The Boston Celtics collected an inadvertent mini-victory two days earlier than the NBA commerce deadline after the Philadelphia 76ers and Dallas Mavericks struck a deal.
Philadelphia traded ahead Caleb Martin, who’s earned the status of a Celtics killer the previous few years, to Dallas in change for guard Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round choose, per ESPN’s Shams Charania. The Mavericks improved their depth, including a confirmed playoff performer able to offering head coach Jason Kidd with beneficial minutes behind the Kyrie Irving-Anthony Davis tandem.
Martin averaged 9.1 factors, 4.4 rebounds and a pair of.1 assists whereas taking pictures 43.5% from the sector and 37.9% from 3-point territory with Philadelphia. The 29-year-old additionally averaged a career-best 1.1 steals and performed a career-high 30.4 minutes, incomes a predominant starter’s function for Nick Nurse’s Sixers.
When Christmas Day arrived and Philadelphia paid Boston a Vacation go to at TD Backyard, the six-year veteran gifted the Celtics a impolite reminder.
Martin scored 23 factors on 8-of-11 taking pictures from the ground, flattening 7-of-9 threes and aiding Joel Embiid and Paul George to edge out Boston with a 118-114 victory. That marked Martin’s season-high scoring whole, and ever because the Dec. 25 conflict, Martin hasn’t been in a position to eclipse the 23-point efficiency.
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It wasn’t a historic, record-setting exhibiting by any stretch from Martin, but it surely solidified what he’s been to the Celtics ever because the Miami Warmth signed him to a two-way contract three years in the past and allowed the NC State product to take off.
Miami head coach Erik Spoelstra relied closely on Martin, who exemplified the id of the underdog Warmth. Martin performed his function behind starters Jimmy Bulter, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, and awaited the second to shine each time Spoelstra gave him the nod.
Within the 2023 Jap Convention finals in opposition to the Celtics, that chance introduced itself.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown after which first-year head coach Joe Mazzulla felt the brunt of playoff Martin’s full impact. Martin averaged 19.3 factors and 6.4 rebounds whereas taking pictures an unreal 60.2% from the sector and 48.9% from three, birthing the “Celtics killer” title and doing so deservingly.
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Martin scored 26 factors — his playoff career-high on the time — throughout Miami’s do-or-die Sport 7 battle in Boston. In exploiting Mazzulla’s inexperience, Martin shot 11-of-16 from the ground and grabbed 10 rebounds to forestall the Celtics from securing a spot within the NBA Finals for the second time in three years.
That collection urged majority proprietor Wyc Grousbeck to order president of basketball operations Brad Stevens to remodel the roster, whatever the value. From there, Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Vacation have been welcomed with open arms, Mazzulla improved the teaching employees and the Celtics marched their approach to Banner 18.
Now, amid the staff’s title protection struggles of re-establishing final season’s id, saying goodbye to Martin gives a deadline win to be pleased about.
It’s unlikely that the No. 11 seed Sixers will endure an unexpected post-All-Star break run to succeed in playoff competition, however not less than no present convention enemies will probably be including Martin amid their respective title pursuits.
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