1. Historic First Half Offense
After dropping a franchise file 53 factors on the Miami Warmth within the recreation earlier than, the Celtics got here into this matchup towards the Milwaukee Bucks and dropped 43 extra. Boston scoring 96 factors in back-to-back first quarters is a brand new NBA file, beating the earlier mark set by the Denver Nuggets of 92 factors in 2008. Boston as soon as once more shot ridiculously effectively, going 15-25 (60%) from the sphere and 8-12 (67%) from three with 0 turnovers.
Boston additionally set a franchise file for essentially the most factors in consecutive first halves with a complete of 155 factors after scoring 80 factors towards Miami and 75 factors towards Milwaukee, breaking the earlier file of 152 factors. Within the first half towards the Bucks, the Celtics shot 28-53 (53%) from the sphere and 12-23 (52%) from three with solely 2 turnovers.
After recording his first triple-double of the season towards the Warmth, Jayson Tatum was about as shut as you possibly can get when it got here to getting two in a row, ending with 23 factors, 11 rebounds, 9 assists and three steals on 8-16 taking pictures from the sphere and 4-8 taking pictures from three. One of many craziest stats on Tatum on this recreation is that he completed as a +30 in 31 minutes, simply moral hoops.
When it got here to his shot, Tatum appeared like he was taking pictures in an open fitness center for many of his makes an attempt. The Bucks didn’t have a man who might guard him and his work navigating screens from Neemias Queta allowed him to get a ton of broad open pictures.
Tatum’s rebounding on this recreation was huge on the defensive glass however it was his assists that have been essentially the most spectacular factor to look at. Tatum was seeing the ground like Neo within the Matrix. He knew what play was coming and made the move to a teammate earlier than even they knew what they have been about to do. Simply pinpoint accuracy that not each participant within the NBA can grasp.
I used to be additionally actually impresses with Tatum’s protection on this recreation. The three steals that he ended with have been in results of Tatum utilizing his heightened sense of consciousness for the scenario to select off passes and create offensive alternatives. Perhaps he actually is Neo.
3. Queta for Most Improved Participant
For the sixteenth time this season and the second recreation in a row, Neemias Queta completed with a double-double of 19 factors, 10 rebounds, and 4 blocks on 8-11 taking pictures. This recreation is an ideal instance of why Queta must win Most Improved Participant.
Queta has improved a lot on the subject of setting the very best screens within the NBA and making fast selections as soon as he has the ball in his palms. This play the place he caught it on the free throw line and handed it to Derrick White present’s his enhancements in his resolution making.
In relation to scoring, Queta’s reference to Jayson Tatum is actually beginning to blossom into an unstoppable drive. Out of his 8 made pictures, 4 of them have been assisted by Tatum. Queta’s job was simply to complete the play and he did an awesome job of placing himself in the best place to obtain the passes.
On the defensive finish, we now have seen Queta rework into an unbelievable shot blocker. He had 4 blocks on this recreation that he was capable of time up completely. Going from the fourth string middle final season to the starter this yr has been an unbelievable testomony to his growth and that ought to put him as the favourite for Most Improved Participant.
4. Brown Makes Scoring Look Simple
It should be so superior to have the ability to have an offensive bag like Jaylen Brown. He completed with 26 factors, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and a pair of steals on 7-17 taking pictures and 2-4 from three however if you watched him play on this recreation it seems to be like its only a common recreation of pickup.
We noticed Brown take and make a ton of pull-up leap pictures towards Milwaukee principally attributable to the truth that they only couldn’t guard him. Just like Tatum, Brown was capable of get wherever he wished to on the courtroom with comparatively no pushback from the protection and simply stand up over individuals. Brown completed his evening on hearth, scoring 13 factors within the third quarter earlier than sitting for the remainder of the sport.
That’s why I believe it needs to be so cool to have Jaylen Brown’s offensive skill as a result of he is aware of make the sport of basketball look really easy.
Coming off a primary quarter the place Sam Hauser shot 6-6 from the sphere and 5-5 from three within the first quarter towards the Warmth, he adopted it up with a 3-3 taking pictures first quarter towards the Bucks with all of his pictures coming from past the arc. Hauser completed this recreation with 13 factors on 5-6 taking pictures from the sphere and 3-4 taking pictures from three.
Hauser’s skill to get sizzling early is big for the Celtics offense. When he’s hitting his threes, Boston can construct up a lead fast and in a rush. This jogs my memory of how the 2024 Celtics would use Jrue Vacation on offense when he shot 43% from three that yr. Boston was capable of shut out video games by the top of the third quarter up by 50 factors all as a result of Vacation was hitting broad open nook threes.
Hauser has that very same skill to only make broad open pictures to demoralize a protection and that makes Boston’s offense a lot scarier to any group that runs into them.
6. Pritchard Paint Precision
Payton Pritchard continued his streak of fine performances on this recreation, ending with 16 factors and 6 assists on 7-12 taking pictures from the sphere and 2-6 taking pictures from three. The factor that impresses me most with Pritchard’s offense is how is ready to navigate himself when he’s within the paint at his dimension.
Pritchard loves when an enormous will get switched on to him so he can utterly embarrass them by taking them off the dribble and taking pictures a fadeaway jumper that doesn’t even contact rim. The defends the leap shot? Pritchard is simply going to make use of an array of up-and-under strikes to proceed to embarrass them. If he’s not doing that, Pritchard would possibly simply use his pace to blow by you and end by way of contact for a layup.
It doesn’t matter what occurs, in the long run the massive man on the opposite group finally ends up really feel unhappy and embarrassed whereas Payton Pritchard simply continues his asention into the Gen Z model of Steve Nash.
7. White Three-Level Stoop Busted?
Ever since Jayson Tatum has come again on March sixth, Derrick White has been in a taking pictures hunch from three, taking pictures 26% from three on 78 makes an attempt in his final 12 video games. Though he was capable of buck that pattern on this recreation towards Milwaukee, ending with 17 factors 5-9 taking pictures from three.
White is at the moment having the second worst three-point taking pictures season of his profession at 32% however this recreation feels encouraging. He appeared much more snug taking them on this recreation verses final recreation towards Miami the place he solely tried 1 three. Hopefully White can get sizzling for the playoffs, however his taking pictures as a complete is in the slightest degree regarding contemplating all the different methods he can affect the sport on offense and protection.
Within the Miami recreation, it was fairly apparent the Celtics plan was to assault Tyler Herro any likelihood they received and tonight Boston did the identical factor with Milwaukee’s AJ Inexperienced. Within the second quarter we noticed Brown and Tatum assault Inexperienced on back-to-back performs with comparable outcomes.
Tatum began it out by getting the ball on the three level line. With Inexperienced solely being listed at 6’4”, this was a free basket Jayson, backing down the Bucks sharpshooter and splashing a step again jumper in his face.
On the subsequent offensive possession the Celtics had, Brown received the ball on the three level line and simply bullied his approach to the free throw space the place he hit Inexperienced with a fadeaway jumper that appeared like taking pictures apply.
These have been a pair examples of the way in which the Celtics have been capable of exploit mismatches on the undermanned Bucks all evening lengthy. After years of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum having to play towards the Miami Warmth’s zone protection within the convention finals, it feels humorous that groups even attempt to run it when the Jays are on the ground and so they don’t have the personnel to carry up.
Boston dominated Milwaukee in just about each facet of this recreation however one space that stands out was their skill to dominate the glass, out-rebounding the Bucks 48-30 on the evening. Craziest half concerning the Celtics rebounding quantity is the truth that Tatum and Queta mixed for 21 of the 48 rebounds for Boston.
When it got here to the factors within the paint battle, the Celtics blew them out 56-22. With Myles Turner being the one individual that has even the slightest skill to defend the paint towards Boston, it was just about an all you may buffet down there. Boston shot 22-26 (85%) instantly beneath the basket on this one, completed off by a Jordan Walsh alley-oop dunk.
10. The Celtics Protection Makes No Sense
It’s onerous to search out negatives when the Celtics have blown out their opponents the final two video games by a median of 25 factors whereas scoring a median of 140 factors, however there’s one factor that simply doesn’t actually make a complete lot of sense and that’s Boston’s three level protection.
This recreation made it back-to-back video games the place the Celtics allowed 20+ threes to their opponent and nonetheless received. This has solely occurred one different time in NBA historical past from the Milwaukee Bucks in 2021. Though the Celtics are profitable is there any trigger for concern with the three level protection?
I’m going to say no on the subject of worrying given the truth that Boston averages 14.1 threes given up a recreation so this might simply be an outlier. The Celtics have been blowing out their opponents by a lot, in some meaningless common season video games and so they have been just a bit lackadaisical on protection. Even of their final loss to the Atlanta Hawks on March thirtieth, Boston solely allowed 15 made threes.
My ultimate verdict is that there’s nothing to essentially be involved about as of now however it actually is only a unusual statistical anomaly. Go away it to the Celtics to interrupt each brains and stat sheets.
