The Boston Celtics have shocked the NBA world by remaining in the title hunt without Jayson Tatum.
Boston entered the All-Star break trailing only the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern Conference at 35-19. While some observers expected a transition year as Tatum recovered from a torn Achilles, the Celtics could enter the playoffs as top contenders if their star player returns.
The Celtics return from the All-Star break to face the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night. Ahead of the game, former WNBA star Chiney Ogwumike praised their success on ESPN's "NBA Today."
"It's not one of the biggest surprises. They absolutely are the biggest surprise," Ogwumike said. " ...That's wild considering what they lost."
Ogwumike credited two players for maintaining high standards in Boston. Jaylen Brown is averaging a career-high 29.3 points per game, and the Celtics boast the league's second-best offensive rating under head coach Joe Mazzulla.
"You've got Jaylen Brown operating at an MVP level, and the Joe Mazzulla system that really thrives in mismatches," Ogwumike said.
The two-time All-Star broke down film of Boston creating open looks with screens on and off the ball. The Celtics have made the third-most threes this season behind the Warriors and Charlotte Hornets.
"Not probably their best three-point shooter," Ogwumike said over a clip of Brown draining a shot from downtown. "But when you're that open, you're going to shoot like 70 percent from the field. So it's a combination of Jaylen Brown doing what he does best. He does damage from twos, but also the Joe Mazzulla system that creates that confusion that allows him to knock down a plethora of threes."
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