For as good as the Celtics have been this season — they have the best record in the NBA as of Wednesday — it’s possible that they would not have been as successful without one meeting.
A few weeks after the Celtics acquired Jrue Holiday, they found themselves in a bit of dilemma. The team had reportedly been planning to use a starting lineup of Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford before the trade, and adding Holiday to the group meant that someone who is capable of starting was going to have to be sent to the bench.