Sticking to blueprint has keyed Celtics’ 2nd half turnaround

By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer

BOSTON (AP) — The Celtics were a team in search of direction following a buzzer-beating loss to the Knicks on Jan. 6 that dropped them to 11th place in the Eastern Conference. It turned out to be an inflection point. Boston is an East-best 29-8 since then, buoyed by the production of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, as well as a defense that rates as the best in the NBA during that stretch. It has the Celtics in position to compete for the East’s top playoff seed. But they’ll have to do it after getting hit with a fresh dose of adversity following an injury to big man Robert Williams.