After two banger matchups final season, the Boston Celtics and Minnesota Timberwolves are squaring off for the primary time within the new marketing campaign. To date, it’s been an thrilling back-and-forth sport, however the Cs nonetheless have a 55-52 lead on the break.
Now, prepare for some Halftime Sizzling Takes, buddy.
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Jaylen Brown has had sufficient of the Celtics’ sluggish begins
Jaylen Brown has been recognized to pop off within the first quarter sometimes, however Sunday’s opening stretch was totally different. JB drilled 5 straight three-point makes an attempt to attain Boston’s first 15 factors on this one.
He received going off of some nice seems created by wonderful workforce ball motion. Then that confidence advanced into this:
I nearly fell out of my chair.
It’s felt like JB’s been due for a heater for fairly a while now. His three-point shot hasn’t fairly been there up to now this yr.
Jaylen Brown had been 14 of his final 68 (20.5%) from 3.
He made 5 straight to start the sport.
The Wolves and Celtics surrender the fewest 3-point pictures within the NBA.
18 of the primary 23 pictures at the moment have been 3’s.
— Sean Grande (@SeanGrandePBP) November 24, 2024
Although he missed his subsequent two makes an attempt, the scorcher is definitely one thing for Brown to construct off of going ahead.
The Celtics may need offered their souls for these 5 Jaylen threes
In order enjoyable because the opening minutes had been with all the Jaylen triples, the remainder of the quarter was just about the alternative. The primary non-Jaylen-Brown factors got here with 2:50 left within the opening body when Jrue Vacation sank a pair of free throws.
That’s a LONG time to go with out anybody else placing the ball within the basket.
Payton Pritchard turned the second Celtic to make a discipline objective on the very subsequent possession, as he hit a fall-away shot over Rudy Gobert.
Up till that time, the remainder of the squad had shot a mixed 0-13 from the ground.
Not one of the best begin I’ve ever seen, I’ve to be sincere.
Boston was lucky sufficient to be down simply three factors by the point the quarter got here to a detailed.
Xavier Tillman’s rotation hopes stay alive
Xavier Tillman had been doing loads of watching from the sidelines previous to Friday’s win in opposition to the Washington Wizards. Credit score to him, although. He made probably the most out of his look within the nation’s capital and earned himself some further burn in opposition to Minnesota on Sunday.
Although he didn’t do something that’ll make you leap out of your seat, he proved to be stable as soon as once more throughout his quick stint. Stable is basically the bar on the subject of Boston’s backup bigs. Luke Kornet, who’s out vs. the Timberwolves, is the kind of participant that Joe Mazzulla can at all times rely on to defend, make sensible performs, and end his seems within the paint.
Tillman isn’t fairly the paint presence that Kornet is, however he offers the workforce an added perimeter defensive possibility, permitting them to play a extra switchable fashion.
As well as, he’s a stable deicision maker, which may’t be stated about all the workforce’s massive guys.
It’s nice to see him trying a bit extra comfy on the market, after struggling to start out his first full season as a Celtic.
