Jayson Tatum is clearly the best, most impactful, and therefore the most important player on this Celtics team. There isn’t much of an argument to be made against that. He’s been an MVP candidate for a couple years now, and he’s only getting better and better at asserting his physicality and creating opportunities for his teammates. He’s the clear focal point of Boston’s offense as both a scorer and a facilitator, and when he puts his mind to it, he’s a first-team level all-NBA defender. Yes, I said it.
But who is the second most important player on the C’s?
Most people would say Jaylen Brown. He’s the second highest usage player on the team, and he’s also the second leading scorer. He leads the team in drives and is probably the best player on the team at getting to the rim, which is valuable for a team that has a tendency to rely on its three point shooting. When Tatum is off the court, the offense usually runs through Brown. He’s shown an improved ability this season – although I’m still VERY skeptical of it – to make the right decision once he gets into the paint; his assist numbers are up from last year and his turnover numbers are down. He’s also still the most effective transition player on the C’s. Jaylen coming downhill will always be a scary sight for defenses – and that’s something that nobody else on the team has been able to replicate.
He’s probably the second best player on the team, but is he the second most important player? Sure, the Celtics covet Brown’s ability to get to the hoop and leak out on the break, but Jrue Holiday and Derrick White would be able to slot into higher usage roles and pick up some of those duties if Jaylen weren’t on the team, right? It should be noted, too, that even though Jaylen is a very solid defender (and improving), he’s still the worst defender in the starting five simply as a result of how amazing everyone else is. So, that side of the floor isn’t necessarily where he’s bringing unique value.
We also have to start worrying about Jaylen’s shooting. He’s only hitting 33.5% of his catch and shoot threes, when he should probably be shooting the best of his career due to who he’s playing with and the quality of shots he’s getting. Jrue and Derrick are simply more reliable as knock down shooters, and that cannot be glossed over.
What’s so incredible is that you can make a legitimate argument for four players (including Jaylen Brown) to be the Celtics’ second most important player. I already made Brown’s case, so now I’ll make the others’.
Jrue Holiday’s case is probably the toughest to make, but it still has some legs. Anytime the Celtics are facing a daunting matchup (Embiid and Giannis come to mind), Jrue is deployed as the primary defender. His versatility on that end, combined with his incredible ability to haunt offensive players no matter where they are on the court, makes him Boston’s most important defender by a wide margin. Other guys have taken on larger offensive roles in order to allow Jrue to fully focus on defense, and that has resulted in almost no possessions off for Holiday – he plays his butt off all game. Offensively, he has been an excellent spot up shooter (43% on catch and shoot threes) and a good connector. He’s also leaned into crashing the glass (career high in OREB). But honestly, he’s probably the least impactful offensive player in Boston’s starting five, which is pretty bizarre to fathom. I mean, It’s frickin Jrue Holiday we’re talking about.
The Derrick White case is a fascinating one because he’s historically been thought of as a role player and connector, so how could he possibly be the second most important player on a championship-level team? But White has taken a pretty significant leap forward this season, and it’s showing in the numbers. His points, assists, rebounds, steals, blocks, field goal percentage, and three point percentage are all up from last year. He also has the best net rating on the team. In terms of what the team needs in a secondary playmaker or ball handler, White is perfect; he’s an excellent shooter, he makes quick, smart decisions, and he can punish weaker defenders at the cup. Furthermore, anytime his usage rises (like in the game against Sacramento where Tatum was out), he excels as a primary offensive creator in the pick and roll, so it’s very clear that he could take on a larger role if he were asked to. The pull up, off the dribble threes are just the latest entry into White’s bag and are an illustration of his rapid growth. He’s also half of the best defensive backcourt in the NBA and maybe the best screen navigator in the league. He’s an integral part of the team, and he absolutely has a formidable case as Boston’s second most important player.
Kristaps Porzingis, though, has the best case as the C’s second most important player. Boston looks a lot different without KP on the court, and that’s because having him out there opens up offensive opportunities for his teammates that statistics simply can’t illustrate. The space that he creates – as a result of his height, length, quick release, and shooting accuracy – allows other players to attack the lane without a shot blocker hanging out in the paint. Porzingis is also the post threat that these Tatum-era Celtics haven’t had. Boston went from a bottom 10 post up team in frequency last year (while only scoring 1 point per possession) to the second best post up team in the NBA by both volume and efficiency. Porzingis is the head of the snake in that regard, averaging a ridiculous 1.44 points per post up possession. But KP’s mere presence on the court has opened up post ups for other players, too, because there’s no big man patrolling the paint to help out when Kristaps is on the three point line. He not only reinvented Boston’s offense this season, but he made it more malleable and unpredictable. The importance of that cannot be overstated.
He’s also been great on the defensive end. Kristaps is contesting the 8th most shots at the rim in the entire league, and he’s got the best defensive field goal percentage out of the top 10 guys in rim attempts defended. He’s quite simply a really good rim protector; he’s got excellent discipline and timing, and he really knows how to position his body. Oh, and did you forget that he’s absolutely massive? KP has also been excellent as a drop pick and roll player. Boston’s guards have been able to fight over screens and chase ball handlers from behind because they know they can rely on Kristaps in the paint. That has become a staple of the Celtics’ defense.
However it shakes out, It’s really, really close. It might be KP on some nights, and it might be any of the other three on other nights. It just isn’t remotely obvious who the second most important player on Boston is, and that’s what makes this team special – the top end depth is just not something this league has seen, perhaps ever. Cherish it, folks. This starting lineup is different.
