Development, at occasions, could be as painful and agonizing as it’s rewarding, and the Celtics skilled that firsthand of their NBA Cup duel with the Magic on Friday night time.
Over six months after eliminating the Magic within the first spherical of final season’s NBA Playoffs, Boston returned to Orlando — this time considerably extra ill-equipped. As a substitute of sitting 15 miles away from Disney World, chasing a championship repeat, the Celtics are grappling for validation as a workforce that may maintain its personal and compete with out Jayson Tatum. That journey started favorably when the Celtics kicked off their NBA Cup bid in opposition to the Sixers in Philadelphia, however the follow-up confirmed that Boston’s luck from the Metropolis of Brotherly Love was no match for Orlando’s fourth-quarter magic.
The Celtics stayed aggressive all through the second half, conserving the Magic on edge till the ultimate minutes of the fourth quarter. However a careless turnover by first-year ahead Josh Minott swung momentum decisively in Orlando’s favor. Magic guard Anthony Black intercepted Minott’s errant move and completed a layup, giving Orlando a 97-96 lead. From there, Boston fell sufferer to a 26-14 run, stricken by undisciplined play and offensive struggles, which sealed their destiny in a 123-110 loss on the Kia Heart.
Jaylen Brown views the late-game spill via a extra optimistic lens.
“I believe we’re rising. I believe we’re getting higher,” Brown stated. “I’m liking what I’m seeing from sure guys, and that’s a very powerful factor — persevering with to get higher. And I do know we’re not a company or fanbase that makes excuses, particularly in video games that we are able to win, however it’s part of the educational curve and course of. It’s nonetheless early within the season, and we gotta proceed to battle. I’m gonna proceed to battle, proceed to assist my teammates get higher, proceed to present the sport what it wants, however that’s part of it.”
Minott’s turnover, reckless and reflective of Boston’s present state, wasn’t the one motive for the defeat.
Boston dedicated 14 turnovers, together with 5 within the fourth quarter. That’s not just like the C’s. Sometimes, the Celtics aren’t simply disciplined — they’re the NBA’s most disciplined workforce relating to defending the ball, averaging a league-best 11.2 turnovers per recreation getting into Friday night time.
Brown and Payton Pritchard, each workforce leaders, every dedicated key turnovers throughout Orlando’s late rally, underscoring Boston’s ongoing seek for progress and consistency.
“I believe it’s simply being extra attentive to what’s occurring and valuing these possessions,” Anfernee Simons added. “These could be rising pains — us as a workforce being in these positions collectively for the primary time. As we undergo these conditions, we’ll get higher at them. I believe tonight we are able to be taught rather a lot from this one, particularly on the finish of the sport.”
The distinction between Celtics wins and losses this season has typically come all the way down to limiting miscues as a lot as doable. On nights after they’re in a position to preserve their turnover rely low, it interprets. On nights after they crash the boards and preserve opponents from stockpiling on offensive rebounds and second-chance factors, it interprets. Regardless of the workforce’s sluggish begin with the 3-pointer — Boston ranks first in 3-point makes an attempt (46) and twenty seventh in 3-point proportion (32.3%) — the Celtics have proven they’ll carry out just like the Celtics of the previous.
“We’ll clearly simply return and watch the movie and begin with the issues that you may management,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla stated. “That they had 29 factors in transition. Clearly, some free throws there, some essential free throws that we may get higher at, and simply offensive execution. So we’ll check out that (on Saturday).”
Minott’s turnover, if something, emphasised the significance of tackling the margin for error.
That’s the place the Celtics fell very, very quick in Orlando.
Momentum is a essential part of navigating 4 12-minute quarters. For a workforce constructed just like the Celtics, it’s particularly important, for the reason that “savior” of the night time could be anybody. It received’t at all times be Brown, Pritchard, or Derrick White. We’ve already seen Hugo González, Jordan Walsh, and Minott step into the highlight and make an influence. They’ve proven that, no matter previous seasons or their spot on the depth chart, everybody sporting a Celtics uniform will get an at-bat.
Momentum is what saved the Celtics within the working for a 2-0 NBA Cup headstart, and it’s what dragged them to a loss to start their three-game street journey.
“It at all times comes all the way down to pockets of that,” Mazzulla stated. “If it’s a blowout, they get talked over, and we discuss different stuff. On this scenario, these (momentum swings) get magnified. And I believe that’s the expansion that we simply must proceed to battle for as a workforce — we introduced the trouble and the physicality, however we gotta convey the execution. In a recreation of swings like that, the place it’s shut all through most of it, these performs matter and so they’re magnified, and we simply gotta be higher.”
