Ten takeaways from the Celtics second win vs. the Nuggets

1. Jaylen Brown impressed Abu Dhabi once again.

Before the first game, Jaylen Brown addressed the Abu Dhabi crowd in Arabic. He wants to be a basketball ambassador across the world and demonstrated once again that he can. On and off the court, Jaylen Brown was the biggest attraction during these two exhibition games against the Nuggets.

Jaylen Brown loves Abu Dhabi, and Abu Dhabi loves Jaylen Brown. The Finals MVP showed them love and delivered highlights. He scored over Jamal Murray, threw down a hard transition dunk, and delivered some GREAT passes!

Jaylen is a highlight machine, reminding the basketball world from the Global Games. The Celtics will be back in Boston soon, but rest assured, Jaylen Brown will be back in the Middle East again.

2. JB’s cuts

Brown also showed a clear intention to cut and move off-ball. He can be devastating, and the Denver defense had issues stopping him. I wrote about his incredible ability as a finisher recently and hope to see more of these off-ball movements next season.

3. Transition defense problems?

One thing I’m not looking forward to seeing again is the transition defense when Nikola Jokic is on the court. Last year, the Celtics had one of, if not the best, transition defenses in the league. But today against the Nuggets, the transition defense looked shaky. Jokic and Murray were able to pick up the pace after both misses and makes, punishing the Celtics’ heavy legs.

Without Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics are leaning toward a more aggressive approach on the offensive glass, which can open up opportunities for opponents in transition. The Celtics are still figuring out their new balance with Porzingis sidelined and Horford resting. Nonetheless, they built their great regular season last year on strong transition defense.

4. Defensive playmaking

Last season, Boston had one of the best defenses without forcing a lot of turnovers. However, with their defensive anchor Porzingis out, their approach will change. We’ll see more switch-all aggressive coverage instead of simply crowding the paint and corners.

The additions of Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer are great examples of Brad Stevens addressing team needs. Both are defensive playmakers who can spark transition opportunities. The Celtics lacked that last year, but with Porzingis out and this new defensive playmaking in, we could see more transition plays.

5. Interior passing

The Celtics have the opportunity to test a variety of centers. Xavier Tillman, Neemias Queta, and Luke Kornet all bring different skills to the table and they each showed what they could offer, particularly with their passing ability in the short roll.

Since the Nuggets often send two defenders at the ball-handler after a pick-and-roll, it creates a 4-on-3 situation. Having a screener who can pass and read the game quickly creates great opportunities for the Celtics. Tillman was already known for this, but Kornet and Queta also displayed solid passing on Sunday.

6. Sam Hauser’s handle

For the first time in recent memory, we saw Sam Hauser dribbling through defenses. We were even treated to a couple of mid-range pull-ups. Sam Hauser has the ability to be more than just a great shooter. If he can improve his ability to attack closeouts off the dribble, he could become the perfect rotation player with and behind Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

However, I didn’t expect him to start dribbling to generate pull-ups. I was expecting a few dribbles and a pass after attacking a closeout, but Hauser showed off some real handle improvements. I don’t expect him to do this often in regular NBA games, but it has definitely piqued my curiosity. If Sam Hauser can carry the ball more, pass off the dribble, find pull-up opportunities or even drive, the sky’s the limit for the Celtics.

Let’s not get ahead of ourselves — it’s only preseason. Still, it doesn’t feel like a coincidence that we saw Sam dribbling more in this game. We might see flashes of this throughout the season.

7. Pritchard being targeted

Payton Pritchard was targeted repeatedly by the Nuggets’ bench unit, especially Dario Saric. At one point, NBC Sports Boston’s Brian Scalabrine asked, “Why does Pritchard always end up on Saric?”

The answer is simple: they targeted him. Through screens and movement, the Nuggets gave Saric great post-up position against the smaller guard, forcing Pritchard to foul. After just a few minutes, Pritchard was already up to three fouls.

This will be interesting to follow throughout the season. Which teams will target Pritchard, and how will Joe Mazzulla and the coaching staff adapt? Not all teams have the skill set to exploit Pritchard’s presence on the floor, but many do. Pritchard also showed he won’t back down from anyone, so it will be fascinating to see how he responds with the bull’s eye on his back.

8. Starters vs. bench shot charts

Mazzulla Ball is at his best with the bench and reserves. If you compare the shot charts between the starters and the bench, you’ll see the mid-range disappearing. It made me think of the latest Oliver Fox article about how Boston’s abuse of the three-point shot ruined NBA 2K.

9. Baylor Scheierman’s approach is good, despite missed shots

Baylor Scheierman, the Celtics’ 2024 first-round pick, missed eight of his nine attempts. However, his offensive game was still a pleasant surprise. He moves well both on and off the ball, isn’t afraid to shoot, and his passes were quite accurate.

We saw some nice finds in transition, and he even ran a pick-and-roll, delivering a nice pocket pass. Joe Mazzulla wants shooters who can stay in front of their man and play intelligently. I still have doubts about his defense, but offensively, he looks natural. I can easily see him getting solid minutes in the upcoming preseason games.