanups. I fall on the side of minor cleanups, which means I remove the “like” and “you know” filler phrases. And if a guy starts to say a phrase and then stops, and picks up his thought with a different phrase, I’ll remove the first thing if it’s immaterial to the quote. 

For example, this is another actual quote from Porzingis, who was asked if he was better than the 92.7% he said he was last week: 

"Somewhere close there, a little bit better maybe. It varies from game-to-game. Some games you just don't -- honestly, today, I didn't feel perfect. Before the game, my energy was not crazy."

I would publish it like this: 

"Somewhere close there, a little bit better maybe. It varies from game-to-game. Honestly, today, I didn't feel perfect. Before the game, my energy was not crazy.”

The removal of “some games you just don’t” doesn’t change the meaning of his quote in any way, and he clearly didn’t mean to say it like that, so I would remove it. 

HOWEVER, if he’s starting to say something meaningful and he switches gears to catch himself from saying something he shouldn’t, then that sort of parenthetical phrase does make it in. I think understanding the difference comes with experience. 

The quotes convey a feeling from the athlete. At the same time, they need to be easy to read. So I believe that minor cleanup can help get the message across without affecting what the athlete is saying. 

- I’m perfectly fine with Trae Young not making the All-Star team. Everyone who made it is deserving. Darius Garland is having a spectacular season with a winning team. At some point, people have to question what kind of impact Young is having on that Hawks team. 

He couldn't make it work with multiple coaches. He couldn't make it work with Dejounte Murray. And now that the Hawks owe the Spurs an unprotected pick because of the Murray trade, he’s struggling to get them into the playoffs. 

What, exactly, is Young’s value?

- Speaking of losing players, here’s Joel Embiid, out with knee issues, doing handstands at Sixers practice. 

Good way to save your knees, I guess. pic.twitter.com/xf4ZmPaczB

— Taco Trey Kerby (@treykerby) January 29, 2025

- If I was running the Kings, I’d wait to see which playoff teams get desperate after a disappointing exit before I make any kind of De’Aaron Fox trade. I know he wants to move on, but there's no urgency to do it now. I think a post-playoffs/draft night deal makes more sense. 

- I still don’t see a Jimmy Butler deal that makes sense. The more trouble he causes in Miami, the worse I think it will go. But at least people are having fun with it. 

- I hate to do this, but I don’t think I have a choice. Amen Thompson’s game-winner this week was part of an incredible performance that has people talking about him as a future star in this league. The Rockets really have something good brewing, and Thompson is a big reason why. He’s easily having the Best Week Ever!

- Here’s today’s Bing AI-generated image: The Celtics tripping all over themselves before they reach the finish line. 

- Your current NBA Belt champion: The New York Knicks!

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN... YOUR WINNERS... AND NEWWWWW NBA BELT CHAMPIONS... THE NEW YORK KNIIIIIIICKS!!

The Knicks took the belt from Memphis and defended it against Denver. The Lakers get a title shot tomorrow night on ABC. pic.twitter.com/JxhoHI8wBD

— The NBABelt (@TheNBABelt) January 31, 2025

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