1 – Kristaps Porzingis’ post-up dilemma
Earlier than the sport, JJ Redick talked about he was completely satisfied to surrender the contested two, even within the case of a mismatch. This meant the Lakers have been keen to go away a guard one-on-one towards Kristaps Porzingis within the publish and dwell with the outcomes.
Because of this, the Celtics spammed post-ups with the Latvian massive man to start out the sport. Porzingis scored 11 factors from 8 makes an attempt, even producing an help for Derrick White. The general effectivity was spectacular. It appeared just like the JJ Redick technique wasn’t working.
Nevertheless, this method additionally created a really predictable offense. The Celtics repeatedly ran the identical motion, utilizing an off-ball display to create the mismatch. This static offense lacked momentum. By the top of the primary quarter, the Celtics had scored solely 23 factors, making it seem to be the JJ Redick technique might have been more practical than it initially appeared.
2 – Lakers post-up on full show too
What labored for the Celtics additionally labored for the Lakers, significantly with robust ball handlers like Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
The Celtics opted for a distinct method, sending two gamers to guard the mismatch. This led to open threes, and the Lakers capitalized, capturing a formidable 42% from past the arc.
The Celtics probably anticipated worse capturing effectivity from the Lakers, however as soon as once more, capturing variance labored towards Boston.
3 – Jayson Tatum’s utilization is curiously low
Jayson Tatum is an elite offensive engine, able to creating for himself and others. But, final evening, his utilization charge was decrease than Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis—and equal to Payton Pritchard. Why?
Whereas it is sensible to prioritize Porzingis—who didn’t play towards the Clippers—and make the most of his post-up alternatives as talked about in #1, why did Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown obtain extra offensive duty than Tatum?
This method would have been justified if their effectivity was excessive. Nevertheless, each Brown and Pritchard have been inefficient scorers, dragging the general offensive efficiency down.
Maybe it was as a result of matchup, or perhaps Tatum was fatigued. Regardless, it’s puzzling to see a top-five participant within the NBA not being utilized extra successfully for creation, each for himself and others.
4 – Defensive breakdowns
The Lakers exploited the Celtics’ lack of vitality and defensive self-discipline. JJ Redick, a sensible offensive coach, used intelligent play-calling to generate cuts and simple photographs on the rim by means of velocity and ball motion.
The Lakers additionally benefited from the Celtics’ lack of defensive cohesion. Within the motion beneath, the Celtics have been in a zone protection, which requires gamers to protect an space relatively than a particular participant. Nevertheless, when Knecht minimize towards the baseline, Jaylen Brown adopted him, leaving Rui Hachimura open in his zone.
This sequence highlights a scarcity of defensive consciousness, communication, and self-discipline.
5 – The Celtics couldn’t rating on the rim
The Celtics recorded one of many worst rim performances of the season—throughout all groups. Usually, Boston is among the many NBA’s best groups on the rim, capturing 70% (4th within the league). Nevertheless, final evening, they transformed simply 10 of 26 makes an attempt, a mere 39%.
Lately, the Celtics have struggled with rim effectivity.
This development is price monitoring, because the Celtics have been taking fewer threes in comparison with earlier within the season, choosing extra rim makes an attempt and mid-range photographs. Nevertheless, their effectivity in these zones is declining. May this sign a possible spacing drawback?
6 – Celtics couldn’t match the Lakers’ depth
The Lakers’ offensive rebounding numbers and the Celtics’ lack of free throws mirrored Boston’s battle to deal with physicality, as was evident of their sport towards the Clippers.
With the Celtics struggling to safe rebounds and create straightforward scoring alternatives, it’s puzzling why the teaching workers didn’t rely extra on the double-big lineup. Offensive rebounding was a essential problem. The Celtics missed 56 photographs however secured solely 11 offensive rebounds.
7 – Celtics’ supporting solid takes the evening off
Past their three offensive hubs—Tatum, Brown, and Porzingis—the remainder of the Celtics’ rotation made solely 7 of 32 shot makes an attempt. The Celtics can not win with such poor manufacturing from the supporting solid.
This West Coast highway journey appears to have drained the Celtics’ vitality. Everybody besides Porzingis and Horford appeared fatigued final evening. Nevertheless, all groups play the identical variety of video games, so fatigue can’t be used as an excuse.
January has been a difficult month for the Celtics. With three video games left towards Dallas, Houston, and Chicago, they’ve received 7 of their first 13 contests.
8 – Reaves finds his manner by means of the Celtics’ protection
Austin Reaves, a frequent goal of the Celtics’ offense, discovered methods to reply successfully. His capability to drag up from three punished the Celtics’ drop protection with Porzingis:
The Lakers additionally used him as an off-ball risk, asking him to set screens and pop for 3, just like how the Celtics use Sam Hauser:
Reaves’ driving sport pressured defensive assist, permitting him to tally 6 assists over the sport.
Reaves represents the kind of guard the Celtics battle to include. Like Donovan Mitchell or Tyrese Maxey, his capability to drag up from three and penetrate defenses uncovered the Celtics’ vulnerabilities.
9 – Jaylen Brown and the bench’s last-ditch effort
Regardless of trailing by greater than 20 factors, the Celtics tried a comeback with Jaylen Brown alongside Hauser, Queta, Pritchard, and Jaden Springer. After his heroics earlier within the season, Springer was again on the courtroom.
This time, nevertheless, the problem was too nice, and the fourth quarter rapidly devolved into rubbish time, with Walsh and Scheierman additionally seeing minutes. Nonetheless, it was a beneficial alternative for the younger gamers to face LeBron James and his son.
10 – Again-to-back poor offensive video games with totally different signs
The Celtics have posted low offensive effectivity in back-to-back video games towards the Clippers and Lakers. Nevertheless, the underlying points differ.
Towards the Clippers, the Celtics shot effectively, recording a 57.4% eFG%, however turnovers dragged them down. Towards the Lakers, the Celtics turned the ball over simply 7 instances however couldn’t preserve capturing effectivity.
With an all-time-low 39% on the rim and solely 32% from three, the Celtics struggled to generate open seems to be. Their reliance on mid-range photographs, Porzingis post-ups, and Jaylen Brown isolation performs led to a different poor offensive evening.
It’s notable how the Celtics’ offensive struggles range. The teaching workers and administration should contemplate potential options.
