As they welcome the reigning champs to Boston for what could be a Finals preview, the Celtics are riding a three-game winning streak. As they try to extend their lead for the top spot in the East and get ready for the trade deadline, let’s get right into some questions regarding the club in this week’s mailbag.
To aid Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics called in “experienced assistants.” The Celtics appear to still prefer Tatum to be isolated throughout the conclusion of quarters and close games. Is there a reason why the staff prefers “hero ball” over ball movement and open man play in order to create end-of-game offence? — Matt
Here are a few assistance queries right away. The reorganised workforce has, in my opinion, had a discernible effect this year. Not to put too fine points on last year’s staff, but those were mostly Ime Udoka’s folks, which naturally led to an odd situation when he was suspended and fired. Mazzulla now has the opportunity to bring in the individuals he desires, and this year has seen many more intriguing developments on both sides of
Regarding end-of-game matters, the isolation problems during critical moments still warrant worry. In those situations, going 1-on-1 is always going to be the standard option because it helps with timing while holding for a single shot and almost always guarantees no turnover. But there are still a lot of situations when this group of players offers superior options, so the coaching staff has an obligation to try to push that more into those difficult decision-making situations for the stars.
Do you believe Jrue will retire if the Celtics do win the championship? The Jrue trade would become a rental after that choice. How do we step into his shoes? Jrue’s cap figure would also be lost. — Ismail
If Jrue retired, I would be shocked. At just 33 years old, he hasn’t even hinted that he’s considering ending his career. In terms of play, Holiday hasn’t really let up, at least not in terms of defence. That being considered, Holiday’s future constitutes a significant subplot for this ensemble. I don’t think he can earn the highest salary on his next contract, but he will most likely have a high asking price to keep in a competitive free agent market. The Basketball Team 
possess the inside track to negotiate with him (they can legally give him an extension in March), but with all the big deals this core is getting, it’s unclear if they can afford to. Barring an unexpected early collapse by this team in the postseason, Boston should be aggressive in attempting to hold onto him. If he goes, the Celtics lose that cap number without any compensation.
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