Celtics
The Celtics’ win felt much less like a victory and extra like a really slim escape for a group that already had some uncomfortable inquiries to reply.
Jayson Tatum’s huge evening helped the Celtics escape with a harrowing 120-119 win over the Pelicans on Sunday.
Listed here are the takeaways.
1. Jayson Tatum lifted the Celtics to a win.
One of many essential issues about having a real famous person on a contending group is that if you inevitably hit the a part of the season the place issues aren’t going proper — the doldrums of the common season when a group may in any other case may rattle off numerous losses in a row — there’s one participant you’ll be able to go to who can take issues into his personal palms.
The Celtics have a participant like that in Tatum, who rebounded from one in every of his worst performances of the season in opposition to the Kings on Friday to place up 38 badly wanted factors and 11 rebounds in opposition to the Pelicans.
Like the remainder of his group, Tatum couldn’t make 3-pointers (2-for-10), however he bought to the road 10 instances and made eight of them (we’ll talk about his two misses shortly) and he went 12-for-20 contained in the arc, scoring in a wide range of artistic methods.
Perhaps most notably, he had what ought to have been the game-icing play with simply over a minute remaining. Flying to the ball after a miss by Dejounte Murray, Tatum snagged the rebound and raced up the ground with two Pelicans in sizzling pursuit. All three gamers flew out of bounds as Tatum missed the layup, however Tatum hustled again to the ball and grabbed the offensive rebound, slamming house a two-handed dunk.
The Celtics are mired in a droop, which is each an odd factor to say a few group that’s 28-11 but additionally is borderline plain if you watch how they’re taking part in. If Tatum can hold the group alive throughout this stretch, it might be a pleasant addition to his MVP resume.
2. The Celtics got here extremely near blowing the sport late.
These takeaways nearly had a really completely different tone after the ultimate minute of the sport.
First, the aforementioned free throws by Tatum — after scoring 38 factors and placing his group ready to win, Tatum took an inbounds move and had a chance to make two free throws and put his group up by 5 with 13 seconds remaining. As an added bonus, Tatum would have cracked 40 factors for the second time this yr.
As a substitute, Tatum missed each.
“Uncharacteristic, lacking these two free throws to place the sport away,” Tatum stated. “No excuse for that, however I’ve made numerous performs to win video games and stuff over my profession, so fairly assured in these moments, however, such as you stated, I smoked these two free throws. I wasn’t pleased about that.”
On the opposite finish, the Celtics gave a take foul with seven seconds remaining to forestall the Pelicans from hoisting a 3-pointer to tie. C.J. McCollum made each free throws, and the Celtics wanted an inbound and two extra free throws simply to push their lead again to 3. They known as a timeout and arrange on the sideline, however the play drawn up by Joe Mazzulla broke down, and Derrick White turned to the official to name timeout.
As a substitute, the official blew his whistle. White, in accordance with referee Brian Forte, had taken too lengthy to name timeout. The Pelicans had the ball and an opportunity to win.
They very almost did.
The Celtics have been furious with Forte even within the aftermath for the 5 seconds name. Zion Williamson, it appears, might have been furious too.
In both case, the Celtics gained, nevertheless it felt much less like a victory and extra like a really slim escape for a group that already had some uncomfortable inquiries to reply.
3. Joe Mazzulla had no intention of answering these questions.
A reporter requested Mazzulla postgame in regards to the 5 seconds name.
“Yep,” Mazzulla stated.
What did he see?
“Sure,” Mazzulla stated.
He noticed the 5 seconds?
“Certain.”
What ought to have occurred on the play?
“Yep.”
Mazzulla’s group was barely extra forthcoming, however not a lot.
“Oof,” Porzingis stated, earlier than pausing for a number of seconds. “Removed from perfection. And clearly the missed timeout, the 5 seconds, so it was a bizarre ending. And a few missed free throws from JT made it a little bit bit additionally type of uncharacteristic. However I’m simply pleased we bought this hard-fought victory.”
Al Horford admitted it was “very anxious.”
“Form of wacky there,” he stated. “I’m simply glad it didn’t value us and we have been in a position to get it finished, as a result of we had plenty of possibilities and missed layups.”
4. The Celtics’ poor capturing continued to proceed.
The Celtics merely can’t discover the vary. After going ice chilly in opposition to the Kings, the NBA’s high 3-point capturing group by quantity continued to fireside up bricks, capturing 13-for-44 from behind the arc (29.5 p.c).
The worst offenders have been Tatum and Derrick White (0-for-5), however Jrue Vacation was 1-for-4, Kristaps Porzingis was 3-for-9 and Jaylen Brown was 0-for-2.
When the Celtics make 30 p.c or fewer of their 3-pointers, they’re now 3-6 this season. Taking pictures plenty of 3-pointers is a strong method to attempt to win a math sport, however the math solely works in the event you make a good share, and the Celtics’ current droop is fairly simply defined if you keep in mind that they haven’t been a .500 group after they battle from deep.
“If we’re not making pictures it begins to put on on us a little bit bit after which we’re at 5 p.c much less effort on protection, like 10 p.c much less effort,” Porzingis stated. “If any person takes a nasty shot or I take a tough shot or no matter it’s, you already know? So we simply should be aware of these moments, play good, take the proper shot on the proper second, however nonetheless shoot the ball as a result of we’re a terrific capturing group, however simply be actually good about it.”
5. Trey Murphy III had a profession evening.
The Celtics have lately fallen sufferer to opponent 3-point capturing from sources we are going to (to be respectful) name stunning, however Murphy — who scored 30 factors Sunday — doesn’t actually fall into the stunning class.
Murphy is beginning to blossom as a extremely attention-grabbing participant — a sharpshooter with explosive athleticism and an bettering deal with. On Sunday, he recorded the eleventh 30-point sport of his profession, three of which have occurred since Christmas.
Murphy shot 10-for-17 from the ground and 5-for-10 from three, including seven rebounds and 4 assists to his complete.
As a group, the Pelicans saved themselves shut by capturing 17-for-37 from three.
6. Kristaps Porzingis and the Celtics’ starters are struggling.
In a comparatively small – however rising – pattern dimension, the Celtics’ most popular beginning lineup is struggling.
Porzingis, Tatum, Brown, Vacation and White have been outscored by 10.1 factors per 100 possessions after they share the ground, in accordance with Cleansing the Glass, which is a 22-point fall off from final yr, after they outscored opponents by 12 factors per 100 possessions. Exchange Porzingis with Horford, and the Celtics are outsourcing opponents by 22.9 factors per 100 possessions, though it’s value noting that plenty of these numbers is likely to be juiced by the Celtics’ early-season efficiency after they have been making a staggering variety of 3-pointers.
“Truthfully, the primary sport I got here again in opposition to the Clippers, it felt fairly pure – growth, I used to be proper in,” Porzingis stated. “However then once more, I’m out, I’m in, I’m out a little bit bit, not taking part in my greatest basketball, not being as environment friendly. That provides up a little bit bit to the group. However now I sit up for having an excellent, lengthy stretch of being wholesome and getting in an excellent rhythm and us hitting our stride.”
Porzingis shot 7-for-19 from the ground on Sunday, though he did block three pictures.
Mazzulla identified that the beginning lineup is “primarily in coaching camp type,” and final yr right now, the pattern dimension was almost triple.
“Hopefully we stay wholesome to the place we are able to proceed these reps, the belief and the accountability that we now have to carry one another to to get the place we’re,” Mazzulla stated. “And sprinkle in a make.”
7. The Celtics’ stars have been turning it over.
For some motive, the Celtics’ stars have been free with the ball lately.
On Sunday, the first perpetrator was Brown, who coughed it up 4 instances. A number of of the turnovers have been reside ball, as he bumped into Zion Williamson and misplaced management. Tatum, regardless of his scoring heroics, turned it over thrice.
These turnovers are half of a bigger pattern. Within the Celtics’ loss to the Kings on Friday, Tatum turned the ball over eight instances. Brown turned it over 4 instances in opposition to the Nuggets, and thrice every in opposition to the Thunder and Raptors.
Brown and Tatum deal with the ball typically and are tasked with plenty of playmaking, which places them at greater danger of turnovers, however the numbers ticking upward are a little bit unusual and considerably paying homage to struggles the Celtics have encountered previously.
8. Joe Mazzulla, maybe predictably, claims he loves the struggles.
Mazzulla would in all probability balk on the description of himself as a contrarian (like several good contrarian), however he does love to consider issues from each angle.
So maybe it shouldn’t come as an enormous shock that Mazzulla claims he loves how the Celtics — who’ve the third-best report within the NBA — are being mentioned proper now.
“The final word praise is we’re 28-11, and these are the sorts of conversations that we’re having,” he stated. “So it’s a wonderful place to be. I’m severe. I believe it’s nice. It’s a terrific normal and a terrific expectation to have, and we now have to ship.”
Mazzulla quipped that the media room sounded “like a morgue,” regardless of the win.
“And that’s the way it ought to be, due to the place we’re making an attempt to get to,” he stated. “So it’s the last word praise, and we simply proceed to work by means of it.
“[…] That is the house that we’re in. I like the truth that we’re not pleased. Finest place to be in. And we’ll determine it the hell out.”
9. Three video games in 4 nights loom.
The Celtics will hit the highway once more on Wednesday for a matchup in opposition to the Raptors, who will look to bounce again after managing simply 71 factors the final time they confronted Boston.
That sport is the beginning of a three-games-in-four-nights stretch. The Celtics return to TD Backyard to face the Hawks and Magic on Friday and Saturday respectively.
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