They had seventeen points off turnovers in the second half. That’s a product of poor spacing, poor physicality on the ball, and just poor screening. They’re a team that fights for matchups.
“Spacing is offense, so we gotta fight to be more disciplined with that.”
That was head coach Joe Mazzulla on what led to just a 27-point second half for the Celtics in Oklahoma City. After leading the Thunder by 10 heading into halftime, Boston’s offense went cold. They followed a 6-for-22 first half from behind the arc with a 3-for-24 stinker to close it out.
To be an effective three-point shooting team, you have to have the shooters of course, but to Mazzulla’s point, they have to be in the right spots for everything to work.
“It’s something you gotta commit to every possession. As you’re playing a game and going through it and looking to process each possession, you just gotta fight for great spacing on every possession. Sometimes matchups and different coverages mess it up,” Mazzulla said of Boston’s third and fourth quarter collapse.
When the Celtics are clicking, they’re this amalgamous blob of potential with players cycling all over the court, all as offensive threats. Here’s Derrick White attacking the empty side of the floor in semi-transition. As soon as he goes baseline, you can see his teammates fall into place; Sam Hauser spaces to the opposite side corner; Luke Kornet flashes from the dunker spot; Jaylen Brown provides a release valve above the break; finally, Kristaps Porzingis makes the slot cut for a layup.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t always go as planned.
“There was a possession there where we ran a pin down and they got it and it was empty side and we didn’t get the corners filled and they were able to take advantage of that,” Mazzulla said of the above play. “A large portion of that is just kind of the discipline and continuing to do it over and over again each possession as you try to work through the flow of the game.”
To Brown and Boston’s credit, they’re down nine at this point and trying to get quick hitters with just over two minutes to go in the game, but Mazzulla’s observation still stands. As JB drives, everybody watches. Ideally, Jrue Holiday runs the baseline as a possible dump off pass in the paint, White fills the corner vacated by Holiday, and either Jayson Tatum or Porzingis cut sooner. Instead, Brown gets stuck in the restricted area and the Thunder force one of their sixteen turnovers.
Here’s Brown on the tale of two halves and how OKC’s increased physicality (and the officials lack of adjustment to it) changed the game:
Jaylen Brown on the root of the issue when spacing is bad:
“It’s just a lack of poise… second half, the whistle wasn’t on our side. It’s fine, we just have to adjust faster… credit to OKC, their physicality set the tone in the second half.” pic.twitter.com/YyiF34A287
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) January 6, 2025
One loss won’t change how the Celtics play. Mazzulla Ball isn’t dead. But taking it on the chin against the league’s stingiest defensive team is a good reminder that to beat the best, you have to be at your best and that means attention to all the details and not just making shots.
