#1 – Jaylen Brown scoring efficiency
41 factors on 65% True Taking pictures, 12 made photographs, 12 made free throws — Jaylen Brown seemed like himself offensively final night time. As we’ve seen earlier than, he didn’t hesitate to go after mismatches like Duncan Robinson within the first quarter.
As we’ll look into in #4, the Celtics additionally drew lots of flare actions throughout the recreation, which gave Brown extra space when he acquired the ball to assault the protection. As a result of he’s already a step forward when he will get the ball, the ground is extra open, and it’s simpler for him to decide that can generate a very good look.
His pick-and-roll recreation with Neemias Queta is beginning to flourish, because the play beneath reveals. The spacing is nice for as soon as, and the display screen offers Brown time to realize velocity and make his strategy to the rim.
His velocity and burst appear to be again, as he was in a position to generate 15 free throws and left defenders within the mud — like right here with Isaiah Stewart.
Nonetheless, there was nonetheless an issue late within the recreation when the Pistons determined to guard the rim in any respect prices, whether or not or not it left an open shot past the road. Due to that, JB’s effectivity went down within the fourth quarter — one made shot on six makes an attempt and solely seven factors scored when it mattered most.
General, it confirmed that Jaylen Brown appears to have discovered his rhythm once more, however with out spacing — and with out Jayson Tatum — late-game conditions may get difficult for the All-Star.
#2 – Celtics new defensive identification
All summer season lengthy, we talked concerning the Boston Celtics’ new defensive identification. The principle shift from final season is about defensive playmaking. For the previous few years, the Celtics have been an elite protection due to rim safety and forcing groups into photographs they didn’t need.
Nonetheless, after final summer season, Joe Mazzulla was pressured to alter his defensive method. The brand new path was apparent yesterday as quickly as the sport began. Within the first quarter alone, the Celtics stole 5 balls and blocked 4 photographs.
This defensive playmaking potential is one of the simplest ways to generate transition — and that’s what the Celtics want.
#3 – The ball motion continues to be missing
As soon as once more this 12 months, the help fee was beneath final season’s common — far beneath. On this roster, the Celtics have lots of isolation scorers who can, kind of, create their very own offense and “get buckets.”
Jaylen Brown had a really spectacular isolation recreation, and his field rating numbers are sturdy. Nonetheless, this sort of offense doesn’t create collective synergy. Plus, isolation scoring isn’t essentially the most environment friendly strategy to rating.
So, it’s nice that the Celtics have gamers like Payton Pritchard and Anfernee Simons who can rating in one-on-one conditions, however the ball wants to maneuver extra and areas have to be created for a greater general offense.
A technique to do this is to maintain growing these flare actions beneath…
The Celtics have been already utilizing these screens final season, however we’d see much more within the subsequent few months. Flare screens are set off-ball, on the alternative facet of the ball handler, for the participant who receives the display screen. Within the screenshot beneath, Queta units a display screen first on the left of Brown whereas the ball is on his proper, in Pritchard’s arms.
This method works effectively for the Celtics’ shooters or ball handlers as a result of the defenders are sometimes centered totally on the ball. Due to this fact, when the display screen is ready off-ball after which the cross comes, the defender is already late.
Within the play beneath, Brown first units a display screen on the ball, then runs to make use of Queta’s flare display screen. Due to the chaining of screens, Jalen Duren is late and leaves Cade Cunningham alone to cope with Brown, who has a pocket of area to set off from three.
On this second instance, Jaylen Brown begins decrease and makes use of Queta as a screener twice. The second display screen is a flare, and you may see once more the hole it creates within the protection. It forces Ausar Thompson to return assistance on JB’s drive, which leaves Pritchard open for a triple.
These strikes put the protection beneath lots of strain as a result of the Celtics’ ball handlers obtain the ball with a step forward in these conditions. Nice offense can come from this, however there’s nonetheless one thing else to repair if the Celtics need to compete for a Play-In spot.
#5 – One other possession battle misplaced
This isn’t one thing nice to repeat all season lengthy — and it’d change — however to this point the Celtics are shedding the possession battle, and that’s the rationale behind the final two defeats. Taking a look at scoring effectivity, the Celtics have been as soon as once more forward. However as a result of Detroit took extra photographs, they gained the sport.
However there may be one more reason behind the loss.
#6 – They acquired to the road
On high of producing extra possessions, the Pistons have been in a position to drive extra journeys to the free-throw line. Even when free throws are boring, they continue to be essentially the most environment friendly strategy to get factors on the board. Led by Jalen Duren with 12 free throws made, the Pistons scored 32 factors on the line — 14 greater than the Celtics.
Whereas it’s honest to say the referees may share some accountability — which could have led to Derrick White’s second tech of his profession — I feel there’s an underlying drawback right here.
The underlying motive, to me, is the shortcoming to get to the rim.
Towards the Pistons, the Celtics took solely 11 photographs inside 4 ft of the rim, in comparison with 27 for the Pistons. The distinction in rim strain may also be seen within the quantity of nook threes. Typically, paint touches and drives create defensive assist that opens up the corners.
Final night time, the Celtics solely tried 5 photographs from the corners, whereas the Pistons generated 12. Boston is relying an excessive amount of on pull-up leap photographs from above the break or lengthy mid-range makes an attempt which might be inefficient and gained’t be sufficient to compensate for the dearth of rebounding and free throws.
It’s nonetheless unclear which path the Celtics will take — or can take. I doubt the present shot distribution pleases the teaching employees, however what can they alter to make it extra impactful?
One change that would have a optimistic impression on the Celtics’ general efficiency is to provide extra minutes to Josh Minott. In fact, this gained’t positively impression the spacing or taking pictures stage of the workforce, as he’s usually left alone past the road.
Nonetheless, he is aware of the way to play behind the protection — slicing on the rim whereas the protection focuses on the ball and the scoring gravity of his teammates.
His impression, like Hugo’s, might be essential on protection. In solely quarter-hour, he pressured three turnovers and generated transitions that helped the Celtics come again within the fourth. Within the sequence beneath, he made a shot from three and instantly began defending on the ball handler. Together with his size and nice mobility, he was in a position to drive a turnover and end the transition with a ravishing and-one.
The Celtics’ spacing won’t ever be good, so the teaching employees may as effectively begin enjoying guys who can’t shoot however can assist on protection and within the possession battle.
#9 – Celtics are the seals now
Another excuse the Celtics may want extra minutes from Minott or Hugo Gonzalez is that they’ve turn into the seals they used to hunt. With Sam Hauser, Pritchard, or Anfernee Simons, the Celtics at all times have gamers Cade Cunningham can goal one-on-one in isolation.
In fact, Cade is among the few gamers who can goal anybody. He even went after Derrick White due to his dimension benefit. However with out Jayson Tatum, Jrue Vacation, or Al Horford, these tall ball handlers are going to be so much tougher to cope with.
First time since 2013 that the Celtics begin 0-3… That’s additionally the final time Boston missed the Playoffs — Jaylen Brown wasn’t even within the league but. The 2013 season was adopted by the Marcus Good draft and, just a little later, the Isaiah Thomas commerce.
Earlier than successful once more, the Celtics are going to need to dwell with leaning and shedding.
