- Couldn’t shake off the rust
This game was not pretty. After playing two games in the last two weeks, Boston had an uncharacteristically poor shooting performance. They left the door open for the Bulls to stick around, and they did just that.
They lost the 3PT battle, and shot just 25% from deep while attempting 56 3’s. That’s an easy way to not only lose, but to get blown out. That wasn’t really the case with this one though, they led for the majority of the game and seemed like they would be able to finish it out.
The major turning point came in the 4th quarter, with an energetic lineup from the Bulls followed by an intervention from the officials.
2. Stuck in the mud
Zach LaVine’s scoring carried Chicago for a significant portion of the game, and was a big reason why they managed to stay within striking distance. It was the bench however, that turned the tide of this game.
The Bulls started the 4th quarter down by 4, and went with a lineup of Ball/Dosunmu/Phillips/Horton-Tucker/Smith. With just one starter on the floor in Dosunmu, this group brought a level of energy that Boston really did not have an answer for. They were quick in their rotations, and moving laterally while defending the ball. On top of that, they rushed the ball down the floor immediately after made and missed shots from the Celtics.
It was reminiscent of the speed that the Pacers played with that really pushed Boston in the ECF. The C’s weren’t able to get their defense set, and often got caught flat-footed in transition. There were a troubling amount of blow-bys that ended up as completely uncontested layups in that stretch.
With Lonzo swapped for Coby White, the Bulls flipped a 88-85 Celtics lead, to a 99-92 lead for themselves. Both teams’ starters checked back in shortly after, but the C’s had another challenge ahead of them…
3. The ref show
For as rough as this game was, it was setting up nicely for a back-and-forth crunch time ending. That energy was quickly sucked out of the building as the refs inserted themselves into the picture. I’m not one to harp on the ref’s performance after a game, because blaming them for a loss is usually just an excuse to avoid mentioning what really went wrong. That’s true for this game as well, but it was impressive how quickly the game changed at the hands of the officials.
They dished out one of the quickest technicals I’ve ever seen to Mazzulla, and followed that up with two more T’s for Brown and Tatum. I won’t pretend to know what was said on the floor, but it’s hard to imagine it was much more frustration than they’re usually met with. Giving a team that short of a leash is just strange when it’s so late in the game, and the Celtic’s never managed to recover from it.
Mazzulla was about as animated as he’s ever shown during a game too, having to be actively restrained from approaching the crew on multiple occasions. He’s been known to go that far in an attempt to manipulate the energy of a game, but it’s different when the game is already over. Maybe it’s his way to get the team ready for the next one.
4. Rough Jaylen night
Jaylen struggled in most areas throughout this game. He added to the team’s 3PT struggles, finishing 1/8 from deep. On top of that, he looked disconnected and a step slow defensively. There were a few rotations or switches that he was either late to, or didn’t recognize altogether.
Brown was also on the court for Chicago’s early 4th quarter run, and he wasn’t able to bring much on either end to stabilize things. Offensively, it felt like he tried to get involved during that stretch, but it ended up with him holding on to the ball too long without getting others involved.
his game added to a less than spectacular streak of recent performances from Jaylen. Hopefully with a rematch coming up, and a more difficult schedule on the horizon, Boston can get more out of Brown.
5. Tatum was underutilized
This was a good game from Tatum. He finished with 31 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and two steals. There were pockets of the game where he looked ready to carry the team to a win. The Celtic’s would’ve been wise to call on him more often though.
Jayson was the most consistent scoring option, and Chicago didn’t have a scheme or defender that seemed to bother him. In hindsight, feeding him more should’ve been a priority. He checked in with 5 minutes left in the 4th quarter, and only had 3 FGA in that time.
Tatum and Holiday were the only two Celtics to finish a 9-point loss without a negative +/-.
6. Jaden Springer sighting
After being shut down one game into summer league, I was hopeful that indicated Jaden Springer would have a role this season. He had a few chances throughout preseason, but wasn’t really able to make an argument for himself. As a result, he’s been used only in garbage time without any real minutes… until the Bulls came to town.
In typical Mazzulla fashion, he threw Chicago a curveball with a 1st quarter Springer substitution. Without Hauser, someone was going to be depended on for wing minutes. Recently, that has been where Walsh or Peterson is called upon. Likely to his own surprise, Springer got the first opportunity.
His performance didn’t make any statements in favor of his standing moving forward, but he was active defensively and on the glass. It feels like his point of attack defense could be particularly useful, but he’ll have to display a developed offensive game to stick.
His name has been floated consistently as the Celtics’ most likely trade piece, and there’s a possibility this was a move to increase his value. Personally, I don’t think that’s how Mazzulla typically operates, and I have a hard time believing Brad Stevens would ask that from him.
7. 1st Team All-DWhite
Derrick stayed confident, but never found his shot, finishing a disappointing 3/12 from 3. Despite the inefficiency, he put together a strong defensive performance worthy of some recognition.
It brings me great joy to watch players continue to drive on Derrick White, only to have their shot stuffed back in their face. He is one of the most technically sound shot blockers and that’s no secret, but he’s still somehow underestimated.
Believe it or not, this play was not considered a block for White. The ref chose to call it a travel, ignoring the effort and anticipation to shut the drive down completely. Even with the robbery in the box score, Derrick wouldn’t be denied.
He took on a considerably bigger player in Patrick Williams, and absolutely swallowed up the shot. If you slow that one down, the hang time is even more impressive as Williams tries to wait him out.
He got LaVine later on while chasing him around a screen. His ability to accurately target the ball on block attempts like that is not normal, but something he is uniquely great at.
8. Matchup versatility
The Celtics started the game with a few interesting, but not unfamiliar matchups. Tatum was deployed as the primary defender for Bull’s center Nikola Vucevic. Tatum’s size, length and defensive versatility makes him a legitimate option against most bigs, outside of the Jokic/Embiid tier.
We saw this throughout the playoffs with Tatum taking on Myles Turner, Daniel Gafford and Derrick Lively on occasions. He held his own when matched up with Vucevic as well, but the larger benefit is that it allows Porzingis to roam more effectively.
Porzingis spent most of his time on the floor guarding whichever Bulls wing was in the game. This meant that he was typically defending the corner, giving him an easy route to rotate over as a rim protector. It also takes some pressure off of him defensively, so he’s not forced to battle all game with the other team’s centers.
Since returning, Porzingis has provided a noticeable boost to Boston’s rim defense, and this has been a good way to keep him in prime help position. It also takes advantage of one of the league’s most versatile defenders.
9. Pritchard almost had what the game needed
Payton has emerged this season as an elite scoring punch off the bench. He also has a knack for making the plays that supercharge the energy in the building. In the closing seconds of the 3rd quarter, Pritchard drilled a step back 3 that got the Garden crowd involved, and felt like the moment that could energize the team.
As we know, that is unfortunately not how things played out. Pritchard went on to miss 3 straight shots during the Bulls 4th quarter run, and they didn’t get production anywhere else.
10. Horford is uninvolved
The plan with Al Horford is quite clear these days, rest in the regular season is the priority. This means he gets the night off during back-to-backs, but it’s looking more common for him to be an offensive afterthought during the games he does play.
This isn’t really a criticism, it’s easy to understand the benefits of keeping his offensive burden as small as possible until the playoffs roll around. It has been a factor in his ability to extend his career this long, while remaining impactful when it matters.
On a night like this though where Horford didn’t have much juice, it might’ve been worth leaning on Kornet instead.
