Defense has rarely emerged as a story around these Celtics all year after their inconsistency on that end became an issue sporadically throughout the 2023 campaign until it defined their playoff woes. Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum both set a tone entering this season by aspiring to reach all-defense status, while Joe Mazzulla intended to talk about defense more. That culminated in a No. 3 ranking on defense through Saturday that hasn’t wavered.
Yet performances like Saturday’s, a clinic in disruptiveness, versatility and one of the best stifling quarters you’ll ever see in a modern NBA game, showed a higher ceiling than the average night of Boston's defense.