#1 A special model of Tatum
A standard theme this season has been to query Jayson Tatum’s scoring manufacturing. All people is aware of he’s able to being among the many league leaders in factors per recreation. And all of us got here into the season questioning how lengthy it will take to see Tatum file his first 50-point recreation of the season. That hasn’t been his function this yr, although.
As a substitute, Tatum has been an elite-level level ahead. He’s been at his greatest when orchestrating play, controlling the glass and attacking mismatches within the submit. That doesn’t imply he can’t dominate as a major offensive choice. It simply implies that with the expertise on the Celtics roster, Tatum hasn’t wanted to be the “alpha” within the common sense of the phrase. Nevertheless, he has been producing “alpha” performances otherwise.
But, Tatum’s function was adjusted with Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis each out of the rotation towards the Utah Jazz. Out of the blue, a Utah staff that’s ranked twenty ninth within the NBA needed to attempt to cease one of the crucial skillful scorers within the NBA when he was tasked with spearheading the offense. Robust instances.
This was Tatum’s first bucket. That is who he’s now. He’s a drive when driving the lane. He’s robust sufficient to dislodge, or on this case dismiss, his defender, and he’s more than pleased to blow up across the rim.
One other factor that Tatum does effectively lately is rating out of the pick-and-roll — as each a ball-handler and the screener. You’re simply as more likely to see Tatum be the “popper” in a pick-and-pop as you’re to see him snaking his dribble over a display screen because the ball-handler. That sort of versatility may give defenses nightmares. How are you going to guard a participant that cycles between being the screener and the screenie?
Right here he’s because the “popper.”
Because the curler.
And because the ball-handler.
Once you think about his skill to function as a catch-and-shoot menace and his dominance within the submit, it’s laborious to poke holes in Tatum’s offensive skillset. He’s genuinely one of the crucial pure scorers within the league. The distinction is that he expanded his recreation to be greater than only a scorer, and that has led him into some very deep waters.
Some nights, the Celtics want the high-scoring model of Tatum. Most nights, they want the whole ahead model, that’s the participant we’ve seen all season, and that’s the participant we’ll see throughout the playoffs.
#2 Kornet retains Kornet’ing
One other post-All-Star recreation, one other strong night time for Luke Kornet. He stepped into the Celtics beginning lineup towards the Jazz. Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis have been each on the damage report.
What I like about Kornet’s recreation is that he’s discovered a method to exist on the perimeter regardless of not being a three-point menace. He’s embraced a task as a hand-off hub and a screen-and-roll huge, whereas he’s additionally enhancing together with his work on the offensive glass.
Kornet has grow to be extremely comfy initiating hand-offs across the elbow prolonged and might orchestrate empty-side DHOs from related places, too. His measurement and body make him a tough physique to navigate for the chasing protection, permitting him to spring the ball receiver free after handing the ball off. From there, Kornet has proven a capability to movement right into a secondary display screen to roll to the rim.
On offense, Kornet primarily will get his buckets out of rim-runs and curler conditions. Nevertheless, his baseline lower towards Utah was a stunning improvement that made me sit up and take discover.
Kornet’s contract expires on the finish of the season, and he’ll grow to be an unrestricted free agent. If he continues to supply worth as Boston’s third huge within the rotation and reveals a various skillset inside a five-out offense that thrives on movement, there’ll little question be some groups lurking in the summertime.
#3 Oshae Brissett’s minutes have been good
Like, actually good. Brissett has carved out a pleasant area of interest function for himself with the Celtics. He’s an power man who causes havoc together with his hustle and physicality. No rebound is secure when Brissett is crashing the glass. No lower or driving lane is open, both.
Once you take a look at the boxscore, as I needed to yesterday, it will have been simple to imagine that Brissett had a comparatively quiet night time. That’s why I don’t like wanting on the field rating and asking it to color an image. The teachings are taught on the court docket. Brissett was impactful. He elevated the Celtics’ on-ball stress, fought for unfastened balls, and galvanized his staff.
Personally, I’m not anticipating to see a lot Brissett as soon as the postseason begins. Not until the Celtics must jolt of power to get again right into a recreation or halt a run. But, realizing he’s on the bench and might make his presence felt immediately is a consolation blanket that each contending staff must have. Brissett isn’t an enforcer, however his physicality, power and explosiveness may give the Celtics a unique dimension when wanted.
#4 One other take a look at Tillman
We have not often seen him since Xavier Tillman was acquired earlier than the February 8 commerce deadline. Nevertheless, with Horford and Porzingis each sidelined, we did get one other prolonged take a look at the versatile huge man.
Total, Tillman performed his function effectively. He occupied the proper spots on the ground. He discovered success as a screener. Displayed some physicality within the paint. Secured rebounds on each ends of the court docket. And he drained a 3.
Tillman has the ability set to imitate Horford’s function throughout the rotation. He’s not going to be as dependable from the perimeter when it comes to scoring. Nonetheless, his positioning, defensive versatility, and physicality within the paint will assist spell the veteran’s minutes when wanted.
Whether or not Tillman cracks the playoff rotation or is used as a situational huge stays to be seen. It will seem he’s able to excelling in both function. Nevertheless, with Kornet forward of him within the rotation, it’s laborious to see the place Tillman’s minutes would come from if he needed constant taking part in time this season.
Nonetheless, the expertise is there, and he performs a cerebral model of basketball. If Joe Mazzulla desires to combine him into the rotation, there’s little question he would discover a method to make it work.
#5 Numerous nook actions
The Celtics have explored a number of methods to assault out of the corners this season. They’ve run stagger actions for shooters to carry out, a number of variations of “Zoom” actions, some “21” and a few “Pistol,” and a few low-angle pick-and-roll offense.
But, the commonest manner the Celtics have pressured the protection is by operating empty-side (or empty-corner) units. If there’s no shooter within the nook, there’s no protection, both, thus creating extra room to drive or to movement right into a tough-to-contest jumper.
The above clip is kind of a failed instance. Payton Pritchard rejects the display screen from Tillman and decides to isolate. Nevertheless, the spacing within the robust facet nook is evident to see. It’s evident how simple these kind of actions might be to govern, particularly when you might have spacing across the perimeter.
We will see the Celtics going again to an empty nook motion within the above clip. This time, Tatum can duck right into a post-up following his display screen. Once more, the Celtics can exploit the extra house by not having a shooter within the nook. Tatum’s shot does not fall, however the general course of is one we’ve seen work all through the season.
Boston moved away from attacking empty corners as a core a part of its technique earlier within the season. I like the concept of iterating by means of its playbook and totally different offensive approaches because the postseason attracts close to. For me, the Celtics’’ taking pictures and slashing expertise make attacking empty sides a logical selection. I’d anticipate to see extra of this within the coming weeks.
#6 Dunker spot Jrue, once more
To start with, it was superior seeing Jrue Vacation flash some off-the-dribble creation towards Utah. He was robust to comprise when driving into the protection and trying to make reads as soon as the Jazz regarded to break down. Right here he’s penetrating off the bounce earlier than hitting Sam Hauser to finish the “Spain PnR” motion.
But, as I’ve stated at a number of instances this season, it’s Vacation’s upside as an inverted dunker spot menace that continues to catch my consideration.
Vacation is an clever participant. He reads the sport effectively, can see the ground like a playmaker, and might function at a number of positions. That’s why having him occupy the dunker spot in possessions just like the above is so intriguing. Watch how he relocates to the robust facet dunker to “quick” the pick-and-roll and obtain the cross from Tatum. That permits Vacation to hit the contact cross to the rolling Kornet for the dunk.
This season, we haven’t seen the Celtics run a lot “quick” motion. Normally, Vacation would come greater up the ground for most of these units. Nevertheless, his worth within the dunker spot as a passer, resolution maker and scorer makes it logical to maintain him hovering across the baseline.
#7 An aggressive D-White
With so many members of the Celtics rotation lacking, White stepped right into a secondary offensive function. He ended the sport with 24 factors, hitting 7-of-11 from deep. It’s been some time since we’ve seen White taking part in with this kind of drive and aggressiveness on offense. At instances, it felt just like the Jazz have been struggling to comprise him.
With a much bigger concentrate on scoring the ball, we didn’t see a lot of White’s playmaking skill — that duty fell to Vacation.
It is no secret that White can iterate by means of totally different roles throughout a recreation. Regardless of his concentrate on offense, he’ll all the time be a dependable defender — as displayed by his three blocks towards Utah.
After the sport White stated that he got here into the sport with the mindset of simply “letting it fly.” That technique appeared to work. I’m not too certain about Kornet’s La La Land joke, although.
#8 Pritchard’s eye check didn’t match the stat sheet
On the stat sheet, Pritchard had a troublesome night time. He went 3-for-12 from the sphere and 2-for-9 from the perimeter. He didn’t actually make an affect as a playmaker or a rebounder. But, when watching the sport, his skill to vary the tempo, cycle by means of his gears and push the tempo on the break gave Boston an edge off each missed shot.
Pritchard can be actually good at recognizing when to get off the ball and relocate, which permits him to maintain the Celtics’ spacing alive and use his deep taking pictures vary to generate gravity. On paper, Pritchard had a troublesome night time towards the Jazz. Nevertheless, he performed his function effectively, impacting the sport in areas that don’t seem on the stat sheet.
It could not have been his greatest efficiency, nevertheless it was removed from his worst.
I’ll go away you with this nice clip of Pritchard utilizing a “gradual step” behind the again crossover to cook dinner his defender in transition and open up a lane to assault the rim. Actually fairly stuff.
#9 No room for Neemy
With Horford and Porzingis each out, and Kornet shifting into the beginning lineup, I had sort of anticipated Queta to fit right into a third-big function. Nevertheless, Mazzulla opted to stay with Kornet and Tillman all through the sport, leaving the two-way middle as the one DNP-CD of the sport for the Celtics.
Jaden Springer, Svi Mykhailiuk and JD Davison all bought some taking part in time. I’ve been skeptical relating to any potential minutes for Neemy because the addition of Tillman. Seeing him caught on the bench when the first middle rotation has been chopped and altered was a reasonably telling signal.
#10 These video games are a formality
At this level within the season, with the primary seed all however assured, these video games are a formality. We all know it. The staff is aware of it. The remainder of the league is aware of it. But, the Celtics must undergo the method.
I like having a stretch on the finish of the season to work on issues and look to tighten up some points of the offense and protection. I additionally like that different groups are nonetheless preventing for one thing, forcing the Celtics to stay targeted and proceed chipping away at a possible 60-win season.
Nonetheless, the playoffs can be right here earlier than we all know it. That is the calm earlier than the storm. That is the prequel to a possible blockbuster film. And we’re right here for all of it.
Trying forward
The Celtics are again in motion on Thursday. They are going to have a rematch towards the Phoenix Suns. This time, the sport can be on the TD Backyard. I’m to see how the Celtics look to restrict Phoenix’s offense, as they are going to undoubtedly be trying to even the season collection.
Hopefully, the Celtics rotation can be again at full energy, with Porzingis being the participant I’m most hopeful to see after his three-game (and counting) absence. Win or lose, we can be again right here on Friday morning to dissect the sport. Hopefully, we can be speaking concerning the Celtics fourth straight win. How shortly issues change.
