Back in business: 10 takeaways from Celtics/Suns

#1 Shedding streaks

Heading into the sport in opposition to the Phoenix Suns, the Boston Celtics had been on a two-game slide. Joe Mazzulla’s staff has solely misplaced two consecutive video games on two events this season. They haven’t misplaced greater than that every one yr. So, as bizarre because it feels to say, the Celtics had been getting ready to their greatest dropping streak as they suited as much as face the Suns.

Fortuitously, the Celtics went on the market and dealt with their enterprise, navigating a stellar efficiency from Kevin Durant whereas discovering methods to safe the win and keep away from a three-game skid that want to have set the bloodhounds on Boston’s path to start the week.

This isn’t essentially a real takeaway, however for me, it was one of many greatest speaking factors coming into the sport and certain would have elevated the strain on Boston’s shoulders had issues not gone their method. The truth that dropping three video games could be seen as cataclysmic in some sections solely speaks to the standard of Boston’s roster and our excessive expectations for them to execute constantly.

#2 Tatum’s excessive minutes

Jayson Tatum performed a game-leading 42 minutes. Throughout Boston’s losses to the Cleveland Cavaliers and Denver Nuggets, Tatum struggled to seek out his rhythm and produced some disjointed performances on the offensive finish. These struggles had been a part of the explanation why he wished to remain on the court docket as the sport heated up.

“It simply felt like I used to be getting right into a rhythm sooner or later,” Tatum advised the media after the sport. “However I’d make a few photographs after which miss three or 4. The sport was beginning to get aggressive and issues like that and I simply wished to remain in. I don’t actually say that many occasions. However, I simply advised Joe that I wished to remain in the remainder of the sport. I imply, it’s not like I do it on a regular basis. This may need been the second time I’ve finished all of it season. It’s a really feel factor. We belief one another.”

If we’re being trustworthy, Tatum had an inefficient taking pictures night time from the sphere. He dropped 39.3% of his 28 makes an attempt. But, he did discover his vary from deep, taking pictures 55.6%. Moreover, he made a big influence on the glass and helped orchestrate offense for his teammates.

Each time Tatum faces Bradley Beal, there’ll at all times be an added stage of competitors. He desires to outdo his shut buddy. The aggressive spirit actually surfaces.

This dunk was my favourite of all of the actions Tatum was concerned in all through the sport. The Celtics went to a “Ram motion” because the entry set, sprung Tatum unfastened as he rejected the Al Horford display, after which, kablam, a thunderous dunk that stood out by the tv display.

It was not Tatum’s greatest sport, not his worst, both. It was only a gritty efficiency from a participant navigating his method again to his greatest after a brief stretch of robust outings.

#3 Kornet comes up with the products

Luke Kornet didn’t play in opposition to the Denver Nuggets. He’s effectively and really embroiled in a battle for his roster spot because the playoffs draw close to. Nonetheless, in opposition to the Suns, Kornet was an integral piece of Mazzulla’s puzzle.

He screened effectively, timed his cuts and rolls to the basket, offered an outlet every time Phoenix despatched two on the ball, and, along with his measurement and positioning, did his job on protection as a giant man who contained the pick-and-roll.

Kornet is extremely good at studying how the protection is taking part in the ball-handler in pick-and-roll conditions. Within the above clip, he seems to be rolling towards the weakside dunker spot. As Jusuf Nurkic slides his toes over and commits to containing Jrue Vacation, Kornet takes a step towards the rim and supplies some vertical spacing on the possession. From there. it’s a straightforward lob go for Vacation and a simple bucket for the Celtics.

On this clip, Kornet begins the possession by providing to quick the pick-and-roll. As Derrick White pops off his display and Tatum redirects the rock, Kornet appears to dunk in on the submit and acquire a dominant place. As that occurs, White has acquired a go and has a straightforward angle to get the ball into Kornet. Straightforward bucket.

Kornets motion and team-first mentality make him a really perfect rotational huge man. He has the scale to discourage photographs across the rim on protection and provide some vertical spacing and post-presence on offense. Because the season has worn on, Kornet has continued to enhance. He and Tillman will doubtless cut up minutes primarily based on matchups, and for Celtics followers, that’s the proper situation.

#4 Limiting the remainder

I’m a giant believer in letting star gamers do star-player issues. Now, I’m not saying you let a giant three go off. I’m saying you settle for that sure gamers are practically unguardable. Final outing, that participant was Jokic. This time, it was Kevin Durant. You settle for it, and you then lock down everybody else to the perfect of your potential, which is exactly what the Celtics did.

For essentially the most half, Mazzulla’s staff didn’t ship two on the ball when Durant was in possession of the rock. They seemed to protect him one-on-one, with the caveat that they tried to funnel him away from the three-point line. Phoenix likes to assault the mid-range. The Celtics like to defend the perimeter. It felt like a entice that performed into Frank Vogel’s system.

That method, Durant going within the mid-range is manageable. You’re not leaving an open man on the perimeter. You’re cognizant of potential cutters and screeners. You are baiting Phoenix to beat you from the mid-range.

In accordance with Cleansing The Glass, 38% of the Suns offense got here from the mid-range. Solely 33% got here on the perimeter. Mazzulla’s defensive sport plan had its desired impact. You need to bait Durant, and to a lesser extent, Beal and Devin Booker to take mid-range jumpers, because it limits their perimeter makes an attempt.

Holding Durant to a few makes an attempt across the rim and 7 makes an attempt from the perimeter is stable work. Sure, he’s going to prepare dinner across the free-throw line prolonged, however by staying house on the opposite abilities and spacing the ground, you’re not giving the Suns alternatives to create benefits.

I had this as one of many keys to the sport. It actually helped restrict the influence elsewhere on the ground.

#5 The inventory change can generate buckets

I’m not one for nicknames. However I do like this one for the duo of White and Vacation. I assumed these two performed a incredible sport. White continues to emerge as a reputable playmaking menace, particularly within the pick-and-roll. We’ve seen much more from the Celtics when it comes to “dragging it out” after the display this season, and White has thrived when working in that kind of PnR system.

He ended the sport with 9 dimes to his identify, together with a block and 10 factors. White has been a stable connector in latest weeks and is prospering alongside Vacation, as the 2 combo guards trigger havoc on protection and supply dependable decision-making and ball motion on offense.

Generally you’ll get a fast resolution out of a pick-and-pop like in th

e clip above.

And generally you get a affected person probe dribble after dragging out the motion, which helps create a passing angle as White attracts two defenders to permit the rolling huge house to assault the rim.

After all, Vacation isn’t any slouch when initiating the offense, both. He had six dimes to his identify. Nonetheless, his assists usually come from the drive and kick actions as he makes use of his gravity on the drive to attract extra defenders earlier than making the fitting learn and discovering the open man.

Vacation is taking pictures over 60% from the nook this season. It is smart that defenses overreact when he will get the ball in his hotspot. Vacation has made dependable reads primarily based on the protection and generated high-quality alternatives out of these possessions.

Total, having White and Vacation patrolling the passing lanes, defending the perimeter and orchestrating offense in their very own methods has considerably boosted the Celtics within the half-court. The Suns aren’t a foul defensive staff. They got here into the sport sitting twelfth within the NBA for defensive score. But they struggled to comprise the 2 guards every time they had been working as main ball-handlers.

#6 Perimeter protection

As I alluded to when discussing Durant’s shot choice. The Celtics got here into this sport with a transparent gameplan: funnel Phoenix towards the nail. Nonetheless, additionally they did a incredible job in impacting perimeter shot makes an attempt. The Suns went 9-of-31 from deep, and sometimes seemed just a little tentative to take photographs with a lot strain being utilized from the Celtics protection.

There’s a motive Boston sits fourth within the NBA for three-point defensive discipline aim proportion. They’ve the scale, mobility, and defensive depth to considerably alter shot makes an attempt or influence launch factors. The Suns could not generate attractiveness from deep all sport, and the appears they did get had been something however comfy. Strong work from the teaching workers and the gamers on implementing and executing a terrific defensive scheme.

#7 The return of the Ghost Flare

I’ve stated it just a few occasions this season: The Celtics “Ghost Flare” motion is certainly one of my favourite units they run. It’s easy, it’s efficient, and it’s usually designed for Jaylen Brown, which implies there are a number of choices after the catch.

Nonetheless, we haven’t seen a lot of that set in latest video games. Nonetheless, it made an look in opposition to the Suns.

I’m anticipating this motion to be a staple through the playoffs. The Celtics have a considerably excessive success charge with it. No shock that it led to a bucket within the above clip, both.

#8 Porzingis rim safety was missed

The Suns ended the sport, taking pictures 77.3% across the rim. On the season, the Celtics are holding groups to 62.5% taking pictures inside 4 toes of the basket, rating them third within the NBA. The distinction? Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t within the rotation. Thus, the shortage of size and mobility within the restricted space allowed the Suns to seek out some success.

We frequently converse of Porzingis because the staff’s X-factor, primarily as a consequence of his three-point taking pictures and the way he unlocked the offensive finish spacing. Nonetheless, he’s additionally unlocked the defensive system and is a dependable and impactful rim protector.

Porzingis’ absence could not have been missed an excessive amount of on the offensive finish on this sport, however the Suns’ success in pressuring the rim and changing their appears signifies that his absence was an element on the defensive finish.

Hopefully, Porzingis was sitting out as a consequence of “relaxation,” nevertheless, if he’s carrying a slight knock, it is smart to be cautious with him, given his significance to the Celtics probabilities within the playoffs.

#9 Horford’s rebounding was huge

As you’d count on, Al Horford stepped into the beginning lineup to switch Porzingis. He rapidly made his presence felt on the glass. By the top of the primary quarter, Horford had 5 boards to his identify. By the top of the sport, he was as much as 12.

Think about Horford’s positional protection, versatility in being a succesful change defender, taking part in up-to-touch, and working in drop, his offensive output, and his management, and it was a stable night time for the veteran huge man.

It’s fascinating that between them, Tatum and Horford accounted for greater than 50% of the Celtics whole rebounds. Each had been locked in when trying to management the glass, which helped the staff hold their foot on the gasoline and dictate the tempo of the sport for stretches.

I’ll depart you with this bucket from Horford, as a result of ageless Al working the short-roll is a factor of magnificence.

#10 Jaylen Brown’s surge continued

Jaylen Brown has been on a heater since getting back from the All-Star break. He adopted up his mega night time in opposition to the Nuggets with 27-point night time in opposition to the Suns on 47.6% taking pictures from the sphere and 42.9% taking pictures from the perimeter.

One in all my favourite performs for Brown from the Suns sport was when the Celtics used him because the roll man out of a “Horns Flare” motion. We’ve not seen a lot of that this season, however placing Brown as a screener has actually been one thing Mazzulla has experiemented with in the previous couple of weeks.

Brown has been spectacular all season. I’m working out of how to reward him. That’s why I selected to share a play that I loved moderately than persevering with to say, “he’s thriving as a featured scorer” or “his athleticism makes him an issue across the rim.”

At this level within the season, we’ve just about stated all the things we are able to in regards to the unbelievable manufacturing Brown has been offering the Celtics. Nonetheless, unlocking him as an inverted curler may present an entire host of recent and thrilling actions and alternatives.

Wanting forward

The Celtics are again in motion on Monday night time. They may face the Portland Trail Blazers on what would be the first night time of a back-to-back. The Utah Jazz would be the second opponent. As such, I wouldn’t count on to see Porzingis again within the rotation till Tuesday. He’s constantly sat out the primary night time of back-to-back’s this season and I don’t see that altering right here. After all, Horford will doubtless miss the matchup in opposition to Utah.

Each of the upcoming video games are ones Boston needs to be profitable. By mid-week, we may very well be speaking in regards to the begin of one other profitable run. I hope so. Solely time will inform! Catch everybody on Tuesday morning. Till then, get pleasure from what’s left of the weekend.