Tired legs: 10 takeaways from Celtics/Bucks

One thing a bit of totally different as we speak. I gained’t sit right here and berate a crew that has been slugging it out all week underneath troublesome circumstances. As an alternative, I’m going to take a extra holistic strategy to those takeaways.

#1 The Celtics have been working a gauntlet

5 video games between Friday, Jan 5, and Thursday, Jan. 11.

5.

That’s what number of occasions we’ve watched the Boston Celtics prior to now week. 4 of these video games have been back-to-backs. The Celtics have been the touring crew for each of these second video games. First, they flew from Boston to Indiana. Then, they flew from Boston to Milwaukee. Certain, these are brief flights. Nonetheless, you end a sport and hop onto a aircraft earlier than taking part in the following night time.

Ultimately, when confronted with a schedule like that, your vitality goes to expire. These are human beings we’re speaking about. Sure, their conditioning is at an elite stage. Sure, they’re paid some huge cash to do their job. And sure, they’re residing out a dream life that many people have envisioned at one level or one other.

None of that issues, although. The actual fact is, people get drained, no matter their conditioning. The physique wants time to get better, and 5 video games in seven days with journey on each back-to-backs isn’t conducive to getting the most effective out of your stars on the again finish of that stretch.

#2 Joe Mazzulla made the appropriate name

Pulling the starters at half-time wasn’t Joe Mazzulla signaling give up. It was the top coach of a contending crew recognizing the state of affairs. His crew was drained. Whenever you’re drained and worn down, there’s a better danger of damage.

Mazzulla’s resolution additionally gave the bench rotation extra time on the court docket, which can solely assist construct some continuity inside the system and maintain them engaged. This wasn’t a rubbish time contest, to start with; these bench guys received some run towards the Bucks’s beginning lineup. That will need to have felt nice for them. , aside from the scoreline.

#3 No vitality from the opening tip

The writing was on the wall from the opening tip. This Celtics crew has constructed their basis on high-energy protection. Rotations are crisp and sharp. Gamers dash on close-outs; they swap with tempo and objective.

Not on Thursday.

The vitality was lacking from the leap. That’s okay, however it was very clear that there have been some heavy legs on the market.

#4 Nothing went proper

Typically, issues simply don’t go your method. And generally, the whole lot goes precisely the way you deliberate it. That was the juxtaposition Boston confronted towards the Milwaukee Bucks. Every little thing Milwaukee touched became gold, and the whole lot Boston touched, properly, you get the thought.

The Celtics shot 25.7% from 3-point vary, Milwaukee shot 42.9%. Boston hit 37.4% of their field-goal pictures, and Milwaukee transformed at a 56.5% clip. Boston had 31 boards; the Bucks had 54. The checklist goes on and on.

Once more, a variety of this may be put right down to the Celtics’s lack of relaxation, the drained legs, and the very fact Milwaukee was coming off a two-day break and clearly had some extent to show — each to themselves and to the Celtics.

That’s high-quality as a result of…

#5 We are going to see Milwaukee once more

And after we do, issues ought to be much more even, and the Celtics could have a rating to settle. Drained or not, this loss would have harm everyone’s delight. There’s one thing about getting blown out by a direct division rival that brings out a distinct stage of competitiveness, and the Bucks must stand up to that the following time these two groups play.

The draw back? We must wait till March to get the rematch. Something can occur between at times. Nonetheless, our solely hope is that each groups are absolutely wholesome. The excellent news is that neither crew will likely be on a back-to-back for this sport; the Bucks will likely be confronted with a loud TD Backyard crowd and a roster that has a rating to settle.

Mark your calendars, women and gents; this one will likely be an actual slugfest.

#6 No have to overreact

This takeaway will likely be like the remainder of them: brief however candy.

It’s a loss. You’re taking it and transfer on. It’s additionally a loss with context connected to it. It wasn’t that the crew couldn’t be bothered to play or have been out partying a bit of too laborious the night time earlier than. As an alternative, it was a loss that you can perceive. A loss that you can settle for.

I’m pleased with that. Sure, it sucks it needed to come towards the Bucks. It might have been worse, although. It might have been the Los Angeles Lakers or Philadelphia 76ers. Silver linings and all that.

#7 The bench mob

We received to see a variety of these guys. This season, we’ve been fairly spoiled. Often, when Mazzulla empties the bench, it’s as a result of the Celtics have been dominating, and the sport is over. Not this time. As an alternative, we received to see what the deeper bench rotation might do when making an attempt to chase down a lead towards one of the crucial proficient groups within the NBA.

It went how you’d anticipate it to go. Issues seemed good for the primary jiffy of the third quarter. The Celtics strung collectively a bit of run; there was some intrigue as to how Mazzulla would divvy up his rotation minutes. After which, the Bucks turned the stress again up.

Nonetheless, we received a greater take a look at Dalano Banton, Lamar Stevens, and Svi Mykahiliuk, and naturally, we received some Neemy minutes, which is all the time enjoyable and fascinating. The draw back, later within the sport, when the Bucks emptied their bench, we have been pressured to observe Thanasis Antetokounmpo and that was not an fulfilling expertise.

#8 Massive minutes for Pritchard

I appreciated seeing Pritchard get the prospect to play massive minutes. I might have most well-liked it to return throughout a aggressive sport the place he can be taught from the expertise. Nonetheless, he was one of many Celtics higher performers on the night time, even when he was additionally affected by the three-point struggles Boston discovered themselves going through.

Pritchard brings a sure tempo to the sport. He can create issues along with his pace and off-ball motion courtesy of his taking pictures gravity. And he defends his tail off. Late within the second quarter, he was mismatched with Bobby Portis and was jostling for place towards an even bigger, stronger participant. Pritchard didn’t again down, although. Ultimately, Kristaps Porzingis rotated over to scram him out of there.

I appreciated that battle. I appreciated how even down by like, 30, Pritchard was nonetheless digging in and placing within the laborious yards. It could have been really easy to sag off and look ahead to Portis to face up and shoot over him.

It’s possessions like that remind you that even when his shot isn’t falling, Pritchard can discover methods to be impactful. Shout out to Sam Hauser, too; he was strong all night time and managed to drop 4 of the Celtic’s 9 threes.

#9 A wider-ranging thought

I don’t assume we give Jayson Tatum sufficient credit score for the enhancements he’s made as a passer out of the pick-and-roll. The sort of cross, with two defenders pressuring you, is elite. Tatum’s capability to constantly make good reads out of traps, blitzes, and hedges has develop into a core a part of his general skillset, and oftentimes, it’s simple to neglect the rising pains we watched him undergo to get to the extent he’s at now.

#10 Right here’s a spotlight to brighten your day.

Okay, Oshae!

Trying forward

The Celtics are again in motion on Saturday. They are going to be going through the Houston Rockets, which additionally means the return of Ime Udoka to the TD Backyard. It will likely be fascinating to see how the crew responds to their loss towards the Bucks and the way they take care of going through Ime for the primary time.

Lot’s to dissect over the weekend! Till then! Have an awesome day, and I’ll catch you on Sunday!