The Boston Celtics’ games don’t mean anything anymore. At least, not until the playoffs. And in their first truly meaningless game, they delivered one of the wackiest endings imaginable.
As the Sacramento Kings stormed back in the fourth quarter, Joe Mazzulla stuck with the bench guys. And despite a near-seven-minute field goal drought, they pulled out a victory thanks to an Xavier Tillman game-winning floater. Absolutely wild.
That said, let’s look at some things.
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
1. Holiday to Horford to Kornet
This play just rocks.
Al Horford sets a screen for Jrue Holiday, which forces Sasha Venzekov to pick up the ball. Holiday dishes it to Horford on the roll, which makes Trey Lyles rotate over to stop the drive. Luke Kornet gets a wide-open lob. Beautiful basketball.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25376149/2133952389.jpg)
Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images
2. Holiday’s activity
Look at Holiday, man.
He rushes to fight Domantas Sabonis for the loose ball, and once the Kings star grabs it, he runs back out to De’Aaron Fox. By the time Sabonis goes to pass the ball to Fox, Holiday cuts off the lane, and he gets called for a travel.
It’s a small thing, but Holiday’s defensive activity is awesome. It always is.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25376152/2133954190.jpg)
Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images
3. Hauser hub
Sam Hauser had what may end up being the worst shooting night of his career against the Kings. He finished the night 1-of-18, including 1-of-13 from deep. But he made some nice passes!
Look at that drive-and-dish to Horford!
And another drive-and-pass from Hauser! Easy lob to Porzingis.
On a serious note, if Hauser can turn his three-point gravity into open drives and then parlay those drives into passes, that’s huge for his offensive arsenal.
