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1. On a completely frigid evening in Boston, issues have been freezing inside TD Backyard too. The Boston Celtics and Phoenix Suns by no means fairly discovered the capturing contact, however Phoenix discovered their power to tug away from Boston a few totally different occasions.
At factors in each halves, the Celtics regarded like they have been sleepwalking by way of the sport. Joe Mazzulla referred to as it “inconsistent execution”, whereas Jaylen Brown stated Boston was “going by way of the motions”. Both approach, it was an annoying efficiency.
For giant parts of the sport, the Celtics regarded like they have been on the finish of a five-games-in-seven-nights stretch or one thing. In these conditions, a group having low power is comprehensible.
However Boston was within the midst of a stretch the place they performed two video games in every week. The Celtics performed the Los Angeles Lakers final Saturday, then had three days off earlier than crushing the Brooklyn Nets. This recreation got here on the common one-day of relaxation, however Boston now has the weekend off earlier than subsequent taking part in on Monday. Which means from Sunday to Sunday, the blokes in inexperienced could have performed simply two video games.
And which means there isn’t any excuse to play with out power.
2. Jaylen Brown has had a terrific season. His scoring recreation is the most effective it has ever been. It’s approaching a stage the place he’s nearly as good as anybody within the league at placing up factors. He’s additionally rebounding higher than ever and rounding out his playmaking recreation.
On the opposite finish of the ground, Brown is at his finest when he’s on-ball or pressed right into a ball-denial position above the break. He did an exquisite job of denying Stephen Curry the ball in Boston’s win over the Golden State Warriors a couple of weeks in the past.
However when Brown is requested to easily guard his man away from the ball, issues like this occur far too usually:
Deandre Ayton had executed all the Suns scoring so far, so it’s truthful to have an additional eye on him. However Brown had no concept Mikal Bridges had slid all the way down to the nook, and fewer of an concept that Bridges was slicing out of the strongside nook.
These types of lapses price you towards good groups. Within the playoffs, the place video games decelerate and each possession means extra, this may be the distinction between a win and a loss.
In a deserving All-Star season, and doable All-NBA 12 months, Brown actually wants to wash stuff like this up.
3. The above being stated, Jaylen Brown was the one Celtic who confirmed as much as rating within the first eight minutes or so of the sport. Boston began out dreadfully chilly from the ground, minus Brown, who had 10 factors to open the sport.
Sadly, this three-pointer on the primary play of the sport wasn’t an indicator of issues to return, however it was nonetheless good play-design. Every time Jayson Tatum screens for Brown, or vice versa, good issues appear to occur:
Brown is healthier than ever at attacking bigs on switches, and that comes from his versatility as a scorer. When he was youthful, Brown would get the massive on a change, again the ball out, put his head down and drive all the best way to the rim at 100 MPH. And it was each time he acquired that state of affairs.
Right here, Brown acquired Deandre Ayton on the change, backed the ball out and when Ayton laid again, Brown pulled up for the three:
We confirmed you Brown shedding Mikal Bridges earlier. Right here’s the distinction when he’s up and pressuring his man. Merely put, Brown is a distinct, and higher, defender when he’s guarding above the break:
4. The Celtics acquired down by as many as 20 factors within the first half. They ultimately chipped away at that to finish the half and all through the third quarter. By the start of the fourth quarter, Boston had the ball and an opportunity to take the lead. Malcolm Brogdon missed a floater and in a really actual sense, the sport was over.
We didn’t notice it within the second, contemplating there was 11:44 to play when Brogdon missed, however the Suns have been about to grab again management and put the sport away. They usually did so with a lineup that featured two Two-Means gamers (Saben Lee and Ish Wainright) and two gamers who’re solely sometimes within the rotation (Dario Saric and Jock Landale).
Phoenix went on a 14-2 run to open the fourth quarter to push their lead from one-point to 13 factors over a three-minute stretch. Boston by no means severely threatened once more.
This play was emblematic of the dearth of power all recreation from Boston. We’re not going responsible Luke Kornet for Jock Landale outrunning him for this and-1 dunk, as a result of Kornet exited with some form of damage proper after this play. However nobody else is again. That’s a middle outrunning all the protection proper to the entrance of the rim:
Good steal by Grant Williams to begin this play, however there’s a motive coaches preach from youth league onward to by no means blind-save the ball beneath your personal hoop:
Landale missed a 3 right here and Boston let the ball bounce all the best way again out to him. From there, he swung it to Damion Lee who drilled a backbreaking triple:
Three performs that have been all preventable, and all helped gas a Phoenix run.
5. Associated to center video of the above takeaway…what occurred to Grant Williams?
By way of December, Williams regarded like somebody the Celtics have been going to have at hand an enormous contract to as a restricted free agent. Williams was taking part in the important thing third-big position and placing up some spectacular stats. Williams averaged 9.0 factors and 4.7 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per recreation off Boston’s bench. And he did so on 52/44/83 capturing splits.
When the calendar turned, so did Williams’ play. In 17 video games from January 1 onward, Williams is capturing simply 40.2% from the sector and his three-point capturing has dipped to 36.2%. As well as, Williams hasn’t been almost as efficient on protection both.
Possibly it’s only a hunch. That occurs. However possibly Williams is urgent a bit and beginning to really feel the strain of taking part in for his subsequent deal. No matter it’s, he and the Celtics have to get it found out.
6. Associated to all the above: Boston has huge issues when Jayson Tatum sits. For the season, the numbers are fairly stark.
The Celtics have an offensive score of 120.8 when Tatum is on the ground, which might be the most effective mark within the NBA by wholesome margin.
When Tatum sits, the Celtics offensive score drops to 110.3. That might rank 28th within the league, forward of solely bottom-dwellers Houston and Charlotte. That -10.5 distinction is likely one of the largest in all the NBA amongst key rotation gamers.
The falloff interprets to the opposite finish of the ground too. Boston’s defensive score when Tatum is on the courtroom is 111.3. Which is correct across the Celtics total rating of fifth within the NBA. When Tatum sits, the defensive score drops to 114, which is concerning the league common.
General, the Celtics maintain a +9.5 web distinction when Tatum is on the ground. When he’s resting, Boston is -3.7. That’s a 13.2 margin. Once more, that’s principally the most important break up for a key rotation participant in all the league.
To place it very merely: The Celtics are nice when Jayson Tatum is taking part in. Traditionally good on offense and superb on protection. When Jayson Tatum sits, the offense is horrible and the protection is common.
7. We’ll proceed to hyperlink issues collectively right here to say: The Celtics want a wing. Boston can’t proceed to bleed factors the best way they do when Jayson Tatum sits, and so they want cowl for Jaylen Brown as effectively.
Because it stands proper now, Joe Mazzulla can barely take them off the ground, by no means thoughts resting Tatum and Brown for a recreation right here and there. If Luke Kornet’s damage seems to be one thing critical, then the Celtics might want to take a look at including one other huge. However including a fourth-big to play over Kornet isn’t almost the necessity that including one other wing is. It’s actually not even shut.
8. This one is straightforward: For the primary time in a very long time, Boston was crushed up on the glass. The Suns grabbed 10 offensive rebounds in comparison with simply three for the Celtics. That’s doubtless associated to that lack of power we’ve already talked about, as Phoenix isn’t a dominant rebounding group.
9. To shut with a optimistic: Rob Williams appears like Rob Williams. He had a few of these “Whoa!” performs on this one.
Until you might be fast and explosive sufficient to match him, difficult Williams straight up in isolation is a nasty concept:
The old-timers are going to say issues like “Invoice Russell would have tipped this to a teammate”, however each as soon as and some time, Russell admitted he would simply destroy a shot to ship a message. Williams tried to do this right here:
10. The Celtics aren’t nearly as good because the group that demoralized the Nets so badly that Kyrie Irving requested for a commerce. Boston additionally isn’t anyplace close to as dangerous as they regarded towards Phoenix. They’re an excellent, however not nice group. And that’s nice, because it doesn’t appear to be the NBA has any nice groups this season.
The priority for now isn’t as a lot about pushing for the 60-win mark. That’s a really arbitrary marker that doesn’t actually imply something. The priority is holding off the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, who’re each only one recreation behind within the loss column.
The Celtics have six video games earlier than the All-Star break, together with ones towards each Milwaukee and Philadelphia. They’ve additionally acquired three video games towards the Detroit Pistons and Charlotte Hornets, and sandwiched within the center is a Super Bowl Sunday matinee towards the Memphis Grizzlies.
Boston can nonetheless hit the All-Star break in an incredible spot, however they should care for their very own enterprise. Given the best way this season has gone up to now, it’s a great wager they are going to. And that begins once more on Monday at Detroit.
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