#1 20-0 at house
The Boston Celtics stay undefeated on their house courtroom. 50% of the season is now within the books, and Joe Mazzulla’s workforce continues to take satisfaction in racking up the wins and taking part in high-level protection, no matter who their opponents are.
There’s a psychological edge that comes with such a dominant house document. Groups will seemingly pay attention to that when heading into the TD Backyard. They are going to know the Celtics will up their sport and that they’re preventing to maintain that document alive for so long as doable. It’s an entire totally different kind of hurdle that opponents have to beat. Everybody desires to be those who snap the streak. That results in groups pushing a bit extra, creating disjointed possession and permitting errors to bleed into their processes.
Perhaps I’m trying too deep into this. Perhaps I’m not. Both means, profitable all your house video games isn’t a foul factor, and the longer it continues, the more durable it is going to be for groups heading into Boston.
#2 Celtics using measurement
Boston is teeming with measurement this season. With Kristaps Porzingis dominated out of the sport resulting from harm, Mazzulla turned to a double-big lineup that includes Luke Kornet. Swapping one seven-footer out for an additional. Then, Neemias Queta slotted into Kornet’s typical position off the bench.
There aren’t many groups across the NBA that may name on three totally different seven-foot massive males and belief they’re going to get manufacturing out of all of them. What’s even higher is that every of the bigs brings one thing totally different to the desk. Porzingis is finesse. Sure, he thrives within the publish, however he additionally has an enormous imprint on the sport when working on the perimeter or as a passer in delay actions.
Kornet is extra technical. He depends on angles and creating area in his motion after screens. Queta is bodily. His motor is seemingly infinite, he’s robust and ponderous, and his power uplifts everybody round him.
When the Celtics top-8 rotation is accessible, it’s straightforward to overlook the quantity of measurement with expertise that Boston has out there to them.
#3 Luke Kornet produces
In a sport that additionally featured Victor Wembanyama, Kornet ended up because the chief in blocked photographs, registering three of them. He was energetic on the glass. Set strong screens. Created rotations when rolling to the rim. And performed his position because the Celtic’s drop defender very nicely.
Kornet isn’t probably the most explosive of gamers. As a substitute, he depends on understanding his positioning, utilizing his top and size, and making good choices. As you’ll be able to see within the above clip, Kornet is conscious of the transition menace, so he rapidly will get into the paint, permitting Boston to “construct out to the ball.” As Jeremy Sochan drives, Kornet makes himself massive, adjusts his stance, and goes up vertically to fulfill the shot at Sochan’s apex. Straightforward block.
If we’re speaking about good choices, I’d be remiss to not point out the under cross out from Kornet in area.
The possession begins with Kornet setting a pin-down for Sam Hauser. As Hauser pops onto the perimeter, each San Antonio Spurs defenders look to entice, leaving Kornet open in area across the elbow. The ball rapidly finds its technique to the Celtics’ massive man, forcing Cedi Osman to peel off Oshae Brissett and step up on Kornet to kill a possible layup.
Reasonably than panicking, Kornet scans the ground and sees that Keldon Johnson has rotated onto Brissett and that Jaylen Brown is wide-open within the weak-side nook. A fast swing cross will get Brown the ball in area and results in a 3. That’s your third-string massive man making a cross-court learn within the move of the offense, by the way in which.
#4 Vacation’s offensive manufacturing
For the second straight sport, Jrue Vacation was in a position to assume a much bigger position on the offensive finish. The veteran guard has been a real offensive menace for many of his profession, but this season, with the Celtics, he has taken a step again to permit others round him to thrive. But, with each Derrick White and Porzingis out of the rotation, Vacation stepped in as Boston’s tertiary scoring choice.
He shot 8-of-14 from the sphere with 6 makes on 7 makes an attempt from the perimeter.
Vacation can provide you performs like this, the place he sneakily cuts alongside the baseline earlier than popping up for an inside bucket. Or, he can provide you moments just like the one under, the place he turns a messy possession right into a scoring one by getting management of the rock and making the snap choice to let the shot fly.
After all, he’s nonetheless going to provide the elite point-of-attack protection, the underrated rebounding, and a few playmaking (both as a ball-handler or small screener.)
With a lot expertise on the roster, it’s generally straightforward to miss how necessary Vacation’s contributions have been this season. When somebody is lacking from the beginning 5, he’s normally the man to step up and scale his efficiency ranges.
As soon as the Celtics beginning 5 is again on the ground, Vacation’s offensive manufacturing will seemingly decline as he re-assumes his typical position. Nonetheless, understanding he’s on the ground and may produce when required is an extremely comforting issue for Mazzulla’s workforce.
#5 Attacking Wembanyama
A part of what makes Wembanyama such an thrilling younger participant is his capacity to maneuver like a wing. His hip dexterity for his measurement is particularly distinctive. Wembanyama can change instructions at tempo. He can deter and block photographs from anyplace on the courtroom. And, he can assault off the dribble in the same method to Kevin Durant.
So, how did the Celtics negate Wemby’s measurement and rim safety on Wednesday evening? In the identical means, they’ve been negating rim safety all season. They caught to their five-out ideas, drew the massive man out of the paint, swung the rock and drove the gaps.
I favored the above play as instance of how the Celtics attacked Wemby. Right here, Kornet cuts from the dunker spot to set a display for Jayson Tatum. Wemby is pressured to step up towards the perimeter to protect a possible roll from Kornet. As Tatum drives, the rookie massive man is switched onto Tatum, permitting Kornet to realize a dominant place across the rim with a transparent measurement benefit over his defender.
Tatum goes into his taking pictures movement, will get Wemby dedicated to defending the shot, after which rapidly dumps it off to Kornet for the straightforward end across the basket.
Discovering methods to take away the shot-blocking menace from the paint is a part of the “sport throughout the sport.” You see it unfold no matter what groups you’re watching. The Celtics, nonetheless, have sufficient scoring and slashing expertise to permit that battle to be barely simpler than what others groups across the league my expertise.
Right here’s one other instance, this time in transition. Three fast passes (Vacation to Horford, Horford to Tatum, Tatum to Brown) create the benefit and pressure Wemby to decide to defending Brown. That enables Kornet to roll towards the rim, as soon as once more commanding a dominant place earlier than receiving the wrap-around cross from Brown. Bucket.
Once more, beating the Spur’s rim safety is about shifting the rock and discovering benefits; the Celtics managed to try this persistently all through the evening.
#6 JB’s strong play
We simply noticed a wise learn from Brown within the final clip. Nevertheless, he was additionally taking part in good basketball all through the competition. He ended the sport with 21 factors, 5 assists, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
All these performs usually go missed. It’s straightforward to see what unfolds and consider that Vacation was the one architect on this possession. But, if you peel a layer off, you discover how Brown occasions his actions and the way he retains himself open in area regardless of having two defenders close to him. We regularly communicate of how an enormous man’s major job as a roll man is to time his actions; it’s the identical for wings in transition.
Brown slowly inches towards the paint as Vacation engages the protection, permitting him to create a passing angle if Vacation wants a launch valve — which, on this occasion, he does. Additionally, be aware how Brown ensures his major defender is sealed on his hips, permitting him to blow up into the area behind the protection and get a simple end. To me, that’s good play. It’s the little particulars that usually fall behind the larger image.
This play was simply enjoyable.
And this play was each enjoyable and humorous.
Brown has made some massive strides in his general play over the previous 2 years. This season, it looks like all the pieces has come collectively, and he’s extra of an entire menace on each side of the ball. A part of that’s permitting himself to seek out success within the margins, which then accentuates the success general. One other strong sport.
#7 Tatum’s self-creation
Tatum has been a do-it-all menace this season. He’s working as an off-ball scorer, major ball-handler, pick-and-roll menace, and playmaker whereas additionally being a dependable defender, each on the point-of-attack and as a helper.
Nevertheless, now and again, he’ll do one thing that reminds you he’s additionally an elite self-creator. This play in opposition to Wembanyama was a kind of reminders. He comes off a display, hits Wemby with a hesitation dribble, will get him to plant his entrance foot and commit his hips, after which growth, the jets are on, and it’s a simple end on the rim. I’m virtually sure there was some eye manipulation right here too, however we will by no means know that for sure primarily based on the digicam angles out there.
Then we now have this magnificence. Tatum drags out the pick-and-roll, attracts the double, hits a step again, and drains the three with two defenders in his face. January Jay is right here, girls and gents, and it’s a sight to behold.
Only for reference, Tatum is taking pictures 50% on his pull-up threes within the month of January, after taking pictures simply 33.1% within the opening months of the season. Clearly, it’s a a lot smaller pattern measurement, nevertheless it’s an fascinating growth however.
#8 Queta made an affect
“I simply favored seeing Neemy being bodily and the presence that he performed with on each ends of the ground,” Mazzulla stated throughout his postgame interview. “He’s a kind of children that doesn’t know the way good he might be. He hasn’t been within the league for a very long time. I feel he’s solely performed 300 minutes within the NBA. He’s beginning to see when he performs with a sure presence; we’re a special basketball workforce.”
Queta stepped into the rotation following Kornet’s elevation into the beginning lineup. Throughout his minutes on the ground, he supplied physicality, power, and a professional presence across the rim on each side of the ground. We’ve change into accustomed to what Neemy can do on the basketball courtroom. He’s nonetheless growing. But, his infinite motor and bonafide measurement make him a menace to show the tide of the sport.
After all, that bully ball bucket over Wembanyama was his spotlight of the sport, nevertheless it additionally confirmed the pressure that Neemy goes to the basket with, which isn’t all the time precisely displayed by way of a tv display.
Queta additionally secured 8 rebounds in his 12 minutes of taking part in time, 4 on either side of the courtroom, which additional illustrates the affect he can have across the rim.
#9 Jordan Walsh Minutes
He lastly made his Celtics debut! We received to see about 3 minutes of Walsh in opposition to the Spurs. The very first thing that stood out to me was that I had forgotten how wonderful his wingspan was and the space he might cowl when stretching his arms. Aside from that, Walsh did the most effective he might together with his restricted time and involvement within the sport.
He caught together with his man; he dug at drives, tried to contest photographs, and received open for a 3, which in the end didn’t fall. He’s nonetheless a uncooked prospect, however he has the bodily intangibles and dedication to protection that you would be able to envision him persevering with to enhance and hopefully getting extra alternatives because the season(s) progress(es).
#10 Hauser as a cutter
Celtics go to a 21 reset motion, Tatum units a slice display for Hauser, and the third-year sharpshooter cuts into the paint earlier than receiving the cross and getting a simple bunny on the rim.
Hauser loops via the protection and off an exit down-screen from Kornet. Relocates to the nook and will get a shot off on the transfer.
Each of those performs have one factor in widespread: Hauser’s off-ball motion and slicing helped create the play. I’ve talked about it earlier than in these takeaways, however we’re seeing Hauser add extra to his sport — on each side of the ground. The off-ball motion is a major addition for Hauser resulting from his high-level motion taking pictures capacity and the way it can open up further alternatives, each for him and for others.
I favored each of the above possessions and wished to share them.
Wanting Forward
The Celtics have the Denver Nuggets subsequent in what is going to undoubtedly be a tricky take a look at and a possible NBA Finals preview. Denver is the reigning champions. They’ve arguably the most effective participant on the earth on their roster. And the sport is at house, placing that 20-0 document on the road. I’m excited for this one. There’s a psychological benefit on provide.
Catch y’all on Saturday after the sport!
