Coming into this recreation, the Memphis Grizzlies had 10 gamers listed as OUT on the damage report and had been operating out guys on two-way offers and 10-day contracts towards a largely wholesome Boston Celtics group solely lacking Nikola Vucevic. This has the recipe for a gold quaint Lure Sport and it seemed just like the Celtics had been falling into it early. Boston seemed actually gradual and had bother controlling the ball, turning the ball over 11 occasions in three quarters.
The Grizzlies had the lead for lengthy stretches of this recreation and late into the fourth quarter, the Celtics had been down 103-102 with 5:33 left. Boston then rattled off a 15-9 run to finish the sport, outscoring Memphis 33-24 within the fourth, and solely turning the ball over 1 time. This was an enormous time take a look at for the Celtics on the highway regardless of the opponent. Enjoying by means of adversity to return away with a win.
2. Win With Unhealthy Three-Level Capturing
Going into this recreation towards Memphis, the Celtics had a file of 5-10 when capturing below 30% from three as a group this season. On this recreation Boston shot 26% (11-42) from three whereas Memphis shot 33% (14-43) and the Celtics nonetheless got here out with the win.
This was a results of the Celtics profiting from the Grizzlies lack of actual inside protection. Boston scored 52 factors within the paint whereas Memphis scored 44. The Celtics shot 26-40 within the paint tonight, 20-29 on the basket alone. This was an enormous purpose why Boston was capable of get again into this recreation when Memphis began out the fourth quarter on hearth. This exhibits actual resiliency from this group and discovering other ways to win.
3. Dominant Offensive Rebounding
One other large purpose why the Celtics had been capable of win this recreation was their work on the offensive glass. Out of Boston’s 57 rebounds, 18 of them had been offensive and among the greatest got here within the fourth quarter from Luka Garza and Baylor Scheierman.
With the Celtics down by 1, Scheierman grabbed an enormous offensive board that resulted in a Jaylen Brown bucket that kicked off Boston’s recreation successful run down the stretch.
When it got here to Garza, he generated 4 essential factors to ice the sport for the Celtics, placing them by 9 factors with 1:15 left. This clutch offensive rebounding is how Boston is ready to win video games regardless of not having the most effective capturing nights.
4. Mazzulla Trusted His Guys
On the finish of the third quarter, the Celtics had been trailing the Grizzlies 88-84. They seemed torpid with Memphis outscoring them 34-29 within the quarter so Joe Mazzulla switched up the lineups. He began out the fourth quarter with a lineup with out each Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Boston had Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Hugo Gonzalez, and Luka Garza to begin and it didn’t go nice.
By the 9:08 mark, Memphis rattled off a 10-4 run the place Ty Jerome began to go loopy and Mazzulla referred to as a timeout. As a substitute of placing within the Jays, he got here out with the identical actual lineup, placing belief into these guys. I might say it labored out nice. Not solely taking the lead, however rattling off an 11-3 run earlier than Brown and Tatum checked again in on the 5:41 mark.
When requested about conserving the lineup with out the Jays in out of the timeout, Mazzulla mentioned: “I believed that simply that lineup hadn’t performed the sport. I needed to simply give a special really feel to a section of the sport, and went to some totally different actions, and I believed it was only a totally different subject there. So it’s a credit score to the blokes.”
I believed this was an enormous confidence builder for the bench guys on this recreation. Displaying that even with out Brown and Tatum, Joe has lineups that he can throw on the market that may nonetheless produce and overcome adversity to maintain the Celtics within the recreation.
5. White 4th Quarter Takeover
Derrick White began this recreation 3 factors on 1-1 within the first quarter. He then proceeded to overlook his subsequent 4 pictures, going into the fourth quarter with the identical 3 factors. In White’s postgame press convention he mentioned he “was enjoying as unhealthy because it will get for 3 quarters so I had to assist the group out a bit bit” within the fourth quarter and he did simply that. White performed all 12 minutes and scored 11 factors on 5-10 capturing to guide Boston to the win.
White did an amazing job when it got here to driving inside on the Grizzlies protection. He was utilizing an array of euro-steps and deceleration to complete on the basket. Most of his factors got here after Joe Mazzulla referred to as a timeout and stored the lineup with White and the bench within the recreation. This seemed to mild a fireplace below White and responded with an enormous time efficiency to shut out the sport.
6. Brown Carried within the Second Half
White was not alone when it got here to carrying the Celtics offense within the second half as a result of Jaylen Brown was proper there with him. Brown completed with 30 factors, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists with 14 of these factors coming within the second half alone.
Brown performed your entire third quarter and completed with 10 factors on 4-8 capturing. He was the one man who was capable of hit a shot for Boston nevertheless it was essential in conserving them within the recreation regardless of being down. He diced up Memphis together with his midrange recreation, simply making some unbelievable pictures.
When he got here into the fourth quarter, he continued to prepare dinner up the Grizzlies together with his fadeaway jumper and talent to get to the paint. This was Brown’s thirty second 30+ level recreation this season which leads gamers within the Japanese Convention and tied for third within the NBA this yr. Simply persevering with to construct on his MVP degree season.
7. Garza Monster Efficiency
Luka Garza’s nickname is the “Garzilla” and I might say he lived as much as it with a monstrous efficiency towards the Grizzlies. Garza completed with a season-high 22 factors and seven rebounds on 9-12 capturing from the sphere and 1-3 from three. This was simply the most effective recreation of Garza’s Celtics profession and was a testomony to how exhausting he hustles each evening.
I might say his fourth quarter was the place we noticed the most important impression from Garza, ending with 11 factors and three rebounds on 5-5 capturing. Garza hit his one three pointer of the sport to begin the fourth quarter however the remainder of his factors got here beneath the basket. His potential to wash up the offensive glass was unbelievable, ending with 5 on the evening however 2 of them got here down the stretch when the Celtics wanted them most.
The Celtics potential to develop productive NBA facilities in a lab must be studied however it’s also a testomony to how exhausting Luka Garza is keen to work. With Nikola Vucevic taking place, it has given Garza an opportunity to point out what he’s actually fabricated from.
The opposite Celtics large man that was capable of go off on this recreation was Neemias Queta who completed with a double-double of 12 factors and 11 rebounds on an ideal 4-4 capturing from the sphere and 4-4 capturing from the free throw line.
Queta, much like Garza, did an amazing job of profiting from the Grizzlies lack of an inside defensive presence. Queta’s greatest quarter got here within the second the place he scored 8 of his factors on 3-3 capturing. He did an amazing job of cleansing up offensive rebounds and displaying off some good finishes below the basket.
Queta was benched within the fourth quarter of this recreation for Luka Garza however I don’t that’s essentially a testomony to him however extra of simply driving the new hand with Garza. Both manner I feel Queta performed a reasonably stable recreation.
9. Scheierman Profitable Performs
Baylor Scheierman didn’t end with a stat line that’s going to leap off the web page or something, 2 factors, 4 rebounds, and three assists on 1-2 capturing. Nonetheless, should you watched the sport, you’ll have seen Baylor make some unbelievable successful performs that justify him being on the courtroom.
The primary got here on the finish of the primary quarter when he made an unbelievable steal and cross forward to Hugo Gonzalez who completed with a poster dunk.
Scheierman additionally did an amazing job when it got here to taking two costs on this recreation. He was capable of soak up the contact and power the offensive foul and shifting momentum to the Celtics.
Within the fourth quarter, we noticed Scheierman play 11 minutes and make some large performs on offense when it got here to being in the precise place on the proper time for rebounds and scoring his solely factors.
Performs like these are why I really like watching Baylor Scheierman play for the Celtics. He’s such a sensible basketball participant and most significantly he’s a winner. Thoughts you, he’s doing all of this with a damaged thumb and nonetheless enjoying like if he takes a break he’ll get taken out of the rotation. It’s exhausting to not love a man a like Scheierman.
10. First “Unhealthy” Tatum Sport
For the primary time since his return I feel we qualify this as a foul recreation for Jayson Tatum. He completed with 13 factors and 9 rebounds on 3-15 capturing from the sphere and 2-9 from three. Though the numbers look unhealthy, I might say his efficiency as a complete wasn’t the worst. He did an amazing job when it got here to producing open appears however the pictures simply weren’t falling. The factor that makes it a foul recreation in my thoughts was the actual fact he completed with 0 assists however that may be chalked as much as the actual fact the Celtics had been bricking every part they shot.
Tatum missed his first 8 pictures on this recreation however for the three that he did make, they seemed stable. His three level shoot seemed clean and he was capable of end on one in every of his drives late within the fourth quarter because the Celtics had been making their large run to ice the sport.
This being the seventh recreation that Tatum has performed coming off his Achilles tear will not be misplaced on me. I don’t assume we must always slander Tatum for this recreation as a result of rebounding and talent to get to the free throw line had been positives. This recreation simply occurs to be the worst one he’s had to date which is completely nice since he’s nonetheless coming again. I don’t assume theres any trigger for concern.
