Usually, when a talented team plays well, they win.
Given that the roster was also at full strength, there’s really no excuse for it.
And hey, it’s a long 82 game season.
Off nights are going to happen to every team in the league.
Hell, just look at what’s going on with the defending champs right now.
But let’s call it like it is.
That’s big time stuff.
As long as they avoid the shit we saw last night, the Celts should be fine.
Let’s talk about it.
The Good
- I think most people had high hopes for Kristaps Porzingis after the trade.
I don’t really know how else to say it.
If you get Porzingis at least 10 FGA, he’s finishing the game with at least 20 points.
During the Celts 6 game winning streak, Porzingis is shooting just 28% from deep.
Over his last 9 games, that number is 31%.
Probably a guy who feasted inside right?
This is cheat code basketball, even against a team that has the reigning DPOY.
But that’s the beauty of Porzingis.
It’s not just his skillet that’s amazing, it’s how he sees the floor.
Then of course there’s the defensive end.
The game sealing block was huge.
but it certainly wasn’t his only massive rejection.
How about the one on Aldama in a 1 point game with 2:25 left?
That was a MASSIVE defensive play.
What else could you want from the guy?
This is what the missing piece looks like.
The fact that it already fits THIS well THIS soon is almost beyond comprehension.
It was as if these two were destined to make sweet basketball magic together or something.
It’s beautiful, and it’s only going to get better.
- I’m just going to say it.
it’s possible for you to try and debate it if you want, but you’d be wrong.
Sam Hauser is just flat out good.
I’m talking on both ends of the floor.
His little 3 game skid to start the season feels like another lifetime ago.
That percentage at that volume is shit that Steph Curry wishes he could do.
Hauser has had 8 straight games of at least 3 3PM a game!
Not only is that production important, but the consistency is what is going to matter most moving forward.
We’re seeing why you should never, ever, ever, ever worry about Sam Hauser’s shooting.
- Good to see the Celts pull out yet another clutch time win.
Not perfect, but a level that is not only sustainable, but exactly how they need to play.
- Honestly, that’s about it for this section.
Let’s move onto the meat of this game.
The Bad
- Is it possible to put every starter not named KP in this spot?
He is held to a higher standard than that in my opinion.
But he certainly wasn’t alone.
Outside of Porzingis' +4, no starter was better than a +1.
Against a depleted MEM team…..that’s not great.
Another 14 OREB for MEM last night, that let to a 21-12 2nd chance points difference.
Shit like that is how you let bad teams hang around, which is essentially exactly what happened.
Good defense doesn’t mean shit if you aren’t finishing the possession cleanly with a DREB.
The Celts have been giving these up for years and it continues to annoy the shit out of me.
Just box out and be aggressive to the ball!
You’d think we were in 1995 or something the way some still obsess over it.
Well, my hope after last night is these people now see the light.
The Celtics shot 45/38% from the floor, they won the points in the paint battle 42-32.
They won the FTA battle 25-10.
On 2pt FGA, they finished the game shooting 51%.
The answer is basketball math.
Nobody is arguing the Celts don’t need a diversified offense.
Of course they do!
They need to be able to score in a wide variety of ways.
That’s why they got KP.
But last night is what things look like when this team doesn’t play Mazzulla Ball.
The offense looks gross (just 20 AST), and in 2023 you simply have to shoot 3s.
The 31 3PA were the lowest of the Celts season.
Tatum taking just 1 3PA is a big time issue.
A diversified offense is important, and something the Celts had been doing up to last night.
Yes, they took a ton of 3s, but they are also top 3 in Post frequency.
Instead, people want to ignore that and just focus on the 3PA number.
I now hope they see why it’s important that the number not be 31.
Where is the smart end of game decision making?
You literally do not have to shoot the ball there.
The Grizzlies need to foul you.
If you ARE going to take the layup, you have to make it.
Why can’t this team ever make things easy?
Even on the final possession, they give us a goddamn heart attack.
Why do that when you might do the exact opposite and nearly cost yourself a win?
I dunno what they saw, but that was a tough challenge to lose.
At the end of the day, a win is a win is a win.
Beautiful, ugly, lucky, they all count the same.
Don’t take a step backwards like.
