No matter your private emotions on Jordan Poole, he can fill that time column up rapidly. Watching him drill 3’s off the dribble will most likely at all times sting a bit after the 2022 Finals, however much less so after seeing the Celtics elevate a banner of their very own.
On this sport, the Poole celebration began with a splash.
JP was a giant motive that the Celtics discovered themselves in an early gap. He hit a ton of three’s, ending the primary half capturing 6/9 from behind the arc on his method to 20 factors. There have been a variety of troublesome appears to be like that Boston couldn’t have defended significantly better, Poole knocked them down anyway.
Even with that huge begin although, the Celtics dug themselves out of an early deficit with ease. For all of Poole’s success, he was the one Wizard to hit a 3 within the first half. Patrick Baldwin Jr. hit the one non-Poole 3 on this sport with 5 minutes left within the 4th quarter. That isn’t a really useful technique in opposition to Boston.
2. Seeing double (bigs).
in Sam Hauser’s absence – whereas enjoying an inferior opponent – Mazzulla leaned on double huge pairs over different prospects.
Boston cycled by way of quite a lot of mixtures together with Kornet/Tillman, Horford/Tillman, Horford/Queta & Tillman/Queta. Within the early phases of the season in opposition to a group with none playoff hopes, this sport served as the proper alternative to check issues out.
For essentially the most half, every of those pairings was efficient collectively. All 4 facilities carry a singular ability set to the desk, and it’s an awesome concept to get a way of how they may praise one another.
It additionally seems like Mazzulla desires to push the boundaries of their scheme, seeing if the group can proceed to generate good offense with two non-spacers on the ground.
3. Tatum is enjoying like an MVP.
Washington made an effort to restrict Boston’s effectiveness from 3, and as a substitute of forcing up pictures, Tatum labored himself right into a rhythm.
He began the sport profiting from, and capturing excessive of smaller defenders.
A dependable again to the basket sport has been an especially great tool for Tatum. It felt like final season was an introduction to this model of JT that’s each snug and efficient enjoying a extra bodily fashion when obligatory.
His 3-ball by no means totally got here round this sport, however he had a couple of spectacular makes. That included this devastating welcome to the league second for rookie Alex Sarr.
Tatum’s rebounding and all-around contributions appear to get glossed over in discussions about his impression, nevertheless it’s one of many huge separators between him and most of the gamers he attracts comparisons to. In simply 28 minutes, Tatum notched 25 factors, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Not that he would thoughts, however the Celtics greatness could be sufficient to truly hurt his MVP case within the sense that they finish video games within the third quarter.
Tatum has 29 1st quarter factors within the 1st two video games. Within the play-by-play period, solely Curry and Doncic have scored extra.
— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) October 24, 2024
4. Derrick White, the stabilizer.
The time period connector has popped up lately as a method to describe a participant that does the little issues that tie a lineup collectively. Derrick White is likely one of the best connectors the league has to supply.
Offensively, he has turn out to be a constant offensive weapon that may add worth in any approach you would think about. White is clearly a dynamic shooter off the ball, however his skill to be the screener for inverted decide and rolls is a wrinkle that almost all offenses are desperately making an attempt to emulate.
These days, the Celtics not often have to be settled down. Once they do, Derrick is commonly the man to stabilize issues. It’s not normally together with his voice, somewhat the flexibility to make the right play/learn time after time. His protection and IQ helped ease Boston into this sport.
5. Jrue is a vet.
This wasn’t a giant Jrue Vacation sport by any means, in actual fact it was most likely one of many least concerned performances we’ve seen from him in fairly a while.
Regardless of the relative lack of manufacturing, Vacation’s veteran savviness stood out on a pair of possessions within the 2nd quarter. On each events, he takes benefit of the youthfulness of Alex Sarr.
On this primary possession, Vacation is confronted with a low shot clock and restricted choices. He can both attempt to rapidly take Sarr to the rim, or shoot over the 7-footer. As an alternative, Jrue manages to pry open door quantity 3.
He didn’t have the higher hand right here, so his intelligence needed to be the benefit. He clearly seen the drained shot clock, however his choice to pump faux makes it clear that he acknowledged Sarr was most likely conscious of the restricted time as nicely. He performed the person on this state of affairs, figuring out that it could necessitate a extra aggressive closeout and provides him the perfect alternative to make one thing out of nothing.
Lower than a minute later, Jrue discovered himself on an island with Sarr once more:
Jrue exams him immediately with a pump faux on the 3PT line to see if he’d chew once more. Sarr realized from his mistake briefly and stayed down this time. Jrue is presented an angle to drive to his dominant hand, however opts to assault Sarrs prime foot, forcing him to flip his hips. With the Wizards younger huge firmly in restoration mode now, Jrue creates area with a slight bump and sends him hovering into the air as soon as once more with the faux.
This kind of grasp on the sport comes with time, and it’s one thing that Vacation delivered to the group immediately upon his arrival. He didn’t make a single bucket right here, however managed to flip a 3 level deficit to a 2 level lead.
6. Jaylen Brown’s emotional intelligence
Jaylen had a tough begin to the sport, ending the first quarter capturing 1/5 from the sphere. He took a number of powerful pictures off the dribble that had been exterior of the move of the offense. That’s not completely uncommon or disappointing, however the high quality of the appears to be like had been low and the chances mirrored that.
Nonetheless, Jaylen didn’t let the poor capturing deter him. He dialed it in and was extra purposeful in his strategy. Within the 2nd quarter, all 5 of his shot makes an attempt got here on the rim.
Brown is terrifying in transition and as a driver within the half court docket. Having the ability to acknowledge so rapidly that his shot food regimen wanted an adjustment says loads about how he’s pondering the sport at this stage in his profession.
One other signal of that was this decide & roll rep with Neemias Queta:
His persistence right here to control and maintain the massive whereas additionally retaining his personal defender in jail is extraordinarily superior. Brown performs this completely and finds Queta up prime for the straightforward lob.
After efficiently enjoying himself right into a move, JB allowed himself to have one other pull-up 3, as a deal with.
7. Any motive to fret about Horford?
The reply is a convincing no.
Horford completed the sport with zero factors and simply two FGA. He wasn’t concerned in a significant approach offensively, however nonetheless managed to be helpful. That is highlighted by the truth that he completed the sport as a +17. In lots of instances +/- doesn’t inform the entire story, however for Horford it’s an correct portrayal of contributing in ways in which don’t at all times present up on the field rating.
Take a possession like this for instance:
Horford units a superb display that fully wipes Pritchard’s defender out of the play. He isn’t credited with an help, however you would argue that his display is deserving of 1 contemplating it leads on to a large open look.
He chipped in with a couple of rebounds to assist end off possessions, and had his moments defensively.
In his 18th season, it’s as vital as ever to guarantee that Horford’s workload is manageable. If there’s nights like this all through the common season the place little or no output is required from him, that ought to solely be seen as a optimistic. Having three succesful facilities behind him, ought to proceed to be a giant enhance for him as nicely.
8. Flashes of Queta
As beforehand talked about, it’s a significant plus that Boston can trot out 4 high quality bigs whereas their borderline all-star middle rests up. Queta performed just below 14 minutes on this sport, nevertheless it was stuffed with glimpses of the kind of contributor the Celtics are hoping to assist mildew him into.
Queta makes a ton of vitality performs, and has a excessive motor with regards to chasing offensive rebounds. Gaining further possessions on the glass is one thing that any group would respect.
I discover it helpful to be aware of possessions like that the place he’s matched up with a legit NBA middle and is ready to get the perfect of them. The protection is a piece in progress and extra sport time ought to assist him develop, however there have been nonetheless a couple of events the place he got here up with a cease on Valančiūnas.
Now that he’s in Boston full-time, his function will solely improve if he’s in a position to stack up performances like this.
9. Payton Pritchard’s Sam Hauser impression
After an inefficient sport one, Payton Pritchard returned to his regular sharpshooting self.
There was a Sam Hauser sized gap within the rotation, and Pritchard crammed it. 3PT capturing isn’t unique to Hauser, however the kind of appears to be like that Payton received tonight had been paying homage to Sam’s typical shot sorts.
It was a heavy dose of motion capturing and screens on the way in which to 5 made 3’s for Pritchard. Among the best appears to be like of the night time was a stagger display from Vacation and Kornet to free him up.
10. Scheierman’s first NBA factors
With the departures of Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, rubbish time is in want of a brand new hero. In the intervening time, it appears to be like like this could possibly be Baylor Scheierman’s alternative to shine.
He was off on a pair of three’s, however secured his first NBA bucket on a transition layup that was sufficient to earn him the sport ball.
Rotation minutes are scarce, however with Boston always grabbing 20+ level leads, Baylor has an opportunity to play for longer than regular. Contemplating he’s on an ordinary contract, there’s no restrict on the quantity of video games he can play for Boston this season, however taking advantage of these minutes whereas ultimately spending time in Maine can be finest for his improvement in the long term.
