- Poole Get together
No matter your private emotions on Jordan Poole, he can fill that time column up rapidly. Watching him drill 3’s off the dribble will in all probability at all times sting a bit after the 2022 Finals, however much less so after seeing the Celtics elevate a banner of their very own.
On this recreation, the Poole celebration began with a splash.
JP was an enormous motive that the Celtics discovered themselves in an early gap. He hit a ton of three’s, ending the primary half capturing 6/9 from behind the arc on his method to 20 factors. There have been quite a lot of tough seems that Boston couldn’t have defended a lot better, Poole knocked them down anyway.
Even with that massive begin although, the Celtics dug themselves out of an early deficit with ease. For all of Poole’s success, he was the one Wizard to hit a 3 within the first half. Patrick Baldwin Jr. hit the one non-Poole 3 on this recreation with 5 minutes left within the 4th quarter. That’s not a really helpful technique towards Boston.
2. Seeing double (bigs).
in Sam Hauser’s absence – whereas enjoying an inferior opponent – Mazzulla leaned on double massive pairs over different potentialities.
Boston cycled by means of quite a lot of combos together with Kornet/Tillman, Horford/Tillman, Horford/Queta & Tillman/Queta. Within the early phases of the season towards a group with none playoff hopes, this recreation served as the right alternative to check issues out.
For probably the most half, every of those pairings was efficient collectively. All 4 facilities deliver a singular talent set to the desk, and it’s an incredible concept to get a way of how they may praise one another.
It additionally looks like Mazzulla desires to push the boundaries of their scheme, seeing if the group can proceed to generate good offense with two non-spacers on the ground.
3. Tatum is enjoying like an MVP.
Washington made an effort to restrict Boston’s effectiveness from 3, and as a substitute of forcing up photographs, Tatum labored himself right into a rhythm.
He began the sport making the most of, and capturing excessive of smaller defenders.
A dependable again to the basket recreation has been an especially useful gizmo for Tatum. It felt like final season was an introduction to this model of JT that’s each snug and efficient enjoying a extra bodily type when needed.
His 3-ball by no means absolutely got here round this recreation, however he had a couple of spectacular makes. That included this devastating welcome to the league second for rookie Alex Sarr.
Tatum’s rebounding and all-around contributions appear to get glossed over in discussions about his impression, nevertheless it’s one of many massive separators between him and most of the gamers he attracts comparisons to. In simply 28 minutes, Tatum notched 25 factors, 11 rebounds and 6 assists. Not that he would thoughts, however the Celtics greatness may be sufficient to truly hurt his MVP case within the sense that they finish video games within the third quarter.
Tatum has 29 1st quarter factors within the 1st two video games. Within the play-by-play period, solely Curry and Doncic have scored extra.
— Dick Lipe (@DickLipe) October 24, 2024
4. Derrick White, the stabilizer.
The time period connector has popped up lately as a method to describe a participant that does the little issues that tie a lineup collectively. Derrick White is likely one of the best connectors the league has to supply.
Offensively, he has turn out to be a constant offensive weapon that may add worth in any approach you might think about. White is clearly a dynamic shooter off the ball, however his capability to be the screener for inverted decide and rolls is a wrinkle that almost all offenses are desperately attempting to emulate.
These days, the Celtics hardly ever should be settled down. After they do, Derrick is commonly the man to stabilize issues. It’s not often along with his voice, moderately the power to make the right play/learn time after time. His protection and IQ helped ease Boston into this recreation.
5. Jrue is a vet.
This wasn’t an enormous Jrue Vacation recreation by any means, the truth is it was in all probability one of many least concerned performances we’ve seen from him in fairly a while.
Regardless of the relative lack of manufacturing, Vacation’s veteran savviness stood out on a pair of possessions within the 2nd quarter. On each events, he takes benefit of the youthfulness of Alex Sarr.
On this primary possession, Vacation is confronted with a low shot clock and restricted choices. He can both attempt to rapidly take Sarr to the rim, or shoot over the 7-footer. As an alternative, Jrue manages to pry open door quantity 3.
He didn’t have the higher hand right here, so his intelligence needed to be the benefit. He clearly seen the drained shot clock, however his choice to pump pretend makes it clear that he acknowledged Sarr was in all probability conscious of the restricted time as nicely. He performed the person on this situation, understanding that it might necessitate a extra aggressive closeout and provides him the most effective alternative to make one thing out of nothing.
Lower than a minute later, Jrue discovered himself on an island with Sarr once more:
Jrue exams him straight away with a pump pretend on the 3PT line to see if he’d chunk once more. Sarr discovered from his mistake briefly and stayed down this time. Jrue is presented an angle to drive to his dominant hand, however opts to assault Sarrs prime foot, forcing him to flip his hips. With the Wizards younger massive firmly in restoration mode now, Jrue creates area with a slight bump and sends him hovering into the air as soon as once more with the pretend.
The sort of grasp on the sport comes with time, and it’s one thing that Vacation delivered to the group immediately upon his arrival. He didn’t make a single bucket right here, however managed to flip a 3 level deficit to a 2 level lead.
6. Jaylen Brown’s emotional intelligence
Jaylen had a tough begin to the sport, ending the first quarter capturing 1/5 from the sector. He took a number of robust photographs off the dribble that have been exterior of the move of the offense. That’s not totally uncommon or disappointing, however the high quality of the seems have been low and the chances mirrored that.
Nevertheless, Jaylen didn’t let the poor capturing deter him. He dialed it in and was extra purposeful in his strategy. Within the 2nd quarter, all 5 of his shot makes an attempt got here on the rim.
Brown is terrifying in transition and as a driver within the half court docket. With the ability to acknowledge so rapidly that his shot eating regimen wanted an adjustment says so much about how he’s considering the sport at this stage in his profession.
One other signal of that was this decide & roll rep with Neemias Queta:
His endurance right here to govern and maintain the large whereas additionally preserving his personal defender in jail is extraordinarily superior. Brown performs this completely and finds Queta up prime for the simple lob.
After efficiently enjoying himself right into a move, JB allowed himself to have one other pull-up 3, as a deal with.
7. Any motive to fret about Horford?
The reply is a convincing no.
Horford completed the sport with zero factors and simply two FGA. He wasn’t concerned in a significant approach offensively, however nonetheless managed to be helpful. That is highlighted by the truth that he completed the sport as a +17. In lots of circumstances +/- doesn’t inform the entire story, however for Horford it’s an correct portrayal of contributing in ways in which don’t at all times present up on the field rating.
Take a possession like this for instance:
Horford units a superb display screen that utterly wipes Pritchard’s defender out of the play. He isn’t credited with an help, however you might argue that his display screen is deserving of 1 contemplating it leads on to a large open look.
He chipped in with a couple of rebounds to assist end off possessions, and had his moments defensively.
In his 18th season, it’s as vital as ever to guarantee that Horford’s workload is manageable. If there’s nights like this all through the common season the place little or no output is required from him, that ought to solely be seen as a constructive. Having three succesful facilities behind him, ought to proceed to be an enormous increase for him as nicely.
8. Flashes of Queta
As beforehand talked about, it’s a serious plus that Boston can trot out 4 high quality bigs whereas their borderline all-star heart rests up. Queta performed slightly below 14 minutes on this recreation, nevertheless it was crammed with glimpses of the kind of contributor the Celtics are hoping to assist mildew him into.
Queta makes a ton of vitality performs, and has a excessive motor in the case of chasing offensive rebounds. Gaining additional possessions on the glass is one thing that any group would respect.
I discover it helpful to be aware of possessions like that the place he’s matched up with a authentic NBA heart and is ready to get the most effective of them. The protection is a piece in progress and extra recreation time ought to assist him develop, however there have been nonetheless a couple of events the place he got here up with a cease on Valančiūnas.
Now that he’s in Boston full-time, his position will solely enhance if he’s capable of stack up performances like this.
9. Payton Pritchard’s Sam Hauser impression
After an inefficient recreation one, Payton Pritchard returned to his common sharpshooting self.
There was a Sam Hauser sized gap within the rotation, and Pritchard crammed it. 3PT capturing isn’t unique to Hauser, however the kind of seems that Payton acquired tonight have been harking back to Sam’s typical shot sorts.
It was a heavy dose of motion capturing and screens on the best way to 5 made 3’s for Pritchard. Probably the greatest seems of the evening was a stagger display screen from Vacation and Kornet to free him up.
10. Scheierman’s first NBA factors
With the departures of Oshae Brissett and Svi Mykhailiuk, rubbish time is in want of a brand new hero. For the time being, it seems like this might be Baylor Scheierman’s alternative to shine.
He was off on a pair of three’s, however secured his first NBA bucket on a transition layup that was sufficient to earn him the sport ball.
Rotation minutes are scarce, however with Boston always grabbing 20+ level leads, Baylor has an opportunity to play for longer than common. Contemplating he’s on an ordinary contract, there’s no restrict on the quantity of video games he can play for Boston this season, however taking advantage of these minutes whereas ultimately spending time in Maine will likely be finest for his growth in the long term.
