#1 Horford can still be a menace
Al Horford had himself a night against the Chicago Bulls. He ended the game with 23 points and 8 rebounds. Yet, it was his work from the perimeter that was most impressive. He shot 5-of-10 from deep, with four of those makes coming from the right corner.
Horford was also his usual self in terms of screening, creation and defense. He did, however, look more aggressive on the offensive end and continually found himself in space.
Having Horford in the weakside corner provides the Celtics with a reliable release valve. We know he can knock down his corner three’s at a high clip, and we know that he’s capable of driving baseline to attack closeouts. Furthermore, by having Horford in the corner, the Celtics are allowing more inverted actions on the perimeter, which are designed to consistently create mismatches for the ball-handler or pass receiver.
I’ll leave you with the above clip of Horford getting Nikola Vucevic to bite on the fake before he attacked the rim off the dribble.
#2 Luke Kornet battled on the boards
Vintage. That’s the only way to describe the performance we got from Luke Kornet on Saturday. He was a monster on the glass, securing five offensive rebounds and 13 overall. He seems to thrive when operating as the starting center as part of a double-big lineup, and once again proved why he’s one of the best third-string centers in the league.
It feels like Kornet has begun to embrace his size when on the floor. He’s playing with more force, and he’s being way more aggressive when pressuring the glass — on both sides of the floor.
When you add his rebounding to his ever-improving perimeter play as a creation hub, it’s comforting to know he’s the Celtics back-up big man. Against Chicago, Kornet flashed upside as a screener, DHO creator, and as a short-roll passer.
Kornet is playing with a lot of confidence. He’s moving with purpose and executing on both sides of the floor. Games like this one also prove that he’s capable of remaining competitive when facing some of the stronger centers in the Eastern Conference, which is also an encouraging sign.
#3 What a night from Hauser
Sam Hauser is playoff-ready. There’s no other way of putting it. He scored 23 points against the Bulls on 8-of-9 shooting. He’s been an elite release valve and decoy all season, which is something Joe Mazzulla noted during his post-game press conference.
“The guys have done a better job of understanding how to use him as a weapon,” Mazzulla said. “Whether it’s to get him open or use him as a decoy for 2-on-1’s. He has an innate ability to balance the floor with spacing and also create indecisions. So, we don’t really run a ton of plays for him, but the guys have really learned how to use him as a weapon offensively.”
Throughout the season, we’ve seen Hauser find success in Floppy action. We’ve also seen the Celtics use Hauser’s shooting gravity as a decoy in Spain PnR’s. However, for the most part, Hauser is at his best when catching and letting it fly, either as a stationary shooter or as a movement shooter curling over screens.
Hauser has proven himself to be a viable defender within the rotation as well as one of the best movement shooting roles players in the league. He’s undoubtedly going to have an impactful role to play once the playoffs begin. Nights like this, against a gritty team like the Bulls, is a good example of why he’s so important to the team.
#4 Pritchard’s strong run continues
I’m tracking these numbers at this point. In his last five games, Payton Pritchard is averaging 18.2 points, 8 assists and 3.6 rebounds. He’s shooting 48.6% from 3-point range and 50% from the field.
I’ve said and written a lot about Pritchard’s current stretch of games. So, I’ll keep this one short and say that there’s a chance he begins to move toward making these high-scoring nights off the bench a consistent part of his contribution to the team. Of course, his role is slightly larger at the moment due to the squad rotation and Jrue Holiday’s absence with a shoulder injury.
Nevertheless, Pritchard is proving he can be a major part of the offensive game plan and is working hard to earn those additional opportunities.
#5 Tatum’s offense
The Bulls did a good job of pressing Jayson Tatum and making his life difficult on the perimeter. They ran him off the line or consumed his airspace. So, he countered by attacking the rim and working out of the post.
This is what separates Tatum from the chasing pack. Whatever you try and take away will only open a different aspect of his skillset. On Saturday, they took away his perimeter game in the PnR and as a screen receiver, which allowed him to work as a slasher and bully-driver.
Without Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis in the rotation, the Celtics were missing their best rim threat and their best floor spacer. Tatum still found ways to create offense for himself while also getting to his spots.
We don’t often get to witness Tatum making everything happen while also being the primary point of attention for the defense (due to the other weapons the Celtics usually have on the floor). So, to see him slot back into that role and still produce a commanding performance was fun.
#6 A good showing from Brissett
I’ve been critical of Osahe Brissett in recent weeks. Not because of his effort, or what he provides on the defensive end, but because of his limited ability when finishing his chances on offense.
Well, against the Bulls, Brissett was reliable on both sides of the floor. He nailed all three of his shots and was a pain on the offensive glass, securing three second-chance opportunities for his team.
Performances like these make me wonder whether he can carve out an “energy shifter” role during the postseason.
Brissett played well. He played his role, provided energy, and proved that he could be a consistent thorn in the side of an opposing defense.
#7 Chicago mucked things up
The Bulls’ game plan was clear — take the game into the trenches, force mistakes and attack on the break. It’s no surprise, then, that they finished with 15 deflections as a team. They played the passing lanes well and looked to create as many disjointed possessions as possible.
That approach worked during the opening minutes of the game. However, the Celtics quickly figured it out and began to stand toe-to-toe with the disruptive nature of Billy Donovan’s team. In previous years, a game like this, with so much physicality, could have knocked the Celtics off their rhythm. This year’s roster is different, though.
When the game got physical, so did the Celtics.
#8 Tatum as the screener
Tatum has been spending more and more time operating as a screener this season. His elite passing and scoring abilities make him the ideal roll-man. The above clip is a solid example of why.
We see Tatum set the screen for Derrick White, who then drags his dribble toward the wing. Tatum spins off his man, receives the pass around the nail, draws the help defense and then fires a one-handed bullet pass to the corner.
As a three-level scorer with countless moves in his pocket, Tatum is a serious threat as a roller. His size and mobility are a mismatch nightmare. The more of these actions we see, the better.
#9 D-White hasn’t been himself
It’s not that Derrick White isn’t playing well because he is. However, he hasn’t been operating at the level we’ve become accustomed to. With Holiday sidelined, I was expecting to see a surge in production from the veteran guard. That hasn’t been the case, though.
Instead, White has stuck to his role as a connector who fills the gaps on any night. His shooting has been trending downward, and his aggression in forcing defensive rotations has been limited over the past few games.
White was being discussed as a potential All-Star candidate earlier in the season. One main reason was his aggression on offense when driving the lane and forcing actions. He could just be conserving himself for the playoffs. Still, on a night like this, with multiple players out of the rotation, it would have made sense for White to step up and take control of the game as a playmaker.
Again, I don’t think he’s been bad, I just don’t think he’s been playing at the level we’re used to.
#10 Nine straight wins
The Celtics face the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Their win streak will extend to ten games if they win that game. In truth, it’s an arbitrary number. The first seed in the Eastern Conference is all but wrapped up, and the Celtics are still favorites to end the season with the best record in the NBA.
Nevertheless, anything that can provide momentum is a good thing. Another 10-game win streak would certainly contribute to the feel-good factor surrounding the team right now. Of course, if the Celtics fall short, it’s not the end of the world. Everything is about gathering data at this point, and that can happen regardless of whether they win or lose. Still, it would be fun to see another win streak continue.
Catch everyone on Tuesday!
