“It’s about crew for them. You’ll be able to see that with the ball motion,” Mavericks coach Jason Kidd mentioned after Boston’s win over Dallas. “They’re not apprehensive about who’s taking pictures it.”
It’s apparent to the Mavericks coach, it’s apparent to the Celtics coach, and it’s apparent to anybody who watches — this Celtics group performs crew basketball. The Celtics completed with 33 assists to the Mavericks’ 20, with Derrick White (8 assists), Jrue Vacation (7 assists) and Jaylen Brown (5 assists) main the best way.
The 138-110 demolition of the Mavs marked the tenth consecutive win for Boston. It additionally offered one more information level {that a} team-oriented method is working.
Jayson Tatum scored two factors within the first quarter, however completed with 32 on the evening. Regardless of having the new hand, Vacation tried simply 6 photographs and completed with 11 factors on 3-3 from downtown. Kristaps Porzingis, who’s seemingly had a perpetual mismatch all 12 months, tried 14 photographs and sat out the whole fourth quarter.
It’s been a prevailing theme all season, however the distribution of expertise on this Celtics roster implies that making the correct reads comes earlier than anybody participant’s particular person success. It implies that Jayson Tatum gained’t common the identical eye-popping stats as Luka Doncic, and that Derrick White wasn’t named an All Star regardless of his excellent play
However none of that issues, as a result of the wins preserve piling up.
“Our crew doesn’t name for me to dominate the ball and essentially need to make each single play,” Tatum mentioned after the sport. “It’s not a foul factor – simply the dynamic of our crew doesn’t name for that. In a way, it form of makes life simpler at occasions – we’ve gained 10 video games in a row. There’s nothing to actually complain about. We’re heading in the right direction.”
Tatum defined that within the first quarter, there have been a string of possessions the place the correct learn meant a move to one in every of his teammates — Porzingis with a smaller defender within the publish, Jaylen Brown with a mismatch, Vacation within the nook. In flip, Porzingis completed with 13 factors within the opening interval, Vacation with 8, Brown with 7, and the Celtics led by 6 factors after one.
“If it requires me to basically move the ball eight possessions in a row as a result of that’s the correct learn, then it’s a must to belief that that’s what’s going to assist us win the sport,” Tatum mentioned.
Mazzulla pushed again on the notion {that a} two-point first quarter meant that his MVP candidate had a gradual begin.
“I don’t contemplate it a gradual begin. I contemplate it a crew begin,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned. “For those who return and watch the shot choice that we took, labeling it as a gradual begin shouldn’t be giving the remainder of our crew the credit score that they deserve for getting off to such an excellent begin.”
Mazzulla has praised Tatum’s willingness to defer to others all 12 months, and famous that his crew method to basketball has been central to what’s made the Celtics so profitable this season. Final evening, he echoed that sentiment: “It’s a credit score to him – his belief, his persistence, his understanding.”
Placing their foot on the fuel within the third
For a second there, it regarded just like the Celtics might lastly be due for a detailed end – the Mavericks trailed by simply two factors halfway via the third quarter. However, for the fourth consecutive recreation, the result was determined after a significant scoring outburst. With the Celtics main 81-79 a couple of minutes into the third, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum hit back-to-back threes to regain management of the ball recreation. The Celtics then outscored the Mavericks 57-31 the remainder of the best way.
“We’re simply enjoying our recreation,” Porzingis mentioned. “I feel what’s cool is that we’re trusting one another, and that begins from JB and JT. They’re discovering me in my spots, and we make the additional move, and do these little issues for one another that simply offers us vitality.”
Tatum completed the evening with 32 factors – 16 of which got here within the third quarter. In that interval, Vacation performed all twelve minutes and didn’t try a single shot – as a result of it wasn’t what the sport known as for.
“Each possession, there’s two or three of us that really feel like and notice that we have now the benefit, we have now the mismatch, however just one individual can shoot it,” Tatum mentioned. “If I really feel like I’ve the massive on me, however KP has the small, I’ve to be okay with trusting and throwing it to him within the publish. We reap the benefits of that, after which they alter how they guard us, after which I can discover other ways to assault. And, you already know, we’re profitable, in order that makes issues rather a lot simpler.”
What’s stood out over these previous few weeks is that when groups reply to the Celtics’ offensive explosion, they don’t get rattled. In opposition to Philadelphia, the Celtics lead was lower to 2 with 9 minutes to play – and the crew subsequently went on Tatum-led 17-0 run. Previous to that, towards the Knicks, the 20-point lead was lower to 9 with 9 minutes to play – so the Celtics scored 10 straight to place them away.
“We’re actually good. We get off to good begins,” Tatum mentioned. “We get a lead. Groups reply, rightfully so – greatest basketball gamers on the planet. Then, we name a timeout, and we go into halftime, and we regroup. And we discuss in regards to the issues that we bought to do higher, and we go on the market and execute.”
