1. Robust Day on the Workplace
After the Celtics went into Atlanta and beat the Hawks by 26, Atlanta determined to return the favor by beating Boston 117-106 in TD Backyard. It was an annoying recreation to look at as a result of each time the Celtics received near coming again and lower into the lead, the Hawks would go on a run. The frustration was undoubtedly boiling over for Boston, no higher personified than when Joe Mazzulla misplaced it on the refs within the third quarter. Mazzulla basically waved the white flag on the 4:39 mark of the fourth quarter and Atlanta exacted their revenge.
Within the postgame interview, Joe Mazzulla was adiment about this being a recreation that you simply simply flush away. From the recent Hawks taking pictures to the Celtics turnovers, Mazzulla simply chalked it as much as “only a unhealthy day on the workplace.”
2. Celtics Gradual Begin Value them the sport
This loss began with the Celtics very sluggish begin to the primary quarter and it felt like they by no means recovered from it. The Hawks went on a 26-9 run to open the sport up by 3:35 mark. Anfernee Simons tried to will the Celtics again into the sport with 8 straight factors out of the timeout, however the rating was 38-18 after the primary quarter. The Hawks shot 13-26 (50%) from the sector and 7-12 (58%) from three. Though Boston received shut a number of instances on this recreation, the monster begin by Atlanta actually was the start of the top for this recreation.
3. Three Level Distinction
Previously the Celtics have gained and misplaced video games this season simply due to the three level shot. That was the nice equalizer once more on this recreation, nevertheless it was on the shedding finish for Boston. The Celtics shot 9-34 (27%) from three as a group on this one whereas the Hawks shot 18-42 (43%) from three. In a recreation the place Boston misplaced by 11 and Atlanta made 9 extra three pointers, that could be a recipe for a assured loss.
Celtics Capturing Zone Chart (By way of NBA.com)
4. Brown/Pritchard/White Off Nights
It was a tricky recreation for the Celtics three foremost offensive guys tonight as Jaylen Brown, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White all mixed to shoot 19-44 (43%) from the sector however 1-13 (7%) from three. There have been instances the place all three of them had brief bursts on this recreation that lower in to Atlanta’s lead nevertheless it by no means felt all that cohesive.
Derrick White had a burst within the third quarter that began with a 3 on wing. He then was in a position to make a pleasant driving layup off of a great display by Luka Garza. Subsequent he was being defended by Jalen Johnson, was in a position to cease on a dime and hit a mid vary jumper over him. Lastly, he drove into the midrange and hit a floater over CJ McCollum.
Pritchard went on his brief run firstly of the fourth quarter. He began with a pump faux over McCollum, received him up within the air, then completed a large open layup. The following bucket got here when he ran round a Garza display and hit a pleasant midrange jumper over Onyeka Okongwu. Lastly, he was matched up on Corey Kispert and hit one other mid vary jumper over him after make a fast cease.
Brown additionally had his burst within the fourth quarter nevertheless it was within the center when the Celtics had been attempting to make their final try at profitable the sport. He began with a pleasant play the place Luke Kennard was guarding him and Brown simply took him to his spot within the midrange and splashed the jumper. The following play got here on a drive blowing by Jalen Johnson the place he was fouled and completed the layup for an And-1. The third play was a purpose tending name in opposition to Dyson Daniels. Lastly, he was matched up on Daniels once more and hit a candy midrange jumper with him draped throughout him.
In a recreation the place a number of guys struggled to get going, Anfernee Simons was in a position to play a fairly good recreation general. He completed with 12 factors on 5-7 taking pictures from the sector and 2-4 from three. He was a giant a part of the Celtics turning the sport round within the first quarter with some actually enormous baskets.
Simons got here out of a Celtics timeout and completed a pleasant finger roll over the outstretched arm of Okongwu. Subsequent he received the ball from Amari Williams and hit a facet step three over Nickeil Alexander-Walker. Lastly, on the subsequent Celtics possession he hit one other three over Alexander-Walker in basically the identical actual place.
One other man that had a great evening for the Celtics on this recreation was Luka Garza coming off of the bench after lacking Monday’s recreation in opposition to the Path Blazers with an sickness. Garza completed with 11 factors, 6 rebounds, and a profession excessive 6 assists.
All of Garza’s baskets got here within the second quarter however they had been just about all powerful buckets. The primary one was a put again layup the place he sealed off Luke Kennard and was in a position to end the play after Jordan Walsh missed a layup. The following play got here when Brown discovered him large open beneath the basket and completed an And-1 layup by means of contact. The third basket was one other layup, this break day of a pleasant bounce move by Derrick White. The fourth was an all out hustle play the place he missed a layup, grabbed his personal rebound, and put it again as much as rating. Lastly, after Brown missed a layup, Garza was in a position to faucet it again up twice to complete the basket.
With regards to his new profession excessive in assists, Garza had two of them that made him appear to be the new-aged Magic Johnson. The primary one got here off of a pleasant offense rebound off of a Sam Hauser missed three. Hauser then was in a position to relocate to the nook the place Garza made a pleasant move to search out him to hit the three. The second began with a pleasant decide and roll between Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza. Garza obtained a bounce move and made a pleasant move over a double group to discover a slicing Jordan Walsh who completed with a reverse layup.
7. Robust Amari Williams Sport
Coming off a pair good video games in opposition to the Bulls and the Path Blazers, Amari Williams had a little bit of tough recreation. Williams completed with 2 factors, 6 rebounds, and a couple of assists on 1-3 taking pictures. He began the sport for the Celtics and performed 10 minutes within the first quarter however after that was benched for the remainder of the sport till rubbish time. The rationale I can consider for his benching was a end result of the 2 smoked layups and two turnovers within the first quarter.
His firs powerful play got here on a nasty move to Jaylen Brown. Williams was attempting to make a bounce move to Brown however simply threw it into Dyson Daniels ft for a turnover that resulted in a Corey Kispert three. The following play got here on the Celtics subsequent offensive possession the place he ran a decide and roll with Brown. Two defenders went to Brown and it regarded like Williams had a straightforward layup however he simply smoked it on the best way up. The following one got here on alley-oop move from Derrick White that Williams didn’t slam down, however tried to put it up and smoked once more. Lastly, on the finish of the primary quarter, he dedicated an unlawful display at half courtroom on Alexander-Walker and Mazzulla pulled him for the remainder of the evening. That is regular for a rookie within the NBA to have rising pains nevertheless it was onerous to not see Williams efficiency as a purpose for the Celtics sluggish begin on this recreation.
8. Baylor Scheierman Hustle
Baylor Scheierman had a fairly two first quarters of this recreation however as soon as he entered the sport within the third quarter, he was chaos personified. Scheierman had all 6 of his factors within the third quarter together with 2 rebounds, 1 help, and a number of hustle performs.
Scheierman began his run of nice play by drawing a cost on Jalen Johnson the place Johnson threw his shoulder into Baylor’s chest. Then on the subsequent possession, Baylor drew the eye of three Hawks defenders and located Hugo Gonzalez large open for a nook three. The following play got here the place the ball was being juggled within the air, Scheierman picked it off and drove to the lane for a layup. That was till Okongwu hit him with a horse collar deal with and Baylor went to the road and hit 1-2 free throws. Lastly, on the 1:13 mark, Scheierman backed down CJ McCollum from the three level line to the basket and completed an And-1 layup over him.
Neemias Queta was dominated OUT earlier than this recreation with an sickness and I didn’t know the Celtics would look so poor within the paint with out him. Clearly he’s what makes their protection function as a result of Boston ended up getting destroyed within the factors within the paint battle, giving up 44. Hawks had been in a position to make the most of Williams to begin the sport within the first quarter, taking pictures 5-9. The second quarter was a bit of higher for Boston as Garza took over and held Atlanta to 4-9 taking pictures. Nevertheless, as soon as the Celtics ran a small ball lineup within the third quarter, the Hawks had been in a position to feast down low, taking pictures 8-9.
This was a recreation that was dominated by turnovers for the Celtics. The Hawks solely completed with 9 turnovers however Boston ended with 16 turnovers on the evening the place Atlanta was in a position to generate 23 factors off of them. These turnovers had been most seen within the first half because the Celtics had 9 of them. This culminated with the powerful taking pictures recreation from three was a giant purpose for the loss.
