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1. Discuss flipping the change. For many of the first half, the Boston Celtics gave the impression to be going by means of the motions, and the Charlotte Hornets took benefit. With about two minutes to play earlier than the break, Boston locked in. That carried over to the second half, and the Celtics by no means regarded again.
From trailing by as many as 16 factors to main by as many as 18 factors, to working away with a 16-point win, Boston flipped the change in a significant method.
Positive, you’d favor the Celtics confirmed up able to dominate from the opening tip. However that’s merely not the way it works. Some nights that may chew you. You let the opponent out of the field and may’t cram them again in. Some video games you may’t get it collectively in time to make the rally. However on different nights, you work it out and draw back for a win.
Coming off a string of spectacular victories, we aren’t going to look down on the Celtics for not having it collectively in opposition to a far lesser opponent for 48 minutes. It’s simple to say “What in the event that they didn’t rally?” and to be damaging. However that’s lacking that Boston did, in truth, rally. They awakened and took care of enterprise in a formidable method within the second half, particularly so contemplating they had been down two starters.
2. Even when the Celtics protection was leaving loads to be desired, the offense was fairly dialed in. Boston tallied 35 assists on 47 baskets. The primary half featured lots of nice ball motion the place everybody was getting a tricky, whereas the second half was the extra conventional drive-and-kick, pick-and-roll and working the break stuff.
Kickout go, swing go, additional go, splash:
It’s unlucky that Derrick White received harm (suffered a neck sprain after a collision with Marcus Good within the first quarter), as a result of he was off to a terrific begin.
The performs the place Boston strikes the ball greatest usually finish in an open three-pointer, however typically they end on the rim. Good job by Luke Kornet to maintain this ball alive to begin the play. From there, Marcus Good makes an incredible go to the slicing Malcolm Brogdon, who leaves it for Kornet to complete off with the dunk:
That very same trio connects right here. Kornet does a pleasant job being huge and in the best way on the handoff to Good. When he goes up, Good goes to shoot this, however he finds Brogdon. As a result of Kornet is taking on house, the Hornets can’t assist the helper. And the weakside wing isn’t leaving Al Horford, who already hit a few threes. The result’s an open triple for Brogdon:
In late-clock conditions, it’s widespread for the ballhandler to attempt to do it himself. Right here, Brogdon attracts the protection and drops it off to Rob Williams. Now, to be balanced, Williams ought to have simply dunked this. No motive to make issues tougher than they should be As a substitute, Williams kicks it out to Jayson Tatum, who fires the one-handed swing go to Horford in a single movement. Horford is aware of the clock and flips it to Brogdon, who relocated to the nook after passing to Williams to begin the cycle:
3. We’re going to pause right here to provide some like to Malcolm Brogdon. This was his greatest recreation as a Celtic, and it got here when the group actually wanted it. Jaylen Brown was out resulting from his sore adductor, and Derrick White was misplaced early within the first quarter.
That meant Brogdon needed to see an uptick in minutes and manufacturing. In 31 minutes, the veteran guard dropped in 30 factors on 11-of-17 capturing, together with 4-of-6 from behind the arc.
You’ll see Brogdon sprinkled in lots of the clips we pulled, however there aren’t a ton of true “wow!” performs from him. He’s simply steadily stable. Nothing flashy, however most of the time, Brogdon makes the best play. Boston could be very fortunate to have him.
4. As a lot as Malcolm Brogdon’s play helped get the Celtics going, Rob Williams is the one who actually received issues rotated for the Celtics.
Early on, Williams did his vertical spacing factor on back-to-back journeys. That is informal excellence, as Jayson Tatum flips the lob to Rob:
If the large cheats too early when a Boston ballhandler drives off a display, Williams is coming within the backdoor for the lob:
Whereas the lobs are enjoyable, it was Williams’ power and energy that modified the sport. This monster offensive rebound and putback for the and-1 completed off a possession the place Williams saved the ball alive for 3 photographs:
On this play, Williams dug out the free ball earlier than getting it to Al Horford to swing to Malcolm Brogdon:
These two performs, plus Williams urging a pickup within the defensive depth, helped Boston flip the change late within the first half.
5. Earlier, we lined a few of the ball motion from Boston the place a bunch of men touched the ball to make performs. Right here’s some equally good ball and participant motion, however in two-man actions.
On this play, Marcus Good threw a bomb to Jayson Tatum that’s nearly as good as any you’ll see within the NFL playoffs this weekend:
This was an incredible late-clock minimize by Payton Pritchard and an impressive discover from Al Horford:
Horford performed a terrific all-around recreation on this one. Pritchard helps out right here by setting an excellent display to free Jayson Tatum on the minimize:
This was a easy, however good go from Good. He throws it away from the paint, the place the assistance is and helps lead Tatum to the baseline, the place he can overpower Terry Rozier:
6. Jayson Tatum and Malcolm Brogdon mixed for 63 factors, however this was one other win for Boston the place they received loads from the entire energetic roster. Everybody who performed contributed. Al Horford had his greatest all-around recreation of the season, whereas Rob Williams power modified the sport earlier than the half. Luke Kornet and Grant Williams didn’t rating a lot, however crammed up the stat sheet in different methods, together with some good protection within the second half.
Derrick White was off to a scorching begin earlier than getting harm, and Marcus Good was dropping dimes far and wide. And Payton Pritchard turned in a second robust outing off the bench.
The Celtics bench depth past Brogdon doesn’t all the time soar out at you. However for those who watch each recreation, you see these guys know their roles. They’re ready to do what’s requested of them, even when the taking part in time is inconsistent. It’s the sort of stable bench that may make it easier to navigate a protracted common season and may be additive within the playoffs.
7. It’s an indication of how good the Celtics had been as an entire, that Jayson Tatum’s greatest performs are this deep within the Takeaways. Tatum did his greatest work within the mid-post space. By taking no dribbles, the assistance doesn’t know when to return and Tatum has the scale and talent to show and shoot over most defenders:
This can be a mid-post contact in transition. From there, Tatum makes use of the lightning-quick spin to get to the baseline drive for the dunk:
This one other no-dribble shot from the mid-post space. This time, Tatum has the a lot smaller defender and easily rises and fires over him:
8. Al Horford does most of his work as a stretch huge now. It’s been an evolution that started in his final yr in Atlanta and continued by means of each of his Boston tenures. Even with a stoop in December, Horford is capturing 44.1% from behind the arc this yr.
The nook three, the best nook particularly, has turn out to be Horford’s cash shot:
That is the opposite shot Horford will get loads. Bigs instinctually get again in transition to guard the paint. Every recreation, Horford will get a 3 or two in transition as a trailer or semi-trailer:
9. We referred to as it out earlier, however this was one other actually productive recreation for Payton Pritchard. He could also be the very best catch-and-shoot-on-the-move shooter on the Celtics. Take a look at how onerous Pritchard comes off this display to get himself open:
He’s not Marcus Good or Derrick White, however for those who get cute with the dribble, Pritchard will choose your pocket and head the opposite method:
The NBA’s chief in offensive rebounds per inches tall was at it once more too:
10. It wasn’t the prettiest begin for the Celtics, however they received it completed ultimately. That’s what issues.
Now, they’ve received to do it once more on Monday afternoon. Boston is sticking in Charlotte to shut out the mini-series with an MLK Day matinee. It’s onerous to beat the identical group twice in a row, however the Celtics ought to be in good condition to tug it off, even when Derrick White doesn’t play.
After the MLK Day recreation, Boston has two days off earlier than a giant rematch with the Golden State Warriors at TD Backyard on Thursday. Then it’s proper again on the street once more. However the Celtics can’t overlook the Hornets. Maintain that one first, then getting some measure of revenge may be dealt with late subsequent week.
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