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    Nearing the midway point of the 2022–23 season, Celtics grades

    If the 24-year-old continues to make crucial plays like these, he could become the MVP frontrunner again and more importantly, help bring the Celtics back to the Finals.

    Grade: A

    Jaylen Brown

    While Tatum’s name has been mentioned in MVP chatter, Celtics star Jaylen Brown also deserves plenty of praise.

    The 26-year-old is averaging 27.2 points and 7.1 rebounds per outing, which would both be career-bests if the season ended today. In addition, Brown’s scoring efficiently despite the fact that he’s attempting more shots than ever before, as his 49.8% field goal percentage is a career-high.

    Although his 3.1 turnovers per game are still a cause for concern, the former first-round pick is on his way to another All-Star appearance. With his clutch shotmaking and versatile defense, Brown is shining and en route to a career year, which should earn him a massive payday in the future.

    Grade: A

    Marcus Smart

    Marcus Smart isn’t surpassing all of his career highs like many of his teammates, but the reigning DPOY is having a great season in his own right.

    Boston’s vocal leader has performed like a true point guard this season, as he’s putting up 11.1 points per game and averaging 7.2 assists a night — well above his previous career-best of 5.9 assists per outing.

    A former criticism of his game was that the 28-year-old couldn’t truly facilitate the Celtics’ offense, yet it seems like he’s put those doubts to rest this season. However, one thing in question is Smart’s health, as his lingering injury problems have sidelined him for six matchups. In today’s NBA, missing a few games isn’t a huge deal, but his health is still something to monitor.

    Grade: A-

    Al Horford

    Adapting to the quick-paced style of today’s NBA is tough for any player, let alone a 36-year-old Horford who played during a very different era of basketball. As a result, the Celtics center has seen his numbers start to dip a bit, especially in categories bigs usually dominate.

    Horford is rebounding and scoring less than usual, and while his 9.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game aren’t bad for someone his age, he’s also less active in the paint than ever before.

    With a 43.5% 3-point percentage, the former Florida Gator has shown promise as a 3-and-D type player. He even hit a critical triple down the stretch to clinch the win against the Bulls on Monday night.

    To only rely on Horford’s 3-point shooting is risky though, as he hasn’t shot it consistently enough to camp out behind the arc during games. The C’s will need him to be more aggressive if they want to make the most out of the twilight of his career.

    Source: https://clutchpoints.com

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