#1 Beginning massive
With Jrue Vacation sitting out resulting from an elbow sprain, the Boston Celtics ran with a double-big lineup. Jaylen Brown shifted to the two, and Jayson Tatum slid right down to the three. Going in opposition to a San Antonio Spurs crew that boasts Victor Wembanyama, throwing out some extra dimension within the beginning unit made sense.
Each Horford and Porzingis are able to guarding on the perimeter together with defending screening actions in a number of coverages, which is required when attempting to restrict versatile massive males like Wembanyama. The larger query is, would Joe Mazzulla have nonetheless gone double-big if Vacation had been obtainable?
#2 Wow, Wemby
We’ve all seen Wembanyama play at this level. Most of us have most likely seen a few his video games or at the least some spotlight reels. Nevertheless, watching him do his factor in opposition to a crew we watch a number of occasions per week helped put his uniqueness in perspective. There have been stretches the place it felt just like the Celtics have been looking for solutions on how finest to protect him.
I imply, how do you guard moments like this?
As he will get extra accustomed to the NBA recreation, provides energy, and the sport begins to decelerate, there may very well be some severe battles between Wembanyama and the Celtics. You possibly can see how Tatum and Brown elevated their video games because the Spurs rookie started to make an impression. He introduced out one of the best in them.
#3 Time for Tatum to start out ramping up
It’s that point. For almost all of his profession, Tatum has begun elevating his recreation round January and February. It appears to be like like Wembanyama might have sparked one thing in him, too. Tatum ended the sport with 25 factors, 6 rebounds, 2 assists, and a pair of blocks. Extra importantly, he dropped 5-of-10 from deep.
Tatum has been struggling along with his perimeter leap shot over the previous few weeks. Nevertheless, these struggles have been firmly put behind him on Sunday evening. Nonetheless, there might be sterner checks forward. There can even be a much bigger want for his playmaking potential, too.
However, this was efficiency from Tatum, particularly when he was working as an off-ball risk and firing away off the catch, attacking the put up, or driving the lane to assault gaps. Nonetheless, I feel my favourite possession was a large pick-and-pop between Tatum and Payton Prtichard that ended with a no-dribble mid-range pull-up.
Oh, and right here’s an amazing clip of Tatum being a screener and making an impression. Large fan of Tatum in these performs, and I like how a lot house he created by tying up the defender.
#4 Porzingis struggles
Powerful evening for Kristaps Porzingis. The field rating will let you know he took seven threes. A type of was a full-court heavy on the finish of the primary half; we are able to exclude that one. So, he took six perimeter jumpers. One was an air ball; 4 hit the entrance rim, and one hit the again rim.
Normally, when a constant shooter begins hitting the entrance rim, it’s an indication that they’re drained. They’re not getting the identical carry on their pictures, which implies not sufficient energy is coming from their legs. Then, they attempt to course appropriate with utilizing extra higher physique energy, which results in a back-rim miss.
We’ll by no means know if Porzingis had drained legs or a nagging tweak in his calves or quads. Or, we all know, is that it wasn’t his evening, and that’s okay. He nonetheless made an impression on the glass and secured two blocks when defending the rim. Oh, and for probably the most half, he dealt with the duty of guarding Wembanyama properly.
Porzingis may have higher capturing nights; that’s inevitable. Nevertheless, we are able to’t ignore how his presence above the break on offense pulled Wembanyama out of the paint and allowed the Celtics to seek out lanes to the basket.
This little two-man motion between Brown and Porzingis, the place Brown curls into the paint earlier than drawing a foul, is indicative of how the Unicorn’s presence ensured Wembanyama’s rim safety wasn’t a constant issue on the evening.
#5 Gettin nerdy with it: Horns actions for Derrick white
I like Horns’ actions. They’re easy. They’re efficient. And there’s a ton of variations you possibly can run with them. Boston went to some horns units halfway via the primary quarter, placing Porzingis and Luke Kornet because the screeners and giving Derrick White choices on the best way to exploit the protection.
As we all know, White likes to go proper when utilizing a display. As such, the Celtics ran a few horns units that resulted in a White-Kornet decide and roll, main to 2 buckets for the backup massive man, and exhibiting why White’s versatility is such a bonus for this Celtics crew.
This primary motion noticed Kornet get an uncontested roll to the rim. The assistance protection was a beat late, and nobody was there to tag the roll. So, White managed to get the straightforward entry go into the massive man, and the end across the rim rapidly adopted.
Similar motion, comparable consequence. Nevertheless, this time, the possession ends in a lob play for Kornet. Boston additionally ran this identical motion within the very subsequent possession, however the Spurs had adjusted and blew up the lob go. By no means thoughts, they nonetheless received a fast 4 factors out of it and had one thing they might return to later within the recreation in the event that they have been in a pinch — spoiler, they didn’t must.
#6 Locking it down earlier than the half
Within the remaining couple of minutes of the second quarter, the Celtics upped their defensive stress. We’ve seen them do that on numerous events. Stifle the offense. Ship them into the locker room at half-time, feeling deflated and questioning the place their factors are going to return from. It’s an influence transfer.
Within the above clip, the Celtics take away the center of the ground. Each time the Spurs look to penetrate and get into the paint, the Celtics sink in and stress the ball-handler or the cutter. As such, the Spurs are pressured to accept a closely-contested elbow jumper late within the clock.
Right here, the Celtics do an amazing job of defending the Spurs’ movement offense. They shut down a zipper lower, rotate out to shooters, sink to clog passing lanes and kill rotations, and power a late shot-clock try. The very fact Boston can activate this degree of protection each time they need is wild.
#7 Turning up the stress
Okay, so that you demoralized a crew with stifling protection earlier than half-time. So, what do you do when the third quarter begins? You dominate the offensive finish to say your total dominance.
The Celtics dropped 40 factors within the third quarter. Each Tatum and Brown have been in double-digits. In addition they secured 16 rebounds, with six of them approaching the offensive boards. Nevertheless, it was Brown’s efficiency that basically stole the present…
#8 The unstoppable Jaylen Brown
16 of Brown’s 24 factors got here within the third. But, it wasn’t what number of factors he scored. As an alternative, it’s how he was scoring them. He had two made threes, two made mid-range jumpers, and 5 made buckets across the rim. We had fadeaways, layups, catch-and-shoot jumpers, and these two superior dunks.
I’m working out of how to say how good Brown is and the way that is one of the best stretch of basketball we’ve ever seen from him. The scary factor? It looks like he nonetheless has one other degree he can go to on either side of the ground. To make this massive of a leap in his eighth season and nonetheless have room to develop is unbelievable. I like the flexibility he brings on offense and the physicality he’s added to his inside recreation.
#9 That Queta block
What extra can I say? Oh yeah, that block was splendid.
#10 Payton Pritchard, dime-dropper
Pritchard has been having fun with a stable stretch of basketball currently. He’s capturing 38.1% from deep on the season and will preserve seeing that proportion rise within the coming months. Nevertheless, what I preferred most about his efficiency in opposition to the Spurs was his playmaking. He ended the sport with a game-leading seven dimes to his identify.
Fast selections just like the one within the clip above allowed Pritchard to get downhill at tempo and make the suitable learn. He’s additionally exhibiting stable physique management on his dribble; within the beneath clip, he places his defender “in jail” which is a elaborate approach of claiming he sealed them on the again of his hips to guard the dribble earlier than discovering Kornet for the lob play.
Pritchard’s sluggish begin to the season is firmly behind him. He’s making an impression on either side of the ground and is rising in impression — particularly as a small screener and ball-handler.
A fast message
Comfortable New Yr to everybody taking the time to learn at present’s takeaways. I hope you all had an satisfying New Yr’s Eve and are wanting ahead to an thrilling yr — each when it comes to basketball and no matter your particular person objectives are for 2024.
For those who missed it yesterday, I started making a glossary of phrases used within the Takeaways, full with a supporting video. I’ll proceed so as to add to this wherever attainable, so don’t be shy in requesting additions within the feedback sections or by capturing me a DM on Twitter (properly, X.)
The Celtics have a troublesome recreation in opposition to the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Tuesday. That’s going to be a enjoyable one and one other take a look at for this ever-impressive crew. So, I’ll catch you all once more on Wednesday once we dive into what’s hopefully one other win.
