“ It's like (Kristaps) Porzingis dared him to take the 3-point shot », rightly remarks the local TV commentator in the second quarter of the match between Celtics and Sixers. SO Caleb Martin rose to the challenge and converted behind the arc.
It was the second winning basket in a long series for the Sixers winger, open on most of his long-range attempts. “ That was the game plan. So we stick to the game plan. We trusted the game plan », insists Jaylen Brown, whose training visibly relied on the low percentage of outside skill of the opposing player before the meeting (30.5%).
But that was to forget that Caleb MARtin, despite his unacademic gestures, still shoots at 36% in his career. He therefore did not hesitate to sanction… seven times by far, a new career record. “ Martin made, what, six 3-pointers? Seven ? It's difficult. He's done it to us before, but we felt comfortable letting him take all those shots. He simply converted tonight », puts Jaylen Brown into perspective.
A strategic relentlessness which may surprise when we know that the former Heat player, who benefited from the attention paid to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, killed the Celtics with his 4/4 from afar in the fourth quarter.
A nickname emerges
“ It’s obviously a very good team, very well coached. I have always tried to rise to the occasion and perform at a high level. So it's to their credit, and it's to my credit to show this concentration and this understanding of the level at which the game is going to be played “, notes Caleb Martin, 23 points (8/11 on shots including 7/9 from distance), after the match.
“ There is (defensive) coverage too “, he adds to explain his performance: “ I know how they are going to defend me, who is going to defend on me. I know what shots I'm going to get and I have to take them no matter what. » As recalled by Jaylen Brown, Caleb Martin already has a history with the Celtics.
His memorable series on the road to the 2023 NBA Finals allowed him to assert himself like never before. During this conference final, he averaged nearly 19 points.
What makes Joel Embiid sayon his report to the Celtics: “ He hates them as much as I do. » « I like it when he doesn't think. Tonight he wasn't thinking. Every time he had the ball, whether it was shooting or penetrating, he made his shots. We need him to keep doing this and gain confidence », demands the pivot.
A nickname even begins to surface for his teammate: “The Boston Strangler”. “ Any time you can acquire a nickname or something in this league, it means people notice and you're doing the right thing. Sometimes people on this team don't like you, which is always nice. It's nice », Finishes Caleb Martin.
| Caleb Martin | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2019-20 | CHA | 18 | 18 | 44.0 | 54.1 | 81.0 | 0.6 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 1.8 | 0.7 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 6.2 |
| 2020-21 | CHA | 53 | 15 | 37.5 | 24.8 | 64.1 | 0.6 | 2.1 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 1.2 | 0.7 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 5.0 |
| 2021-22 | MIA | 60 | 23 | 50.7 | 41.3 | 76.3 | 1.2 | 2.7 | 3.8 | 1.1 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 9.2 |
| 2022-23 | MIA | 71 | 29 | 46.4 | 35.6 | 80.5 | 1.2 | 3.6 | 4.8 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 1.1 | 0.4 | 9.6 |
| 2023-24 | MIA | 64 | 27 | 43.1 | 34.9 | 77.8 | 1.2 | 3.2 | 4.4 | 2.2 | 2.0 | 0.7 | 1.2 | 0.5 | 10.0 |
| 2024-25 | PHL | 23 | 29 | 42.4 | 36.8 | 65.6 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 4.5 | 2.2 | 1.9 | 1.0 | 1.7 | 0.4 | 9.4 |
| Total | 289 | 24 | 44.8 | 35.8 | 74.7 | 1.1 | 2.9 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 8.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
