Boston's own: C's and B's keep winning

First Last Position Position

By Mitchell Lookner

Remember to always match your body text up with the blue guidelines! Do not put text on the last line of the column!!!

Losing to the Golden State Warriors in the National Basketball Association (NBA) Finals in six games, the Boston Celtics ended last season in heartbreaking fashion.

I hopped o the plane at L.AX, with a dream and my cardigan. Welcome to the land of fame excess (woah). Am I gonna t in? Jumped in the cab, here I am for the rst time, look to my right, and I see the Hollywood sign. is is all so crazy! Everybody seems so famous!

Entering the 2022-23 season, the Celtics started o hot, at one point having an 18-4 record. Superstar Jayson Tatum averaged 30.3 points per game while his counterpart Jaylen Brown averaged 26.6, both seem destined for an All-NBA selection. is achievement is a recognition of a top player in the game.

My tummy's turnin' and I'm feelin' kinda home sick. Too much pressure and I'm nervous – at's when the taxi man turned on the radio, and a Jay-Z song was on! And a Jay-Z song was on. And a Jay-Z song was on.

However, it hasn’t been smooth sailing the whole way. Jayson Tatum has not been his true self since the All-Star break, and his teammates haven’t been quick to pick up the slack. ese recurring lapses have been a disturbing theme, but the team always seems to put the pieces together to get themselves out of a slump.

So I put my hands up, they're playing my song, the butter ies y away. I'm noddin' my head like, yeah. Movin' my hips like, yeah. I got my hands up, they're playing my song, they know I'm gonna be okay. Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A. Yeah, it's a party in the U.S.A.

A dictator of their play, head coach Joe Mazzulla, was selected to the All-Star team in February as one of the two coaches chosen, the other being Michael Malone. Yet, when asked about the selection, Mazzulla did not seem attached to the glory of this accomplishment, and remained focused on the big picture of championship back to Boston. e Celtics are a win-now team, a refreshing change after coming up short in recent years.

Witness to these struggles, Marcus Smart has been a key contributor upon setting foot on the court. His impact on the game may not always show on the stat sheet, but as the former defensive player of the year and always the rst on the ground diving after a loose ball, he receives love from his fans for his hustle.

Despite heavy competition, the Celtics have been atop the Eastern Conference for the majority of the season. While shooting the most threes out of any team, the Celtics are seventh in three-point percentage as the three-ball has been a key to their success.

e strong Eastern Conference will not provide an easy path for the Celtics this upcoming playo s. Mazzulla and his squad must resolve these problems quickly in order to knock championship.

The Bos ton Bruins are similar to the Celtics in that they have bounced back af ter a disappointing loss in last season’s playoffs. However, unlike their brothers in green, they are making history in doing so.

The Bruins reached 50 wins faster than any team in National Hockey League (NHL) history this season, reaching the milestone in just 64 games. e Bruins have fallen short in years past: despite making the playo s nine out of the last 11 seasons, they’ve lost in the Stanley Cup Final twice. eir success in 2023 is mainly due to impact players such as David Pastrnak, Brad Marchand and Patrice Bergeron, who have 52, 20 and 27 goals this season, respectively. eir goalkeeping has been immaculate as well— their best goalie, Linus Ullmark, is leading the NHL in save percentage. In addition to his excellent work behind the net, Ullmark became the 13th goalkeeper to score a goalie goal, one of the rarest feats in NHL history. Their second goalie hasn’t missed a beat either.

Jeremy Swayman, a 24-yearold from Arkansas, is seventh in save percentage and has been a pleasant surprise on a team full of surprises. A fun e Boston Bruins are similar to the Celtics in that they have bounced back after a disappointing loss in last season’s playo s. However, unlike their brothers in green, they are making history in doing so. tradition the Bruins have started is the goalie hug. After each win, the goalies, Ullmark and Swayman, will raise their hands up and bear hug each other in celebration. e Celtics and Bruins have combined for a record of 102-34 in their seasons. is success in a sports town, especially in a single arena, is astonishing, and will surely leave Boston sports fans excited for the teams’ upcoming postseasons. a day in the life of the speediest man alive.

Five players on the Bruins are among the top ten in holding “plus minus”, a stat that determines how well your team does when you’re on the ice. Similarly, just like Mazzulla of the Celtics, Bruins head coach Jim Motgomery was selected to coach the All-Star team. ey’re the second-best in the league at putting the puck in the net, scoring 3.68 goals per game.