Three things from Celtics-Pistons – CelticsBlog

The Boston Celtics beat the Detroit Pistons on Friday night time. The ultimate rating was 127-102. This recreation didn’t matter.

Joe Mazzulla mentioned as a lot after the Celtics’ win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. With Giannis Antetokounmpo out for Milwaukee and the Celtics lacking Jrue Vacation and Sam Hauser, there was little to be taught.

“Nothing. Can’t take something from the sport,” Mazzulla mentioned.

It’s not even April but, and the Celtics have an opportunity to clinch the convention this weekend. In the event that they win on Saturday and the Bucks lose, they are going to have locked up the one seed within the East. In March.

Not one of the video games from now till the playoffs matter for Boston. They will be taught issues about their gamers, they’ll check out coverages, and so they can generate a rhythm. However wins and losses are actually meaningless aside from for the historic place of Boston’s report.

Due to that, game-watching has turn into much less concerning the normal storylines and extra about area of interest subplots — the niches within the nothing.

1. Svi Mykhailiuk’s defensive development

With Hauser sidelined for a number of video games, Svi Mykhailiuk earned some additional run. When Hauser returned to the lineup towards Detroit, Mykhailiuk remained within the rotation.

Confidence has by no means been an issue with Mykhailiuk. His capturing stroke has at all times been top-notch, too. Defensively, nevertheless, the query marks persist.

It’s nonetheless not nice, however his exercise has been rampant in Boston’s two video games towards the Pistons this week.

In Monday’s recreation, Mykhailiuk was a pest off the ball. Right here, he stopped a James Wiseman dunk by staying within the lane to disrupt the pick-n-roll quite than following his man.

He’s been very conscious, conserving his head on a swivel and serving to every time obligatory.

That mentioned, Mykhailiuk’s off-ball strain is akin to the liberty Jrue Vacation will get when he’s on the ground. The massive distinction is that Mykhailiuk typically isn’t fast sufficient to recuperate from his gambles.

Jared Rhoden will get a wide-open triple right here as a result of Mykhailiuk tried to strain the ball on the prime of the important thing. He might have gotten again in time, however his toes couldn’t sustain along with his thoughts.

He’s additionally had some hassle getting on the identical web page along with his teammates.

Payton Pritchard switched on this play, however Mykhailiuk adopted his man across the display. By the point he was sprinting again to select up his new project, he was working right into a display, and Marcus Sasser acquired a straightforward jumper.

Mykhailiuk did showcase some strong put up protection towards Cade Cunningham, nevertheless.

His preliminary bump was good, however not leaping with Cunningham might have led to a straightforward bucket. Timing is the following step in his defensive progress.

Mykhailiuk is a piece in progress on that finish of the ground, and it’s unclear if the Celtics will preserve him round lengthy sufficient to complete the job. However his power has been excessive, which is a good first step.

2. Jaylen Brown’s imaginative and prescient

Final yr, Jaylen Brown’s season ended when he was compelled to be the Celtics’ number-one choice. He had a career-high eight turnovers in Recreation 7 towards the Miami Warmth.

This yr, Brown’s court docket imaginative and prescient has reached a brand new peak. It’s not Mt. Everest fairly but, however it’s K2 on the very least.

Friday’s recreation towards the Pistons could garner some consideration, as Brown had zero assists on an evening when Boston was lacking Jayson Tatum. However assists solely depend if his teammates make the shot.

Easy passes like this dish to Sam Hauser are apparent.

However this cross-court cross to seek out Pritchard on the other facet of the ground was distinctive. Somebody within the video may even be heard saying, “Nice cross.”

And this cross to Derrick White in the identical nook is much more spectacular. Brown weaves his manner by way of a crowd of crimson and black, and as he’s about to make his transfer, he fakes out Chimeze Metu and finds White.

The subsequent step for Brown is to make sure that all of his passes hit his teammates within the chest, however his imaginative and prescient was excellent on Friday. Field scores by no means inform the entire story.

3. Payton Pritchard’s stop-and-start

For the previous few video games, Pritchard has been top-of-the-line gamers on the ground for the Celtics. He’s taking part in with a confidence that rivals the sport’s largest stars.

Certainly one of his finest attributes is how rapidly he can shift speeds. On Friday night time, the Pistons fell sufferer to this time and time once more.

Right here’s Pritchard working the pick-n-roll with Luke Kornet. As quickly as he will get Metu on him, it’s a wrap. Pritchard hesitates for half a second as if he’s about to drag the ball again, after which he jolts ahead.

As soon as Metu is on his again, Pritchard makes use of his positioning to flick the ball up and in for a straightforward layup.

This one is much extra refined. Pritchard doesn’t hit Jaden Ivey with the herky-jerky movement that acquired Metu. As a substitute, he begins his drive at one velocity after which kicks issues into excessive gear. He smoked the layup, however the transfer was nonetheless profitable.

One other refined one, Pritchard begins the play with a hesitation above the wing. Troy Brown Jr. bites on the pump-fake, as Pritchard is a deadly risk from past the arc, and he’s toast from there.

Pritchard hits a bit stutter step halfway by way of his drive, however he simply makes use of his velocity as soon as Brown Jr. is off stability, and the layup is straightforward cash.

Celtics-Pistons means nothing. It was simply one other tick within the win column for Boston. However discovering niches within the nothing is the one option to get by way of the ultimate stage of the season.