The Celtics only needed 1 game to separate themselves from their supposed biggest threat

Welcome to Layup Lines, For nan Win’s hoops newsletter. Subscribe here to get it delivered to your inbox each Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Have feedback for nan Layup Lines Crew? Leave your questions, comments and concerns through this little scholar survey. Now, here’s Prince J. Grimes.

What’s up hoops fans. It’s Prince here, and I’m truthful honored to present your first Layup Lines aft nan commencement of nan caller NBA season. Thanks for reading.

Though location were conscionable 2 games Tuesday, nan teams successful action delivered plentifulness for america to overreact to. But I want to return a 2nd to zero successful connected nan Boston Celtics and New York Knicks for a second, because whew, that crippled a stinker.

We knew nan Celtics were going to beryllium bully again. We knew they’d beryllium nan biggest threat to ending nan NBA’s six-year tally of not having back-to-back champions. But nan Knicks were expected to beryllium nan biggest threat to Boston, and they looked for illustration thing but a threat successful what ended arsenic a 23-point beatdown.

Related: Celtics unveil their incredibly elaborate title rings

That azygous crippled was each it took for oddsmakers to put immoderate separation betwixt nan teams’ respective title and convention title odds. The Knicks are still 2nd successful nan East, but they moved from +650 to +800 to triumph nan NBA title. Boston made a much humble move nan different measurement from +325 earlier nan crippled to +310.

That’s not insignificant activity aft conscionable 1 crippled retired of 82. And possibly I’m conscionable being naive, but that makes maine want to stake connected nan Knicks moreover more.

https://twitter.com/johnewing/status/1849114810824241549

Look, I get it, nan Celtics are great. They’ll astir apt repetition arsenic champions if they enactment healthy. But they aren’t arsenic bully arsenic that crippled made them look, conscionable for illustration nan Knicks aren’t arsenic bad arsenic they looked.

Don’t get maine wrong, it was ugly. The Celtics looked for illustration world-beaters. Jayson Tatum was unstoppable. So, if you’re asking yourself, who’s expected to extremity that? I get it. But nan truth is cipher is going to person to extremity that, because nan Celtics are ne'er going to make 29 of 61 3-pointers again. I cognize because they ne'er made 29 threes earlier past night. Only 1 squad successful NBA history had. They were 1 distant from breaking nan record.

That was a super-shooting capacity that fundamentally required nan cleanable alignment of each prima successful nan postulation to happen. And moreover still, nan Knicks changeable almost 5 percent amended from nan field. Jalen Brunson still appeared tin of dialing up instant discourtesy erstwhile his squad needed it. Miles McBride was a sniper disconnected nan bench. Even Karl-Anthony Towns scored easy erstwhile nan Knicks really made an effort to get him nan ball.

The biggest interest for New York was nan defense. … OK, and possibly Mikal Bridges’ shooting form. But if you’re asking maine whether I deliberation a Tom Thibodeau-coached squad pinch 3 of nan champion helping defenders successful nan NBA is tin of improving connected that end, there’s nary uncertainty successful my mind.

So, again, I say, I emotion those declining odds. Because it takes a batch of luck to triumph a title, and moreover much to do it twice. If nan Celtics falter astatine all, nan Knicks stay arsenic bully an action arsenic immoderate to supplant them.

1 down, 81 to spell for nan undefeated Lakers

In nan 2nd crippled of Tuesday night’s double-header, nan Los Angeles Lakers hosted nan Minnesota Timberwolves successful a crippled that will spell down successful history arsenic nan first to characteristic a begetter and son playing successful nan aforesaid game.

LeBron and Bronny James took nan level together successful nan 2nd 4th for a special and conscionable all-around cool moment. And nan Lakers came distant pinch nan triumph too.

It was a bully time successful LaLa land. But will nan bully times continue? Not if JJ Redick’s discourtesy doesn’t clasp up, arsenic our feline Mike Sykes wrote successful his database of potential fatals flaw for each team.

“JJ Redick wholly revamped nan Lakers’ preseason discourtesy from a ball-dominant, LeBron James 1 to a much movement-centric, free-flowing style. Early returns look good. It seems that nan Lakers players person besides enjoyed it truthful far.

But we’ve seen violative style changes astir LeBron before. They don’t usually stick. After a fewer hiccups present and there, his teams thin to revert backmost to what worked before.

Will nan Lakers beryllium capable to instrumentality pinch it this time? Or will they revert to aged habits? We’ll find out.”

Check retired nan afloat database to spot what might sidetrack your favourite team’s season.

Also see: JJ Redick plans to file title pinch NBA astir nan crippled balls

Shootaround

— Barack Obama talked about hilariously reenacting nan Key & Peele handshake sketch pinch Team USA

— Bronny James’ debut was apt a reality cheque for NBA Rookie of nan Year bettors

— Anthony Davis took a not-so-subtle changeable astatine Rudy Gobert pinch his DPOY comments

— When will Paul George and Joel Embiid return from their injuries? Here’s what we know

That’s each for today. The NBA action continues pinch 10 much games tonight. Enjoy!