#1 Dropping the lead
30 factors. The Boston Celtics led by 30 factors halfway by way of the second quarter. Then, for no good motive, they self-deflated. There wasn’t a momentum-swinging play. The Atlanta Hawks didn’t magically turn out to be a greater crew. The Celtics noticed they had been up massive, took their foot off the fuel, and their rhythm vanished.
Within the second half, the Celtics struggled to regulate the tempo, restrict drives, and knock down their photographs — no matter how excessive of a top quality look they generated. The efficiency went from picturesque to “no photographs” in a matter of minutes. What’s worse is that irrespective of the tougher they tried, the extra the Celtics slipped into some outdated habits, which solely dug them right into a deeper gap.
#2 No timeouts
We’re used to Joe Mazzulla staying affected person along with his crew. We perceive his reasoning behind his adjusted Ferber methodology. I’m all for empowering your gamers and giving them time to determine issues out. Nonetheless, there must be an inflection level. When it’s clear that issues aren’t going to get higher and your lead is being quickly chopped down, it’s important to name a timeout.
In any other case, the momentum will get sucked out of your roster, heads begin to drop, and the opposition has the wind of their sails. This was Boston’s 15 lack of the season. I’m removed from anxious. Nonetheless, Mazzulla’s stubbornness in terms of his timeout philosophy is regarding. What occurs if a run like this happens throughout the postseason? There should be a stability. And if there isn’t one, Mazzulla wants to seek out it.
#3 Finish of sport execution
All season lengthy, the Celtics have performed a fantastic job of avoiding conditions the place gamers are pressured to jack up late-shot clock heaves. They transfer the ball. They movement into early offensive actions. They transfer with out the rock. They display screen to create gaps. But, when the sport is on the road, we return to the isolation heavy offense with everybody standing across the perimeter “spacing” the ground.
The result’s at all times a tricky shot that’s closely contested. There’s a motive the Celtics maintain one of the best offensive ranking within the league, and it’s due to their motion-based offense, not their being content material to isolate.
The place was the display screen? The place was somebody slicing to create extra space for the drive? We’ve seen this film earlier than; we didn’t just like the ending. I feel I can safely say we choose the re-make that’s been airing over the previous few months. Let’s get again to watching that.
#4 Three’s not falling
The Celtics went 0-of-9 from deep within the third quarter. They had been 1-of-6 within the fourth. Total, they shot 11-of-38 from deep, good for 28.9%. We’ve to credit score the crew, although, as a result of they didn’t power the problem. When it was clear their photographs weren’t falling, they attacked the rim and obtained into the mid-range.
The problem is that the Hawks out-mathed them. The Hawks shot 50% from deep on 18-of-36 taking pictures. They beat the Celtics at their very own sport. They Good Will Hunted Boston’s protection on the perimeter…
#5 Vacation and White’s absence felt on protection
And a big a part of that was as a result of Jrue Vacation and Derrick White being out of the rotation with harm. Sure, Brown and Tatum are good defenders and ensured there was dimension and athleticism on the perimeter, however neither of them are main guard defenders. They’re higher at switching on actions, and Tatum is healthier as a helper than he’s as a main defender.
Vacation and White are elite defenders. Collectively, they type arguably one of the best two-way backcourt within the NBA. With out no less than one among them within the rotation, the Celtics didn’t have a respectable chaser to stress shooters from behind or to affect their shot launch with out being immediately in entrance of them.
Between Tatum, Brown and Payton Pritchard, the Celtics allowed 10-of-20 taking pictures on the perimeter. One can solely assume that quantity would have been decrease if White or Vacation the place chasing shooters over screens and contesting photographs from completely different angles.
#6 Ball getting sticky
Each possessions have one factor in widespread: A move that’s often made wasn’t. The Celtics have made a residing off their pick-and-pop actions with Porzingis above the break. When Tatum or Brown come off the display screen, they both drag their dribble or penetrate with power. It doesn’t matter what, the result’s often a kickback to Porzingis for the catch-and-shoot three in area.
These seems weren’t coming for the veteran massive man on Monday. As a substitute, the ball obtained slightly bit sticky. It stopped popping round the best way it had by way of the primary and a half quarters. Actions which have been staples all season shortly grew to become decoys for added isolation reps.
Neither of the photographs within the above clips had been dangerous seems. Each got here in rhythm, and each had been photographs the gamers often take. Nonetheless, they each got here out of an motion the place the result is often slightly completely different, and that advised me how the Celtics weren’t taking part in from their normal playbook.
#7 Jaden Springer can be enjoyable
Jaden Springer gave some stable minutes off the bench, most notably on the defensive finish. He hustled his butt off, flew spherical screens, lower off driving lanes, and used his size to affect potential passing and taking pictures alternatives.
At instances, Springer seems like he’s taking part in slightly quicker than he must be, and than what he’s snug with. He’s nonetheless new to the system and to his teammates. As he turns into extra accustomed to his environment and the schemes he’s being requested to function inside, he’s going to supply at the next, extra constant stage.
As soon as that begins to occur, Springer goes to be a enjoyable participant to observe and a enjoyable challenge to comply with. He has all of the instruments to be an elite defender. If he can repair his taking pictures and turn out to be slightly extra decisive when driving, he may turn out to be a stable rotation guard for the Celtics quickly.
#8 Hauser wants a counter
2-of-10 from deep. That’s a far cry from his 10 threes the opposite evening. When his photographs are falling, Hauser is likely one of the greatest weapons on the Celtics roster. He brings scoring gravity, pins defenders to his actions, and generates high-level spacing. Nonetheless, when the shot isn’t falling, his worth shortly diminishes.
Hauser wants so as to add a counter to his sport. He wants one thing for when his three isn’t dropping. That might be a one or two dribble pull-up to assault close-outs. He may make his baseline cuts extra outstanding inside his offense. No matter it’s, discovering a secondary method to offer scoring is a key growth for Hauser.
Everyone knows that getting the ball to drop can shortly get a shooter again in rhythm. Hauser has the dimensions and contact to be a risk within the mid-range. If he can embrace the extra shot profile, it’d stop these robust taking pictures nights from occurring as ceaselessly.
#9 The place had been the actions?
We noticed some stagger screens, the occasional horns entry, and nook curls that had been closely centered all through the sport. But, when the Celtics had been chasing the sport, it felt like their main actions all went out of the window.
A part of the Celtics’ success has been their offensive system, which is predicated on ideas fairly than Mazzulla calling units from the sidelines. That permits the crew to learn the protection and movement into performs that work towards the protection they’re seeing.
But, when these performs cease occurring, and the half-court offense begins to grind to a halt, you’re left scratching your head, questioning why they’re not moving into their normal units and discovering attractiveness.
Once more, a part of this is because of shedding momentum. A part of it is because of chasing the sport and searching for methods to get again on observe. Nonetheless, this crew is the place it’s as a result of it’s trusted the system. It’s telling that all the pieces floor to a halt the evening they went off script.
#10 It’s only one loss
I’ve been fairly vital in at the moment’s takeaways. Partly, it’s as a result of I’m making an attempt to take a look at every sport by way of a single-game lens. That’s the purpose of this text: to debate what we noticed in that one 48-minute stretch of basketball. As extra video games are performed, it will get tougher to close out the opposite performances.
I’m removed from anxious. And I don’t suppose this loss is the top of the world. It doesn’t change the actual fact the Celtics are championship favorites. It would not change the actual fact they’ve been dominant all season. And it actually doesn’t make me any much less hopeful shifting ahead.
Nonetheless, it’s good to take a look at the place issues went unsuitable. Proper or unsuitable, we are going to all have concepts about what may have been performed in another way or no less than have been performed higher. Nonetheless, the Celtics are again in motion on Thursday. They’re most likely going to get immediate revenge and get again on the successful path.
No matter occurs, this crew is elite. Dropping with out your beginning backcourt isn’t a motive to panic. Dropping 15 video games out of 72 is way from a motive to fret. Losses occur. It’s what it’s.
It’s simply the way of the loss that harm a lot.
Catch you all on Friday.
