The Celtics simply performed like 300 video games within the month of January or one thing. That was fairly wild, however they got here out largely unscathed. 11-5 with simply 3 of these video games coming towards groups below .500 (two of which have been Houston who flirts with being 1 or 2 video games below).
A brutal schedule and Kristaps lacking a while equals a 56-ish win tempo. The Celtics are, to make use of the phrase I take advantage of when attempting to get my associates to look at Arrested Improvement, “actually good, man.” Let’s take a look at some the explanation why.
Stat of the Week: 5.22-to-1
I think about being 6’1” is fairly troublesome within the NBA. There are only a few jobs on the earth the place being smaller than your co-workers is a professional drawback. It’s actually simply shelf stockers and NBA gamers. However just like the smallest stocker simply putting the soup on the underside shelf, missing peak does have some benefits. Payton Pritchard is exploiting them.
The stat above is Payton Pritchard’s assist-to-turnover ratio this season. It’s top-10 amongst qualifying gamers (min 10 mpg). There are actually methods you’ll be able to juice your assist-to-turnover ratio which can be really detrimental to the workforce. You may lavatory down the offense by refusing to assault close-outs or completely make overly conservative passes. The league chief in assist-to-turnover ratio is Indy’s Ben Sheppard, whose function offensively is minimal and dominated by spot-up jumpers.
The great thing about Pritchard’s unbelievable assist-to-turnover ratio is that it’s include him being extra aggressive off the dribble. He’s gotten so snug with the ball in his palms generally I really feel like he’s a Canadian mullet away from Steve Nash (It is a huge exaggeration, however I wished to shout out Steve’s mullet. Please don’t decide, thanks.). Whereas Nash is a lofty and laughable comparability, he has borrowed a few of Nash’s trickery.
Love that Pritchard has began incorporating the “Nash” into his sport. He is not perfected it and some of those are powerful photographs, however it retains the offense transferring It is also part of the explanation his help to turnover ratio is so good since he is not forcing something. pic.twitter.com/NzjubiC0dV
— Wayne Spooney (@WSpooney) February 1, 2024
PP’s major weak point as an offensive participant is ending on the rim. It’s not that he’s dangerous at it, it’s that his size and athleticism restrict the variety of occasions he may even get a shot off. Pritchard’s adjustment of doing the “Nash” and flying proper on by means of the paint has largely labored. He’s minimize down the variety of occasions he grinds the offense to a halt by getting trapped close to the basket. It’s additionally a protected play, one which’s helped him carve out top-of-the-line help to turnover ratios within the league. Now, he simply wants to look at some TJ McConnell tape.
Xs and OOOOhhhhhhhsss: the Jays discovering KP
I don’t have a very in-depth Xs and Os part this week, however I do need to spotlight one thing that I feel is extremely essential. Because the season has gone on, the Jays have grown into enjoying with Kristaps Porzingis. In an interview with ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Tatum referred to as Porzingis his Paul Gasol to his Kobe Bryant.
If their relationship have been a film, it will be a film about two finest associates that ultimately settle for a 3rd particular person into their friendship. I don’t watch lots of films, however certainly somebody studying this could consider a related one.
The place I actually need to focus, although, is how shortly the Jays have began to acknowledge when KP has a mismatch. It’s particularly spectacular if you notice that when KP has a mismatch, it normally means KP’s man has switched onto the Jay, so that they have one as properly. It wouldn’t be a foul choice to assault no matter large has switched onto them, however KP’s absurd effectivity this season has tugged the Jays’ choice making invariable in direction of giving the ball up. It’s working.
Right here’s Tatum with John Collins on him (who he can pan fry, toss within the oven, after which let tent below some foil like a superbly cooked filet mignon). As a substitute, he sees Simone Fontecchio on KP and, like a agency however honest father, factors for KP to publish up and take benefit. It’s a simple lollipop go excessive and a straightforward two.
On this play, KP and JB work a bit two-man sport to get the rookie Amen Thompson on KP. As soon as he does, JB instantly finds him and KP goes to work.
In opposition to the Warmth, the sport plan was easy: get Bam Adebayo off KP and let him do the remainder. The Jays knew the task.
There’s a maturity to the Jays’ method this season that bodes properly for its final result, and there’s nowhere that’s extra apparent than watching them play with Porzingis. The Jays have began to grasp that ever-difficult tightrope of being a star and getting their teammates concerned.
Non-basketball Stuff of the Week: the fiction of dangerous wins
I get it, the Celtics play like crap, however they nonetheless eek out a win on account of sheer expertise. The frequent chorus after a efficiency like that’s to confer with it as a “dangerous win.” I can suppose of some: Memphis, Houston, and the newest Indy sport.
Right here’s why I don’t ascribe to this specific NBA trope; a couple of underperforming wins a yr means nothing within the common season. The common season is the place championship contenders go to be taught issues. Add wrinkles to their offense, discover lineups that work, and polish the defensive rotations. It’s a time to strive stuff which may not at all times work. It’s additionally lengthy sufficient that there’ll invariably be video games the place the photographs simply don’t fall.
Typically that can result in underperformance. However the truth that this Celtics workforce can underperform and nonetheless win video games isn’t a damaging. It’s not a referendum on their means to win a championship. Actually, it’s the alternative. This workforce is so good that they will play poorly and win. And within the NBA Playoffs, a win is a win is a win, I don’t care what it appears to be like like.
You don’t be taught rather a lot a few workforce after they shoot 55% from 3 and blow the doorways off an opponent, however you’ll be able to determine rather a lot if you’re a canine struggle with the Houston Rockets. My perspective is that there aren’t any dangerous wins, simply wins that you find yourself studying a bit bit extra from.
