Back on track: 10 takeaways from Celtics/Hawks

A bounce-back win over the Atlanta Hawks has received the Boston Celtics again into the win column. Boston was lacking Jrue Vacation and Kristaps Porzignis, but nonetheless discovered a approach to win. Most impressively, they rode out powerful stretches the place the Hawks have been on fireplace from deep.

We additionally noticed a rise in ball motion and a few dominant performances on either side of the court docket. Let’s dive proper in.

#1 Horford’s dominant rebounding

Al Horford simply continues to search out methods to assist this workforce. One sport, he’s pulling down his catch-and-shoot threes to spice up the offense, the subsequent, he’s a short-roll creator. Towards the Hawks, Horford grew to become prime Wilt Chamberlain (sure, it’s hyperbole) on the glass, gobbling up 15 rebounds, with 12 of them on the defensive finish.

Clint Capela was seen because the prototypical rim-runner throughout his prime. He’s nonetheless a bodily presence across the rim, too. But, Horford’s potential to chop off angles and management his house allowed him to make sure the Celtics owned their defensive glass.

It additionally helps that Jayson Tatum has developed right into a high-level rebounder. As his 9 boards and Jaylen Brown’s 7 ensured, the Celtics managed the temp of the sport after defensive stops.

#2 Jaylen Brown is turning into an all-around producer

“I believe I’m a greater basketball participant than I’ve been lately,” Brown advised the media after the sport. “I’ve been in a position to see issues and make performs for others. Tonight was an instance: plenty of hockey assists plenty of getting the ball to the best locations. Have a superb circulation. Have a superb offense. Me, it’s additionally about sustaining that stability of when to make these performs and when to be that killer, be aggressive after I have to. I’m nonetheless determining that stability.”

To start the season, it felt like Brown was getting used as a main scorer. His position is projected to be a cutter, slasher, and spot-up finisher. But, in current video games, he’s embraced a extra full position. He’s utilizing his gravity to create simple reads off the dribble, and he’s rebounding, shutting down screening actions on protection, and attending to his spots on offense.

Take this play for instance. Brown reveals nice persistence in each the primary and secondary actions. On the preliminary pick-and-roll, Atlanta appears to be like to blitz by sending two at Brown. Slightly than seeking to pressure the problem he passes to Payton Pritchard and appears to reset the play.

As soon as Brown receives the ball again, he drives into the tooth of the protection however retains his velocity and physique beneath management. 4 defenders collapse in an try to remove the rim. Brown reads the protection, goes right into a taking pictures movement to threaten a lay-up, and kicks it out to Sam Hauser within the nook for a 3.

These forms of performs by no means used to current themself to Brown. He would both get flustered by the blitz, flip it over on the drive, or pressure the problem on the layup. His sport is evolving, and the spacing on the court docket helps showcase that.

#3 Derrick White’s ball motion

Just like Horford, Derrick White simply finds methods to influence the sport. He can scale his manufacturing based mostly on the workforce’s wants. With Vacation and Porzingis out, White became a playmaking savant, doling out 11 assists for his teammates whereas protecting his turnovers down (he had 3.)

What I preferred about White’s efficiency was that each one his assists have been simple. Most of them got here by way of “subsequent move” basketball, the place he was a pivot level in a play that persistently discovered the open man. Even this dime to Tatum on the put up was a “subsequent move” play and ended up in a bucket.

This season, White has been Boston’s Swiss military knife on the guard place. Final night time, it was working a playmaker; later this week it might be hitting catch-and-shoot threes or pressuring the rim. Regardless of the Celtics want, White retains discovering methods to provide you with the products.

#4 Atlanta’s pick-and-roll protection

Atlanta caught to 2 main pick-and-roll rules for probably the most half. They blitzed on Tatum and Brown, they usually confirmed with everyone else. Each forms of protection contain sending two on the ball-handler after the display has taken place. One retains two on the ball; the opposite sends one of many defenders again to recuperate to his man after just a few steps have been taken.

The Celtics carved open that protection time and time once more.

The above clip was Boston’s first offensive possession of the sport. The Celtics run a Horford/White pick-and-roll. Atlanta go to their present protection. The present permits Horford to get into the paint unchecked. Capela has to recuperate after White will get off the ball.

When Tatum receives the move from White, the protection has to shift, leaving the entry move vast open. Horford will get the straightforward bucket. All the things the Celtics did within the above possession got here after the Hawks dedicated to the present and have been sluggish to recuperate.

The Hawks look to blitz the DHO between Brown and Luke Kornet on this clip. Kornet relocates to the nail and acts as a pivot level. Atlanta’s protection has shifted over and is watching the sturdy facet, leaving house for the ball to swing round on the weak facet and pressure close-outs.

Brown hits Kornet, the massive man swings the rock to White, who goes right into a “subsequent move” mentality, swings it to Hauser, and growth, a straightforward three. Atlanta dedicated two to the ball, and Boston countered with a fast passing second to get an open shot on the second-side motion.

#5 Gettin’ nerdy with it: Discovering counters

Speaking of counters. One among my greatest points with the Celtics offense in current video games has been their lack of a plan B. Too usually, the Celtics have seemed devoid of solutions when the protection shuts down their preliminary motion. So, as you possibly can think about, I used to be happy when the Celtics started to counter the Hawks’ protection, each within the pick-and-roll and on the perimeter.

Within the above clip, the Hawks do a superb job of shutting down the preliminary pick-and-roll — as soon as once more by way of present protection. The ball finds its means right into a second-side motion. Some stable protection forces just a few passes that lead nowhere. So, Payton Pritchard initiates a “Zoom” motion on the sturdy facet, getting Sam Hauser onto the ball and curling off a DHO. The Hawks present onto Hauser, leaving Pritchard in house. A fast move out of the momentary double leaves Pritchard open for the three.

Counters like this are important when the protection is swarming. Particularly for second-unit gamers who’re making an attempt to create some rhythm for themselves and the workforce.

#6 Sam Hasuer’s motion

Sticking with Sam Hauser for a second. Can we simply admire how good he’s gotten at studying when to raise and sink out and in of the corners to make himself obtainable for passes?

#7 Turnover points

For probably the most half, the Celtics took care of the rock. They ended the sport with 12 turnovers in comparison with 24 assists in a pass-heavy system. Nevertheless, there have been moments when sloppy play took over. Tatum was a main perpetrator with 6 turnovers. Nevertheless, we’ve got to rationalize that he has the ball greater than everybody else and faces probably the most defensive consideration.

Nonetheless, 6 turnovers are an excessive amount of. White had 3, Brown had 2, Banton and Kornet had 1 a chunk. It’s not the tip of the world, however stretches like within the fourth quarter, the place Boston had 5 turnovers, can swing the momentum of a sport. They simply want to remain locked in, and never let the protection rattle their cages.

#8 Queta brings the hustle

Neemias Queta is enjoyable! He brings measurement, physicality, and vitality off the bench. In Kristaps Porzingis’ absence, Queta was injected into the bench unit, and made an affordable influence when on the ground. He ended the sport with 7 factors, 10 rebounds, and an help, and created issues for the Hawks on either side of the court docket.

Persoanlly, the beneath play stood out to me because of his vitality and energy.

Two off-ball screens (a slice and a large pin-down) to start the offensive possession present Queta’s exercise degree and hustle. He then slips right into a post-up and requires the rock. A bit little bit of disjointed play ends in a well-earned bucket.

We additionally noticed Queta step onto the perimeter and guard Dejounte Murray. Not that matchup anyone would have envisioned or needed to see, however he did properly, given the mismatch.

Queta does properly to stay along with his man right here. Cuts off the primary drive earlier than giving up his lead hip for the second. Horford rotates over and will get the steal of the season with a transfer straight out of NBA Avenue — I’m exhibiting my age with that reference.

#9 Jayson Tatum does Jayson Tatum issues

I believe the title of this one says all of it. Tatum was Tatumming everywhere. What I preferred most was that the majority of Tatum’s three-point pictures have been coming off the catch. Why did I like that? As a result of on the season, he’s taking pictures 45.9% from deep in catch-and-shoot possession however simply 32.7% when pulling up off the dribble.

Tatum has been a greater catch-and-shoot perimeter risk for a number of seasons at this level. If he’s utilizing his dribble to create house for drives or to generate passing alternatives is when he’s a handful for opposing defenses; if he’s making an attempt to create pictures from deep, the protection has received.

In fact, we additionally received a wholesome dose of post-play, which has turn into the norm and is a welcomed addition. And do they get any prettier than this?

Tatum additionally balled out on protection and was a inventive pressure regardless of the Hawks seeking to blitz on each display. General, it was a stable bounce-back sport for him after a tricky exhibiting in opposition to the Magic. Hopefully, the flu signs he’s been coping with are a factor of the previous.

#10 Atlanta’s protection is unhealthy

Atlanta’s protection is extremely disjointed. They rank twenty fourth within the NBA, and they should iron out some unhealthy habits. The worst behavior on present is how they completely lose monitor of their man. A key defensive precept is “see ball, see man,” but the Hawks solely give attention to the primary a part of that mantra.

As we’ve seen in a number of the clips above, the Hawks can turn into hyperfocused on the ball-dominant facet and have a tendency to open themselves as much as back-cuts or weak-side screening actions.

Above is an efficient instance of how solely “seeing ball” can depart you vulnerable to getting cooked by way of cuts. I’m not complaining, in fact. But it surely’s price declaring so we are able to admire the Celtics’ high-level protection that little bit extra.

Wanting forward

We’re again to in-season match play now. The Celtics will face the Chicago Bulls of their closing group sport and can want issues to go their means in the event that they need to make it into the knockout levels.

Chris Forsberg broke down the completely different eventualities in a current put up on X (previously generally known as Twitter.)

I’m an enormous fan of the match and the elevated degree of play we’re seeing due to it. Nonetheless, I would love the Celtics to proceed taking part in mentioned match, which implies I, like most of you, shall be on the sting of my seat after I get up on Wednesday and watch the sport again!