The Boston Celtics are a rock band

I was listening to the First to the Floor podcast and absolutely adored the analogy that Joe Tiddy made about Jaylen Brown and Derrick White. The gist of it went like this. Brown can do some amazing things on the court that few others can, like a lead guitar player that can really wail. However, he’s not always reliable doing the regular rhythm guitar type stuff like Derrick White is.

Of course, I’m going to blatantly rip off this motif and take it to the next logical step (and likely 5 steps too far). It is clear that this year’s Boston Celtics are a rock band.

Lead Singer: Jayson Tatum

This one is obvious. He’s the face of the franchise now, the guy on the back cover that takes up the most space in the picture. He’s the guy in the band that your mom has heard of. He even plays a little guitar when needed because he can do a little bit of everything. His voice defines the feel of the band, even if his lyrics are pretty standard (note: this is a reference to his mostly canned interview answers).

Lead Guitar: Jaylen Brown

Who starts off the song to set the tone and establish the vibes? The lead guitarist. Who steps in at the crescendo of the song to bring down the house with an epic solo? That’s him. Who adds that extra flare to the song that makes it stand out? You guessed it. He’s always ready to crank it up to eleven.

Rhythm Guitar: Derrick White

Now on the other side of the stage is the guy that doesn’t get as much attention or glory but nonetheless plays a critical part in the performance. He keeps the rhythm going and gives the songs shape and color. He connects everything together, bridges the verses to the chorus and back, and makes everyone around him better.

Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images

Drums: Jrue Holiday

The backbeat is the backbone of the group. He sets the tone, the pace, the energy of the rest of the group. He’s so steady and reliable that in the right song you might even forget he’s there (but you would miss him if he wasn’t). At the same time, he can be so wildly unpredictable and surprising that you’ll never know what is coming next.

Bass: Al Horford

Speaking of setting the tone, the bass player drives the beat and connects it to the rhythm. Again, you don’t always notice him right away, but without him the songs would feel aimless. He’s steady and reliable but he can also be creative and downright funky.

Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Keyboard: Kristaps Porzingis

Not every band has a keyboardist. They are something of an added luxury. But what a wonderful luxury. They can either add extra layers to the background rhythm or provide their own extra flair to the song. It sometimes feels like a throwback to an older musical style, but with a modern twist.

Backup singers, tambourine, cowbell (or whatever the song needs): Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, Luke Kornet, and the rest of the bench

Again, this kind of speaks for itself.

So, how did I do? Did I represent the analogy well? Or did I butcher it with my poor understanding of band dynamics? (Forgive me, the last time I was in a band was as a sophomore in high school and it was more of a marching band than a rocking one.)