1# – Dropping bias
Within the chapter Profitable Bias, Ben Taylor writes in his e-book:
“Narratives, by nature, are simplistic and infrequently dichotomous. They take massive, sweeping factors and drive them dwelling with little regard for context or variance, typically with the aim to seize consideration. As people, we love characters to play outlined roles, like hero and goat. Participant A is a winner! Participant B, a loser! We yearn for drama and relatable tales, which is why so many on a regular basis qualities are injected into sports activities narratives.”
Certainly, we have a tendency to attract conclusions a couple of sport or an motion primarily based on the way it ends. A superb shot is barely thought-about good if it goes in, whereas a sport is deemed well-played solely when it’s gained. Following this line of thought, one may argue that the Celtics misplaced final evening because of a poor efficiency. But, for those who ask me, the Celtics performed fairly nicely.
They stayed within the sport and even took the lead regardless of making solely 30% of their threes and lacking 9 free throws. Whereas the Grizzlies wanted simply 33 makes an attempt from past the arc to make 15 three-pointers, the Celtics managed 18 out of 60. Most of those had been open threes—great-quality makes an attempt that ought to have translated into factors. Nonetheless, the Celtics couldn’t make the photographs they often do, at the same time as Memphis gave the impression to be on fireplace.
I stay assured that this was a robust displaying by the Celtics. Variance allow them to down, however they stayed aggressive for the total 48 minutes.
#2 – Memphis depart Jrue Vacation open
As Sam LaFrance famous, one of many sport’s massive tales was Memphis’s resolution to depart Jrue Vacation open. This might sound daring, contemplating Vacation’s three-point numbers over the previous few seasons. Nonetheless, it labored out nicely, with the previous Bucks participant taking pictures simply 4/17 from deep for an general effectivity of 0.85 factors per shot.
Why guess on Vacation lacking his photographs, very similar to the Warriors did towards Jaylen Brown final winter? Jrue Vacation has been an inconsistent shooter all through his profession and has by no means had a excessive quantity. The Grizzlies knew they needed to make a bet to disrupt the Celtics’ elite spacing. To take action, they needed to depart somebody within the beginning 5 unguarded.
Prior to now, this participant might need been Derrick White, as seen within the 2022 Finals. Earlier than the summer time trades, it might have been Marcus Good. Sarcastically, the Celtics employed an analogous technique towards their former participant.
#3 – Boston give Marcus Good the identical therapy
In 2017, Mike Prada wrote an article titled Marcus Good is a horrible shooter who’s in some way important to the Celtics’ offense. He described Good as somebody who might “pretend it until you make it (even for those who by no means do)” by taking pictures threes regardless of inefficient outcomes. This typically tricked defenses into seeing him as an offensive risk: “he’s so good at pretending to be a official offensive participant that he cons defenses into pondering he truly is.”
Now with Memphis, Good can not idiot his former workforce. Simply as Jaren Jackson Jr. roamed the paint towards Vacation, Kristaps Porzingis did the identical towards Good, forcing him into out-of-rhythm pull-ups and negating spacing when the 2022 DPOY was on the ground.
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It’s amusing that each Good and his “substitute,” Jrue Vacation, had been handled equally in the identical sport. Each groups even responded the identical method—utilizing them as screeners and benching them throughout clutch moments.
#4 – Grizzlies outpace the Celtics
Not way back, we mentioned the rising tempo of NBA video games. The Grizzlies took this pattern additional final evening. Averaging 11.9 seconds per possession, Memphis was three seconds quicker than the league common.
With the Celtics taking part in on a back-to-back, Memphis capitalized on the chance to outpace the reigning NBA champions. This was no shock. The Bulls and the Grizzlies, the 2 groups with the quickest tempo, each depend on pace as a major power.
Not like the Bulls, although, Memphis boasts star gamers like Desmond Bane, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Ja Morant—gamers who thrive in high-speed conditions. The Celtics did their finest to maintain up however couldn’t overcome their poor taking pictures luck.
#5 – Boston performs tall and dominate the rebound
The Celtics’ teaching workers anticipated Memphis’s quick tempo and emphasis on offensive rebounding. The Grizzlies safe offensive boards on 32% of their misses, rating among the many league’s finest in extending possessions.
To counter this, Boston used a number of bigs throughout numerous stretches and targeted on boxing out successfully. It labored nicely, as they restricted Memphis to grabbing offensive rebounds on simply 23% of their misses—a 9% drop from their ordinary efficiency.
This displays the Celtics’ wonderful preparation and course of for the sport.
#6 – Bounce again Payton Pritchard
Towards the Bucks, Payton Pritchard struggled to make a shot after a streak of robust offensive video games. The fantastic thing about the NBA is that there’s at all times an opportunity to bounce again. Lower than 24 hours after the Bucks sport, Pritchard had the right alternative to redeem himself.
Whereas the Grizzlies ignored Jrue Vacation past the arc, they couldn’t afford to do the identical with Pritchard. Enjoying the whole fourth quarter, he saved the Celtics aggressive along with his shot-making and skill to seize offensive rebounds.
Joe Mazzulla left Pritchard on the ground to shut the sport, benching Jrue Vacation as a substitute. This improved spacing but additionally created a possible defensive legal responsibility for the Grizzlies to take advantage of. Each teaching resolution has its trade-offs.
#7 – Jaylen Brown’s fourth quarter
One other key teaching resolution was leaving Jaylen Brown on the ground for the ultimate 12 minutes. Like Jayson Tatum the evening earlier than, Brown scored 14 factors within the fourth quarter whereas additionally delivering some wonderful assists.
After a quiet begin, with simply 5 shot makes an attempt within the first three quarters, Brown took over within the fourth. He helped the Celtics regain the lead early within the quarter with sensible play-calling, aggressive drives, and post-ups. His offensive surge got here as the remainder of the workforce struggled to hit open threes.
Whereas Brown and Pritchard mixed to hit 4 of their 7 three-point makes an attempt within the fourth, the remainder of the workforce transformed simply 1 of 9.
#8 – No reply for JJJ
Jaylen Brown wasn’t the one participant to attain 14 factors within the ultimate 12 minutes—Jaren Jackson Jr., the 2023 DPOY, matched his output. Jackson is just not fairly the unicorn that Kristaps Porzingis is, however he stays a novel expertise: a giant man who can dribble, shoot from wherever, and put up up in numerous positions.
Towards the Celtics, Jackson scored towards anybody they threw at him. Neemias Queta, Luke Kornet, and Porzingis all struggled to maintain up along with his quickness, whereas Jrue Vacation and Jaylen Brown couldn’t match his dimension or power.
Happily for the Celtics, gamers like Jackson are uncommon sufficient that his dominant efficiency isn’t a serious concern. The identical applies to Ja Morant, who made the Celtics’ protection work laborious but additionally shot unusually nicely from three. Regardless of dealing with a unicorn, an offensive famous person, and a high-paced roster, Boston delivered a commendable general efficiency.
#9 – Tennessee’s grand theft auto
The Celtics dedicated simply 13 turnovers final evening, and each single one was the results of a Memphis steal. There have been no shot clock violations, out-of-bounds errors, or offensive fouls—solely the Grizzlies’ energetic fingers and defensive strain.
These steals led to quite a few fast-break alternatives for Memphis, who used their size, crowded the paint, and pressured Boston’s ball handlers. Nonetheless, the Celtics did an excellent job of recovering on protection after these turnovers, with highlights like Derrick White’s spectacular block showcasing their effort.
#10 – Time to relaxation
Between December 1st and December seventh, the Celtics performed 5 video games—a grueling schedule. Happily, they now have an opportunity to recuperate. Their subsequent sport isn’t till Thursday, after they’ll host one other fast-paced workforce, the Detroit Pistons.
