BOSTON — The Bulls double-teamed Jayson Tatum on practically each possession on Wednesday. That left Kristaps Porziņģis popping, trailing or in any other case open to shoot three after three. On an evening the place he completed 8-for-14, wrapping up a month the place he’s taking pictures over 50% from three, it seemed just like the components that ought to all the time drive Boston’s offense.
Simply have Porziņģis take and make the whole lot.
“Truthfully, in the present day I didn’t really feel excellent,” he mentioned after scoring a season excessive 34 factors. “Earlier than the sport, my power was not loopy, however typically you’ve got good video games like that … tonight was a recreation the place I used to be gonna get the pictures. It was a matter of whether or not I used to be gonna make them or not, they usually have been getting in.”
As a substitute, it’s been a make-or-miss season for the Celtics — even for Porziņģis when he first returned. Regardless of a shot profile that Joe Mazzulla approves, the Celtics have witnessed their worst outcomes this month with a 9-6 document. Jayson Tatum, taking pictures 42.4% this month, and Jaylen Brown (42.5% FG) swapped rotation spots hoping for higher outcomes.
Following a season the place concentrating on mismatches and pressing selflessness made a new-look crew immediately circulation, 2024-25 has at occasions seemed like what you’ll’ve anticipated final 12 months: a wrestle to determine the place and when pictures will come from with such a proficient roster.
Porziņģis’ return exacerbated that problem. It’s simple to neglect he wasn’t a major a part of the playoff image final low season or the opening month of this common season after surgical procedure.
“It’s not a lot about taking part in with (Porziņģis),” Mazzulla mentioned. “It’s how persons are defending him, how individuals deal with him, so the adjustment is how individuals affect him, as a result of he has the power to play in and out. So it’s not a lot that we gotta get used to taking part in with him, and that’s for everyone. We gotta get used to taking part in with guys relying on how they’re defending and attacking us.”
Houston went even additional to take Tatum out of Monday’s loss, throwing crowds round him that held him scoreless in a half for the primary time since 2021-22. Mazzulla responded by taking part in Tatum the complete second half, which helped him rating 15 factors within the third quarter. As Mazzulla famous beforehand, it’s not about getting one participant going. Their matchup-based assault permits the crew to naturally concentrate on getting the ball to the very best spot and leaves the coaches with out the duty of dictating shot totals.
That may usually go away one of many stars out of the motion, particularly when the offense slows. Boston ranks twenty ninth in tempo this month and it reveals. That leaves much less possessions and a smaller pie to share. When all their starters take the ground collectively, they’ll devolve into establishing the matchup then watching one participant go to work. The Celtics rank third in offense this month and third in season-long isolation effectivity, but it surely’s price questioning what affect the nightly disparity in alternative has on the power degree for these not concerned.
“When the ball’s transferring, I feel all people’s getting pictures, all people’s getting beauty. And that’s after we’re at our greatest,” Sam Hauser mentioned earlier this month. “As a result of everybody can contribute in numerous methods to this crew. When the ball’s transferring, everybody capable of showcase what they bring about to the desk.”
For all of the discuss rotations, shot totals and the dynamic between Brown and Tatum, they may each profit from extra exercise between one another after they each share the ground.
Their common passes between one another per recreation floated again above even this month, matching final 12 months’s mark, however previous to the west coast journey, that dipped to 7.4 by way of the primary 9 January video games. Throughout that stretch, they fell to final in crew passes made every night time, rising to twenty eighth since.
In eight video games for the reason that Celtics switched their rotations, Brown averaged 6.6 factors within the first quarter whereas taking pictures 56.4%. Tatum’s all the way down to 4.6 on 36.4% FG after averaging 8.3 factors on 43.3% taking pictures in these conditions with a full stint. An absence of stoppage left him out of the sport for practically the complete second quarter on Wednesday.
It’s a troublesome steadiness for Mazzulla as stats more and more present this season that extra Tatum utilization equates to extra wins. The equal alternative components labored final season. They gained a championship with Tatum managing further strain from defenses all through the playoffs. So it’s comprehensible why they don’t need to deviate as a consequence of a month of poorer taking pictures.
Having Porziņģis positioned between Brown and Tatum’s minutes as a simple goal ought to assist. Nevertheless it doesn’t completely resolve the ball motion and shot distribution issues we’ve watched the crew have at occasions.
It’s a brand new 12 months, and whereas particular person gamers ought to have the ability to persevere by way of slower workload nights to permit for successful, that hasn’t completely been the case this season.
“To me, it’s extra about discovering two-on-ones,” Mazzulla mentioned. “After they’re within the blitz, I feel our spacing obtained a bit of distorted (on Monday) as a result of we have been slicing on the improper time. One time, we hit a seam go and Luke missed Neemy. So it’s actually simply studying the two-on-one. It’s truly simpler to see the two-on-one on the blitz. It’s important to simply keep your spacing and make the best go versus that and execute … whether or not it’s a shot or dribble drive … it’s simpler to come back towards that than versus switching … with the blokes that we’ve, they’re doing it.”
