LOS ANGELES — The Celtics beat the Clippers in a 117-113 time beyond regulation thriller that most likely had no enterprise going into time beyond regulation. However, the primary story of the day wasn’t the late recreation execution, nor the inconsistent defensive effort: it was Jaden Springer.
Sure, you heard that proper — the fourth-year guard who has solely performed double-digit minutes as soon as this whole season was the story on Wednesday evening at Intuit Dome, and dozens of reporters crowded round him as he held his first media availability within the locker room. Jayson Tatum heckled him within the background, yelling “Yeah, Spring!” and “Communicate up, Spring!” as Jaden Springer fielded questions from an abnormally massive press corp.
Right here’s what stood out from a wild evening on the Intuit Dome.
Clippers, Celtics are each shorthanded — however “it’s the NBA”
If the Warriors had been thought of shorthanded on Monday, discovering the suitable phrase to explain the Clippers’ scenario on Saturday evening can be powerful. The Clippers had been with out most of their regular rotation — lacking Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Nicolas Batum, and Kris Dunn on the primary evening of a back-to-back. A part of the numerous damage report was the results of the Clippers being in the midst of a 4-games-in-5-nights schedule that was a results of the NBA rescheduling video games that had been delayed as a result of California wildfires.
The fact is that enjoying such shorthanded groups will be tough; gamers have contemporary legs and position gamers are empowered and desirous to capitalize on their uncommon alternative. And, the Celtics weren’t at full power, both — Jrue Vacation (shoulder impingement), Kristaps Porzingis (sickness), and Al Horford (left large toe sprain) all sat out.
Nonetheless, the Clippers’ efficiency was a formidable one; Derrick Jones Jr. exploded for 29 factors and Kevin Porter Jr. added 26 factors, each season highs. And, as soon as once more, the Celtics discovered themselves inside just a few performs from a major letdown loss in opposition to an inferior opponent.
“It’s the NBA,” mentioned Jaylen Brown. “They performed nicely. They hit loads of photographs… I assumed they performed very well.”
Joe Mazzulla described the preparations for Wednesday’s recreation as just like a typical NBA recreation, regardless of the numerous personnel modifications.
“They’ll plug guys into the system with which they use their different guys,” he mentioned of the Clippers. “And so I believe it’s simply having a transparent understanding of [their] tendencies.”
Then, after the time beyond regulation victory, when pressed on why the sport was so shut after the sport regardless of the Clippers being down six gamers, Mazzulla emphasised that there was no expectation that the sport was going to be simple.
Joe Mazzulla requested concerning the Clippers being down 4 starters:
“I believe the primary query needs to be — why would we assume that it was going to be a simple recreation? [That’s] discrediting a championship head coach and a gaggle of fellows which can be actually, actually good.” pic.twitter.com/eBUAaTcX9l
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) January 23, 2025
“The sport went the best way it was speculated to go,” Mazzulla mentioned. “That’s a championship head coach, these guys are nice gamers — been within the league a very long time, loads of them, they usually’ve delivered.”
Celtics-Clippers was the unequivocal Jaden Springer recreation
As soon as it grew to become obvious that the shorthanded Clippers had been going to place up a combat, the Celtics wanted somebody to step up on the defensive finish. Kevin Porter Jr. was getting no matter he needed offensively, and the same old match-ups the Celtics had been throwing at him weren’t efficient (after the sport, Jaylen Brown revealed he was restricted by an ankle sprain he suffered within the second quarter).
Enter Jaden Springer.
Springer has been used sparingly because the Celtics traded for him final winter. However, with the sport vulnerable to slipping away, and Porter Jr. dominating for the Clippers, Joe Mazzulla known as his identify, and he delivered. He racked up 4 steals within the second half and was accountable for just a few different Clippers’ turnovers, forcing an out-of-bounds violation and journey throughout his stint.
For Springer, the outcomes of his defensive efforts had been instantly evident.
“You may see it,” Springer mentioned. “They cease drawing the performs for him [Porter Jr.] a bit of bit… you possibly can learn the physique language. He’s pissed off.”
Nonetheless, his most surprising contribution may need been on the offensive finish. Springer — a 21.1% profession three-point shooter — hit two of six three-point makes an attempt, a efficiency that was punctuated by a clutch nook three with 34 seconds left in time beyond regulation that gave the Celtics a 5-point lead.
Jaden Springer heckled by Jayson Tatum who yelled “converse up!” throughout his locker room media availability — with about 30 reporters crowded round him as he talks about how he is aware of when he’s impacting the opponents pic.twitter.com/4XvoiDptL5
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) January 23, 2025
Springer credited Jayson Tatum for trusting him.
“We prepare for this day by day,” Springer mentioned. “We received a very good workers, we’re engaged on it day by day, recreation conditions. We do the very best we will to organize for moments like this — staying prepared.”
Springer mentioned that hitting the three in entrance of James Harden — a former teammate of his on the Philadelphia 76ers — made the second much more rewarding.
“That’s my dawg.”
Jaylen Brown deemed the victory ‘an amazing Jaden Springer recreation.’
“It’s only a testomony to him and his work ethic,” Brown mentioned. “He received his identify known as, defensively we weren’t at our greatest… Jaden got here in, hawked the ball, gave us some vitality on protection, and helped us get a win.”
Sam Hauser begins (and shines) as Jrue Vacation sits
Hauser began rather than Jrue Vacation, who missed Wednesday’s recreation with a proper shoulder impingement — and, he capitalized on the elevated alternative, hitting his first 3 three-pointers and ending the sport with 15 factors on 5 of seven three-point capturing.
At shootaround Wednesday, Hauser was requested about whether or not he appears like his variety of shot makes an attempt is an effective indicator of how good the Celtics’ ball motion is that evening and famous it’s not simply his makes an attempt which can be indicative of the staff’s passing.
“When the ball is transferring, everybody’s getting photographs, everybody’s getting beauty,” Hauser mentioned. “That’s once we’re at our greatest as a result of everybody has been contributing in several methods to this staff. When the ball is transferring, everyone is ready to showcase what they carry to the desk and the way they can assist our staff.”
Effectively, Wednesday evening positive was one other good ball motion recreation for the Celtics — they racked up 33 assists, and it simply so occurred to be that Hauser recorded his greatest three-point capturing recreation of the season.
Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh earn first-quarter minutes
Recent off of a really productive rubbish time stint in opposition to the Warriors, Jordan Walsh and Baylor Scheierman each earned uncommon first-quarter minutes in opposition to the Clippers.
Walsh had just a few spotlight performs within the first half. He hit a nook three-pointer — his solely try of the evening — and grabbed an offensive rebound that led to a Payton Pritchard three. However, Mazzulla subbed him out in favor of Jaden Springer within the second half.
Intuit Enviornment is shiny and revolutionary — however doesn’t finally ship its supposed imaginative and prescient
From the second one enters Intuit Enviornment, it’s evident that it’s vastly completely different from the typical NBA area. The newly constructed area boasts a well-known “wall” of Clippers followers in entrance of the baseline and depends on revolutionary know-how and sound results. There have been a few enjoyable wrinkles like no strains for the lavatory, T-shirt tosses that reached the balcony, and indoor fireworks in the course of the nationwide anthem.
However, finally, Intuit Enviornment was one of many emptiest arenas I’ve visited this season, and the vast majority of the followers within the constructing donned Celtics inexperienced. No quantity of cool options, sound results, and cutting-edge know-how could make up for the sheer lack of genuine followers current contained in the gymnasium.
Jaylen Brown alluded to the world being empty when requested concerning the Intuit Dome expertise after the sport.
“It was loud — the best way they constructed it, the construction of it, it’s extra on prime of you, and I believe that has so much to do with the sound engineering,” he mentioned. “As a result of there wasn’t that many individuals in there — however it appeared like there was.”
Credit score to Clippers proprietor Steve Ballmer for making an attempt his greatest to revive a considerably anemic fandom, and for doing so in inventive vogue. However it’s most likely going to take some prolonged stretches of profitable for the Clippers fanbase to have an actual presence right here, particularly in opposition to a staff with a fanbase that travels in addition to the Celtics. By the tip of the evening, the world sounded extra like a Celtics dwelling recreation than an away recreation.
Subsequent Up: Celtics-Lakers
The Celtics are actually 2-0 on their Western Convention highway journey — and are again in motion 10 pm ET in opposition to the Lakers. Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis ought to each be again within the lineup on the second evening of a back-to-back; whether or not Jrue Vacation is again within the lineup stays to be seen. After LA, the Celtics will shut out the highway journey in opposition to the Mavericks on Saturday evening earlier than returning dwelling to Boston.
