Tired legs: 10 takeaways from Celtics/Bucks

One thing a bit of totally different at the moment. I gained’t sit right here and berate a crew that has been slugging it out all week underneath tough circumstances. As an alternative, I’m going to take a extra holistic method to those takeaways.

#1 The Celtics have been working a gauntlet

5 video games between Friday, Jan 5, and Thursday, Jan. 11.

5.

That’s what number of occasions we’ve watched the Boston Celtics up to now week. 4 of these video games had been back-to-backs. The Celtics had been the touring crew for each of these second video games. First, they flew from Boston to Indiana. Then, they flew from Boston to Milwaukee. Positive, these are quick flights. Nonetheless, you end a recreation and hop onto a airplane earlier than enjoying the subsequent night time.

Ultimately, when confronted with a schedule like that, your power goes to expire. These are human beings we’re speaking about. Sure, their conditioning is at an elite stage. Sure, they’re paid some huge cash to do their job. And sure, they’re residing out a dream life that many people have envisioned at one level or one other.

None of that issues, although. The very fact is, people get drained, no matter their conditioning. The physique wants time to recuperate, and 5 video games in seven days with journey on each back-to-backs isn’t conducive to getting one of the best out of your stars on the again finish of that stretch.

#2 Joe Mazzulla made the precise name

Pulling the starters at half-time wasn’t Joe Mazzulla signaling give up. It was the pinnacle coach of a contending crew recognizing the state of affairs. His crew was drained. If you’re drained and worn down, there’s a better danger of harm.

Mazzulla’s determination additionally gave the bench rotation extra time on the courtroom, which can solely assist construct some continuity throughout the system and maintain them engaged. This wasn’t a rubbish time contest, to start with; these bench guys obtained some run in opposition to the Bucks’s beginning lineup. That should have felt nice for them. You already know, apart from the scoreline.

#3 No power from the opening tip

The writing was on the wall from the opening tip. This Celtics crew has constructed their basis on high-energy protection. Rotations are crisp and sharp. Gamers dash on close-outs; they swap with tempo and function.

Not on Thursday.

The power was lacking from the leap. That’s okay, nevertheless it was very clear that there have been some heavy legs on the market.

#4 Nothing went proper

Generally, issues simply don’t go your manner. And typically, all the things goes precisely the way you deliberate it. That was the juxtaposition Boston confronted in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks. All the things Milwaukee touched become gold, and all the things Boston touched, properly, you get the thought.

The Celtics shot 25.7% from 3-point vary, Milwaukee shot 42.9%. Boston hit 37.4% of their field-goal pictures, and Milwaukee transformed at a 56.5% clip. Boston had 31 boards; the Bucks had 54. The record goes on and on.

Once more, plenty of this may be put right down to the Celtics’s lack of relaxation, the drained legs, and the very fact Milwaukee was coming off a two-day break and clearly had some extent to show — each to themselves and to the Celtics.

That’s tremendous as a result of…

#5 We’ll see Milwaukee once more

And once we do, issues needs to be way more even, and the Celtics may have a rating to settle. Drained or not, this loss would have damage everyone’s delight. There’s one thing about getting blown out by a direct division rival that brings out a unique stage of competitiveness, and the Bucks must stand up to that the subsequent time these two groups play.

The draw back? We must wait till March to get the rematch. Something can occur between at times. Nonetheless, our solely hope is that each groups are absolutely wholesome. The excellent news is that neither crew might be on a back-to-back for this recreation; the Bucks might be confronted with a loud TD Backyard crowd and a roster that has a rating to settle.

Mark your calendars, girls and gents; this one might be an actual slugfest.

#6 No must overreact

This takeaway might be like the remainder of them: quick however candy.

It’s a loss. You are taking it and transfer on. It’s additionally a loss with context connected to it. It wasn’t that the crew couldn’t be bothered to play or had been out partying a bit of too onerous the night time earlier than. As an alternative, it was a loss that you could possibly perceive. A loss that you could possibly settle for.

I’m happy with that. Sure, it sucks it needed to come in opposition to the Bucks. It might have been worse, although. It might have been the Los Angeles Lakers or Philadelphia 76ers. Silver linings and all that.

#7 The bench mob

We obtained to see plenty of these guys. This season, we’ve been fairly spoiled. Often, when Mazzulla empties the bench, it’s as a result of the Celtics have been dominating, and the sport is over. Not this time. As an alternative, we obtained to see what the deeper bench rotation might do when making an attempt to chase down a lead in opposition to one of the vital proficient groups within the NBA.

It went how you’ll anticipate it to go. Issues appeared good for the primary jiffy of the third quarter. The Celtics strung collectively a bit of run; there was some intrigue as to how Mazzulla would divvy up his rotation minutes. After which, the Bucks turned the stress again up.

Nonetheless, we obtained a greater have a look at Dalano Banton, Lamar Stevens, and Svi Mykahiliuk, and naturally, we obtained some Neemy minutes, which is all the time enjoyable and attention-grabbing. The draw back, later within the recreation, when the Bucks emptied their bench, we had been compelled to observe Thanasis Antetokounmpo and that was not an pleasant expertise.

#8 Large minutes for Pritchard

I appreciated seeing Pritchard get the possibility to play massive minutes. I might have most well-liked it to come back throughout a aggressive recreation the place he can study from the expertise. Nonetheless, he was one of many Celtics higher performers on the night time, even when he was additionally affected by the three-point struggles Boston discovered themselves dealing with.

Pritchard brings a sure tempo to the sport. He can create issues along with his pace and off-ball motion courtesy of his capturing gravity. And he defends his tail off. Late within the second quarter, he was mismatched with Bobby Portis and was jostling for place in opposition to an even bigger, stronger participant. Pritchard didn’t again down, although. Ultimately, Kristaps Porzingis rotated over to scram him out of there.

I appreciated that struggle. I appreciated how even down by like, 30, Pritchard was nonetheless digging in and placing within the onerous yards. It will have been really easy to sag off and await Portis to face up and shoot over him.

It’s possessions like that remind you that even when his shot isn’t falling, Pritchard can discover methods to be impactful. Shout out to Sam Hauser, too; he was stable all night time and managed to drop 4 of the Celtic’s 9 threes.

#9 A wider-ranging thought

I don’t assume we give Jayson Tatum sufficient credit score for the enhancements he’s made as a passer out of the pick-and-roll. Such a move, with two defenders pressuring you, is elite. Tatum’s capacity to persistently make sensible reads out of traps, blitzes, and hedges has develop into a core a part of his total skillset, and oftentimes, it’s straightforward to overlook the rising pains we watched him undergo to get to the extent he’s at now.

#10 Right here’s a spotlight to brighten your day.

Okay, Oshae!

Trying forward

The Celtics are again in motion on Saturday. They are going to be dealing with the Houston Rockets, which additionally means the return of Ime Udoka to the TD Backyard. It is going to be attention-grabbing to see how the crew responds to their loss in opposition to the Bucks and the way they cope with dealing with Ime for the primary time.

Lot’s to dissect over the weekend! Till then! Have an amazing day, and I’ll catch you on Sunday!