Friday evening’s additional time loss to the Heat taught the Celtics that for as historic as their offensive is, they’re going to inevitably have off nights. And on these nights, they’ve to determine a solution to win.
Two nights later, they put that lesson to good use.
On Sunday evening, the Celtics weren’t sharp, and at instances performed ugly basketball. Jayson Tatum had a career-high 9 turnovers. The C’s scored simply 13 factors within the third quarter. Without their place to begin guard Marcus Smart, the offense couldn’t discover a rhythm. But behind protection, their calling card from a season in the past, the Celtics persevered and pulled away late for a 103-92 win over the Nets to start out a six-game highway journey.
“In this league, it’s hard to win,” Jaylen Brown stated on NBC Sports Boston. “Just trying to figure out different ways to play, different ways to win and just having fun with the game. That’s what it’s all about.”
Brown scored 34 factors fueled by a sizzling begin, and Tatum had 29 factors regardless of a gradual begin whereas Kevin Durant scored 31 for the Nets however couldn’t get anybody else concerned. Kyrie Irving scored 18 factors on 7-for-21 capturing because the Celtics produced certainly one of their strongest defensive efforts of the season. Brooklyn’s 92 factors had been the fewest the C’s have allowed this season.
“Our defense definitely won us the game tonight,” Tatum advised reporters in Brooklyn. “No doubt about that.”
Joe Mazzulla advised reporters in Brooklyn on Sunday that defensive centerpiece Rob Williams is “pretty close” to returning after which the Celtics took an encouraging step defensively with out him. They had been lively all evening on that finish as they posted 9 blocks, together with 4 from Brown, and 11 steals, together with 4 from Tatum, because the Celtics did the little issues to beat an offensive effort that was far under commonplace.
“They play hard all the time, so I just think the defense is slowly coming back and they’re doing a great job of executing it,” Mazzulla advised reporters in Brooklyn.
“I’m really proud of the way our guys defended.”
The C’s constructed a 12-point halftime lead and scored simply 13 factors within the third interval however nonetheless maintained a six-point benefit going into the fourth. They let the Nets hold round. The C’s led 78-76 with 7:22 remaining however completed robust. Al Horford hit a 3, then protection from Horford and Brown pressured a turnover on Durant earlier than Brown completed a breakaway dunk.
The Celtics by no means regarded threatened from there as they went on a 23-9 run to seal the sport.
Tatum, who had simply 14 factors in Friday’s loss to the Heat, criticized his personal efficiency and although they discovered a approach on Sunday, he is aware of higher efforts are required of him and his teammates on most nights going ahead.
“I’m just glad we won,” Tatum stated. “Nine turnovers. That’s like, ridiculous. … There’s no excuse. The shiny facet is 9 turnovers and we received as a result of I might have felt horrible if we misplaced the sport. I clearly can’t do that always or anymore and anticipate us to win. …
“We talked in the locker room, it’s going to be tough,” he added. “We’re going to get groups’ greatest shot. We form of, in a way, obtained a goal on our again. But for us to get the place we wish to, we have now to play higher than we did tonight. Granted, we nonetheless received, however we will play lots higher.
Other takeaways from Sunday’s win:
– Brown was aggressive from the opening tip as he scored 20 factors and went 5-for-5 from 3-point vary within the first quarter, the latter matching a franchise document. With Tatum beginning gradual for a second consecutive sport, Brown’s begin was essential because the C’s constructed an early lead.
“I got it going and I just kept it going,” Brown stated on NBC Sports Boston. “I can play with the best of them, so I just like reminding people of that.”
Tatum finally obtained it going as he scored 11 factors over the ultimate 5 minutes of the primary half, and he closed his evening with seven consecutive factors, capped by a triple with 1:43 to go that put the C’s up 16.
– Smart missed Sunday’s sport with a left hip contusion and whereas the offense wasn’t sharp with out him, the Celtics’ deep backcourt nonetheless impacted the win. Derrick White made only one shot however performed his sometimes robust protection, Malcolm Brogdon was a power off the bench with 13 factors and 7 assists, and Payton Pritchard supplied a spark with six factors in 16 minutes.
– Mazzulla has developed considerably of a popularity of not calling timeouts – one thing he’s even joked about – but it surely continues to work. The Celtics had been in an early 11-2 gap to start out the sport, however Mazzulla refused to name timeout and let his gamers work by means of their points. They responded with a 14-0 run, capped by back-to-back triples from Brown, which as an alternative pressured Nets coach Jacque Vaughn to name timeout.
Source: www.bostonherald.com