The Boston Celtics capped off another strong week, winning three of their four matchups. Powered by high individual offensive performances the Celtics were able to get the job done...for the most part.
Boston Beats the Heat
Final Score: Celtics win 108-89
In what was an ugly offensive game from both sides, Boston was able to come out with the win on a second night of a back-to-back.
Both teams were riddled with injuries for this one, as Boston was missing Kristaps Porziņģis (injury management), Al Horford (toe), Sam Hauser (personal), and Jrue Holiday (knee), while Miami was without Jimmy Butler (knee), Nikola Jović (ankle), and Kevin Love (back).
Boston did not shoot particularly well either, shooting just 43.8% from the field and 34.5% from three. However, Boston took advantage of Miami's even worse shooting night (35.6% from the field and 22.9% from three). Boston took a 15-point lead into halftime and did not look back. Holding Miami to only 18 points in the third quarter sealed the deal going into the fourth, giving Boston the easy win.
Jaylen Brown led the way in this one with 29 points and 7 rebounds, with 6th Man of the Year favorite Payton Pritchard not being far behind (25 points). Jayson Tatum (18 points) and Derrick White (19 points) also chipped in as well.
What stood out the most to me was their defensive improvement. Boston was everywhere, rarely giving Miami any open looks. Their switch-style defense worked to perfection. Their 9 blocks (6 by Luke Kornet) also weren't too shabby either.
No Tatum? No Problem against Detroit
Final Score: Celtics win 130-120
Boston's offense was absolutely flying at the TD Garden against the Pistons; the team shot almost 50% from the field and hit 21 three-pointers. Though it was closer than it should have been, Boston controlled the game all the way through.
In what was Jayson Tatum's first missed game of the season, Boston did not falter but rather leaned on each other to fill the role that Tatum plays within the team. The Celtics got off to a blazing start, scoring 39 points in the first quarter. From there, Boston never lost the lead, controlling the pace of the game and scoring at will.
Brown took point in Tatum's absence and led the team once again with 28 points, followed closely by Porziņģis (26 points) in his return from a rest day. Sam Hauser also got the starting nod and had his best game of the season, scoring 20 points on 50% three-point shooting. As usual, Boston also got some help from the supporting cast of Al Horford (14 points, 4/6 from three), Derrick White (14 points, 11 assists), and Payton Pritchard (19 points, 47% from the field).
Even without Tatum and also Jrue Holiday, Boston outclassed a scrappy Pistons team, showing that they have the depth to play the roles of the players who do not play. The completeness of the team showed in this one, which is a positive sign as the season progresses and more injuries arise.
Boston Escapes Bucks' Late Run
Final Score: Celtics win 111-105
Boston did not look great against Milwaukee, but still ended up with the victory. The field goal percentage wasn't bad (46%), but the team was ice cold from three (32.1%), which kept the Bucks in the game.
Missing Porziņģis in this one hurt a lot. His rim protection and ability to space the floor were two things the Celtics could have really used in this one. Giannis Antetokounmpo tore it up on the inside, which opened things up for his co-star, Damain Lillard, as well.
The story of the game, however, was Boston's ability to shut down the Bucks' supporting cast. Lillard and Antetokounmpo combined for 61 of the Bucks' 105 points, which, for the Bucks, is not a recipe for success. Meanwhile, though the likes of Derrick White and Payton Pritchard struggled, the rest of the supporting cast for the Celtics was a much bigger contributor. This was what ultimately won the Celtics the game, since their stars of Brown and Tatum combined for 59 points.
Boston did a lot of things wrong in this one. They were outrebounded 51-41, took ill-advised shots, and did not protect the paint well enough. However, what makes a team great is their ability to adjust and find other ways to win. The Celtics did that and have done that multiple times this year. That is why they keep winning these ugly games; because when something isn't working, they are able to adjust faster than their opponent.
Smart Returns Home; Grizzles Beat Celtics
Final Score: Grizzles win 127-121
In what was old friend Marcus Smart's first game playing back in the TD Garden, the Celtics did not do enough to come back and beat a very solid Grizzlies team. Boston struggled on both sides of the floor and were unable to figure out how to stop Memphis' offensive attack.
Something that has plagued the Celtics all season long is their rotational defense. There are too many times when players will switch onto their new assignment too slowly, which creates open opportunities for the opponent. Now, when you're a team like Boston, the offensive ability is oftentimes able to cover for their poor defensive rotations, but when you face a team that shot 50% from the field and 45% from three, it is nearly an impossible task to escape with a victory.
Overall, not a good showing from Boston. Shooting 40% from the field and 30% from three makes it tough to win as it is, but when you aren't closing out on shooters or protecting the paint, your talent just is not enough. It was an off day for Boston, which is not ideal, but could also be viewed as a wake-up call in discovering what the team needs to improve upon.
Upcoming Week Preview
This week, which is also NBA Cup Week, Boston only has two games; they play the Pistons on Thursday and the Wizards on Sunday.
Both of these games should be handled easily by Boston. Having played both teams before this season will help the Celtics gameplan more effectively. The lack of games should also help the Celtics heal up and get some much needed rest as the mid-season approaches.
The biggest thing I want to see from Boston is effort defensively. Losing to Memphis the way they did was completely on their lack of effort defensively. Their defense has dropped significantly last year, even though they haven't gotten to play as a completely healthy team much this season. Yes, their offense has been able to cover for their defensive decrease, but as the midseason approaches, and games start to matter more and more, Boston needs to be able to win games through their defense.
Stay tuned for more Celtics content and be sure to check out fansonlysportz.com for more sports media content posted daily.
Catch you next time!
-Matt Hylen
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