1. Bouncing back.
A quick glance at the final score would tell you the Celtics dominated this game. Eventually, that was the case, but they got off to another slow start and worked their way back once again. The beginning of the 1st quarter was honestly hard to watch. Derrick White has become synonymous with making the right play, so his three turnovers and two quick fouls were extremely uncharacteristic. That may be rare for Derrick, but with the turnover struggles Boston had against the Hawks, it was worrisome that they may follow that up with a similar performance. The Celtics only turned the ball over four more times after that though, and they found success in a lot of different ways.
2. Tatum answered the call.
This was one of those nights where Tatum remembers he is the best player on the floor. He didn’t just remember it, he actively reminded the Nets of that fact all game long.
As the Celtics sleepwalked through the 1st quarter, Tatum decided to wake up.
Jayson scored 11 points in the final 2:15 of the quarter, almost single-handedly cutting the Nets lead from 11 to down to just 2. Playing the entirety of the first has become the norm for Tatum, and it’s led to a lot of big scoring outbursts. Most importantly, it allows him to feel out the game and work himself into a rhythm.
As the game went on, Tatum didn’t slow down. He delivered as a scorer finishing with 36 points while shooting 12/19 (63.2%) from the field.
His all-around impact was equally impressive, finishing with nine rebounds and 10 assists. This has almost become regular for him at this stage in his career, but it’s far from normal. Watching Tatum reach these heights still feels surreal.
3. Jaylen was right there with him.
The Celtics haven’t had to really too heavily on Brown and Tatum to carry the bulk of the offense. In previous years, the team typically went as far as they could take them. With the overwhelming talent of this squad, there’s always someone that can pick up the scoring when needed. This game required both of the Jays to get things going though.
Jaylen scored 13 points in the 2nd quarter to put the C’s ahead by 5 going into the half, a lead that they would ultimately never give up. Brown is a highly effective 3-level scorer, but a majority of his offense came directly at the rim.
Brown can win with any combination of strength, athleticism and finesse. When he decides it’s time for some bully ball, there’s really not much that can be done to stop it. This has also been a big boost to Jaylen’s free throw attempts, with him and Tatum both taking nine apiece.
He was very impressive on the glass too, pulling down 12 rebounds. The Jays combining for 21 boards was a big reason the Celtics finished with a substantial lead in the rebound column. Their dedication to impacting the game in multiple facets is what makes this combo one of the very best in the NBA.
4. Maybe Scal was right.
Alright…I can’t go that far, but Pritchard’s success as the 6th man does make you wonder what he’d look like as a full-time starter. Boston’s stars take a lot of pressure off of him, but Payton has evolved into a player that is completely comfortable increasing his usage.
His shot diet has a ton of variety now with more self-creation and movement shooting opportunities.
Boston also seems to be looking for him far more often to push the pace and set the table in transition. He is not the most creative passer at his position, but he can make smart decisions when playing with tempo.
Pritchard has given the Celtics nearly flawless bench minutes this season.
5. Brooklyn and the Ewing Theory.
If you’re not familiar, the Ewing Theory suggests that the absence of a star player can actually lead to more success for the team. This Nets team looks like a prime example of how that works.
With the trade of their star Mikal Bridges, the pecking order became less rigid. Cam Thomas remains the team’s primary scorer, but there’s more room for everyone to contribute. Schröder and Cam Johnson have elevated their games with larger roles. Then there’s a variety of role players that have the freedom to step up, like Ziaire Williams who scored 23 points in this game.
There’s going to be some hierarchy that forms at the top, but after that it becomes more unpredictable. This makes it more difficult to plan for them, and that has made them a team that can’t be taken lightly. They may not finish the season in the playoff hunt, but first year head coach Jordi Fernandez has the Nets playing good basketball and forced Boston to take them seriously in both matchups.
6. Defense fuels a big 3rd quarter.
After a strong close to the half, Boston came out of the locker room with a more connected and energized defense. They forced a few turnovers and turned their defense into points on the other end.
They paired great defense with more purpose on offense, and the game started to get out of hand quickly.
The quarter was punctuated by an unbelievable lefty block at the rim from Derrick White.
When the Celtics pair this level of commitment to the defensive end with their offensive excellence, there’s very few teams that can hang with them. The challenge so far has been playing that type of defense more consistently, but they’ve proved capable of flipping that switch in an instant.
7. The bigs on a Horford rest night.
This was an interesting night for the Celtics centers. Queta got the nod as the starter, but he was pulled quickly after two early fouls. Kornet got the next crack at it, but wasn’t very useful with Brooklyn opting to attack him on the perimeter. Even without Horford, Tillman still wasn’t called on here to help out. Instead, Mazzulla stuck with it and his two centers found their footing as the game went on.
It’s going to be a challenge to maximize these center minutes with Horford and Porzingis on the bench, but Boston is getting good enough production. The key, as the 2nd half would show, is that Kornet and Queta are much more helpful when the rest of the team is clicking. They can be counted on to play their role, but they still need a bit of support from the rest of the team. The Jays battling on the glass is a great example of that.
8. Too much versatility.
In the process of burying the Nets, Boston’s offensive versatility stood out. A pair of similar possessions in particular showed why it’s so difficult to truly shut this offense down for a full 48 minutes.
The first play starts off with Tatum screening for Derrick White. This is a go-to combination for the Celtics, and it generates very good results. The Nets decided to get aggressive with their coverage here, sending two to the ball.
This allowed Tatum to slip out into a short roll, where he was found instantly by DWhite. There is so much space to work with here for JT, but the question for the defense is where can the help come from. You’re probably not going to leave Brown or Pritchard wide open in the corner, which leaves Queta as the only possibility. That’s exactly how things play out, and Tatum sets Queta up with the lob.
On the first possession of the 4th quarter, they found themselves in a familiar situation.
This time, Jrue is the screener for Payton. Brooklyn puts two on the ball again, and Pritchard finds Holiday on the roll. The Nets again have limited options to help here, but Clowney tries his best to play the lob and the drive. Jrue is too good for that to work though, finishing over a contest from both sides.
There were plenty of instances in this game of how Boston wants to operate. These two possessions were great examples of how hard it is to slow them down. Few teams have the amount of players that can comfortably serve as both the roll man or the ball handler in these scenarios.
9. Hauser took the lid off the hoop.
It has been a bumpy start to the year for Sam Hauser. His shot has not quite been there, and it looks like he’s still working through the back issue that cost him a few games. This was a great showing for him though, and hopefully a sign that he’s ready to break out of this mini-slump.
His first make helped get the Celtics scoring going, but it also seemed to bring him confidence. He followed it up with a difficult pull-up 3 that ripped through the net.
It’s not much of a surprise at this point, but his defense was good too.
This is the type of performance that Hauser can build off of to get things on the right track. I’d be okay with him taking 15 3’s if it meant he could get into a good rhythm. His usual shooting next to this version of Pritchard would be massive for their bench.
10. Let’s go, Celtics!
It’s become a bit of a tradition for this team to be greeted by a sea of green wherever they are. They’ll walk into an opposing team’s arena, beat them by 20 and walk out while getting showered with “Let’s go Celtics!” chants. I imagine this is especially frustrating for a fan of one of these teams, but I can’t help but enjoy it. The fact that this would also NEVER happen in the TD Garden makes it even better. Celtics fans have been known to boo their team for a poor performance, but there’s not a chance they’d allow another fan base to take over their home.
