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Welcome to Swish and Tell!
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This is the show where we recap some of the best stories that you might have
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missed over the last week on thePeachBasket.net Alright, so let's dive
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into a historic night for the Celtics.
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Honestly, it's not every day you see two players from the same team each post
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forty-plus points in a game.
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Derrick White lit up with forty-one, while Payton Pritchard put up a
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jaw-dropping forty-three.
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And this was all without Tatum, Holiday, or Porzingis on the court-that's
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huge.Man, that's like stepping into, I don't know, some kinda alternate Celtics
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universe.
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White and Pritchard-I mean, who saw that coming?
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Those dudes absolutely cooked!Exactly, and it wasn't just blind luck, either.
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White's shooting was precise-nine-for-seventeen from
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three-point range.
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But you could tell Portland's defensive coverage, or lack thereof, really played
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into it.
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They kept leaving him open, even when he was clearly feeling it.That's what I
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don't get!
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Like, if a guy's out there raining fire on your defense, you gotta adjust.
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But nah, they just...
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they let him eat, man.And on top of that, his all-around contribution was textbook
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Celtics basketball.
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Three steals, a block-he wasn't just scoring; he was making things happen on
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both ends of the court.
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Then there's Pritchard.
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Fourteen-for-twenty shooting, ten-for-sixteen from deep, and pulling
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down ten boards as a guard?
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Those are All-Star numbers.Okay, but, truthfully, it wasn't just their night-it
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was a masterclass in coaching.
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The Celtics' staff adjusted the offense without their stars.
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The angle pick-and-roll, high ball screens-it was like they were picking
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apart Portland piece by piece.
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Brilliant.Absolutely.
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And remember, those systems didn't just magically appear.
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The plays were designed to exploit defensive weaknesses, drawing Portland's
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big man, Donovan Clingan, out of position.
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That created space for guys like White and Pritchard to hammer them with
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threes.That Blind Pig play, though.
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Oh my God.
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=
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"200"
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>I've gotta give them props for that one.
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Misdirection, quick execution, and bam-open looks all night long!It
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illustrates perfectly why depth matters.
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You lose your 'big three,' but the system allows role players to shine.
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You know, Marcus, it reminds me of all those stories of unexpected standouts
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grabbing their moment to flip the team's dynamic on its head.Yeah, yeah, like back
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in the day when Danny Green had that monster Finals series for the Spurs.
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It's like Pritchard said, "This is my shot to show the league what I'm about."
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And boy, did he deliver.It's safe to say both he and White changed the narrative
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around the Celtics' depth last night.
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Performances like these show what's possible when preparation meets
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opportunity.
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But still-Don't jinx it, Jose!Haha, alright, I'll leave it there.
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But, let's just say the road ahead for the Celtics looks a lot more interesting
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now.
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Depth and tactics-the keys to long-term success.Speaking of depth, have you seen
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what's happening with the Lakers?
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Their role players are balling out!
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Honestly, it's wild-I don't think anyone predicted this level of impact from them
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a couple months back.Exactly.
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What's interesting is how they've completely reshaped their approach
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mid-season.
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You've got these guys-no superstars outside of LeBron and now Luka-finding
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ways to contribute meaningfully.
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And in contrast, you look at the Trail Blazers with young talents like Anfernee
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Simons and Scoot Henderson.
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They're still raw, but the potential is there.
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Simons, especially, has shown flashes of becoming a go-to scorer.Not to mention
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Scoot's fearless style.
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I mean, this dude attacks the basket like he's trying to make every highlight reel.
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He reminds me of a young Westbrook.
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He's gotta refine some things, of course, but man, he's exciting to watch.True.
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And that brings me to Jalen Brunson.
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He's been nothing short of phenomenal offensively for the Knicks.
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It's rare to see a player his size dominate the way he does.
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He's like Nate Archibald in the '70s-you know, leading a team as an undersized
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guard, scoring at will while controlling the pace of the game.Yo, Tiny Nate
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Archibald!
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That's a name, Jose!
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And you're not wrong-Brunson's got that same fearlessness.
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The man gets buckets in crunch time like it's nothing, and he's constantly putting
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pressure on defenses.
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It's like he's carrying that "chip on my shoulder" energy every night.But unlike a
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lot of players with something to prove, Brunson backs it up with consistency.
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That mid-range game, the footwork, the decision-making-he's mastered the little
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things that make a big difference.
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It's a throwback style that fits so well in today's game because it catches
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defenders off guard.Right, and speaking of off guard-how about Kyrie Irving in
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Dallas?
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Man, he's turned his story around.
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Like, his leadership?
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Actually getting praised now.
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Who would've thought, huh?It's been a fascinating turnaround before his injury.
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When you look at the criticism he's taken over the years, both deserved and
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exaggerated, his move to Dallas seems like it's given him a fresh start.
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He's not just showing up on the court; he's winning over teammates and
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management.
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That level of buy-in isn't easy to achieve, especially for someone with the
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baggage Kyrie carries.Oh, for sure.
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I mean, it's still Kyrie-you know he's gotta get those ankle-breaking crossovers
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in-but he's also setting up plays, making his teammates shine.
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Dallas might've rolled the dice, but right now?
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It's paying off big time.And you can see how his presence elevates his teammates
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game too.
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It's this dynamic push-and-pull where both players complement each other
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without one overshadowing the other.
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If Kyrie keeps this up, he could be what takes Dallas from playoff hopefuls to
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real contenders.Speaking of players stepping up, can we talk about Kawhi
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Leonard?
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That buzzer-beater in overtime-left-handed, with three guys on
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him.
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Like, are you kidding me?
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That's the stuff fans dream of, man.Absolutely.
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You know, Marcus, the thing about Kawhi is his calmness under pressure.
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It's almost surreal.
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That final play wasn't just clutch-it was textbook execution.
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He ran the clock down, made his move, and delivered with precision.
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It's moments like these that remind the league why he's been a Finals
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MVP-twice.Exactly!
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And it wasn't even a perfect game from him, right?
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But when it mattered most?
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Boom.
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Ice in his veins.And then there's James Harden.
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This guy-he's been the heartbeat of this team all season.
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He puts up 29 points, almost a triple-double with 11 assists and nine
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boards, while keeping the tempo in check the entire night.
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What stood out to me was how smoothly he worked with Brian Shaw, who stepped in as
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interim coach for Ty Lue.
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That's not easy.Right?
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Shaw wasn't reinventing the wheel or anything, but you could tell he trusted
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Harden to lead out there.
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And Harden, man, he was dialed in.
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Those late-game plays-getting Zubac that dunk and Kawhi in position?
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That's leadership!Definitely.
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It also showed how much flexibility the Clippers have.
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They didn't panic without Ty Lue.
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Shaw kept the game plan tight, focusing on spacing and decisive plays.
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That 7-0 run to force overtime?
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Just smart basketball.And here's the thing-when you've got two stars who can
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create in any situation, it's hard to mess that up.
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But props to Shaw for not overcomplicating it.
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Let's be honest, it wasn't about flashy coaching decisions; it was about letting
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Kawhi and Harden do their thing.True.
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And you could see Kawhi and Harden understanding each other's rhythm.
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It's that synergy-the flashy and composed combo.
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Like, Harden's setup for Kawhi in those decisive moments, or even how Zubac
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quietly dominated with his eighth double-double.
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Everyone stepped up.Right, and speaking of stepping up-how about Harden's
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durability compared to Kawhi's load management?
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Harden's played 61 games this season, man.
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That's like a rock out there.
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And yeah, Kawhi's at, what, 22?
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But when he's healthy, he's an absolute game-changer.
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It's wild how they balance each other.That's a great point.
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Harden brings consistency, while Kawhi delivers in critical moments.
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It's a duo that works well because they fill in the gaps for each other.
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And it's easy to overlook, but the Clippers' depth proved valuable too.
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Guys like Zubac kept Sacramento from dominating inside.Look, you can't script
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a better moment than Kawhi hitting that buzzer-beater.
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It's why we love basketball-the drama, the excitement.
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The Clippers?
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They're giving fans a reason to believe right now.And ultimately, that's what
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it's about.
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Even with Ty Lue out, this team stayed resilient.
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They trusted each other, leaned on their stars, and delivered when it counted.
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Now, whether they can sustain that momentum remains to be seen.
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But for one night, Marcus-They owned it, Jose.
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Straight up.And that's all we have for today, folks.
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Thanks for hanging out with us to talk hoops.
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Until next time on Swish and Tell, keep loving the game.
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