1 – Kristaps Porzingis’ post-up dilemma
Earlier than the sport, JJ Redick talked about he was completely happy to surrender the contested two, even within the case of a mismatch. This meant the Lakers had been keen to go away a guard one-on-one towards Kristaps Porzingis within the submit and stay with the outcomes.
Consequently, the Celtics spammed post-ups with the Latvian huge 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 tip of the primary quarter, the Celtics had scored solely 23 factors, making it seem to be the JJ Redick technique might have been simpler than it initially appeared.
2 – Lakers post-up on full show too
What labored for the Celtics additionally labored for the Lakers, notably with sturdy ball handlers like Anthony Davis and LeBron James.
The Celtics opted for a special 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 doubtless 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 night time, his utilization fee 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 had been inefficient scorers, dragging the general offensive efficiency down.
Maybe it was as a result of matchup, or possibly 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 power and defensive self-discipline. JJ Redick, a sensible offensive coach, used intelligent play-calling to generate cuts and simple pictures on the rim via velocity and ball motion.
The Lakers additionally benefited from the Celtics’ lack of defensive cohesion. Within the motion beneath, the Celtics had been in a zone protection, which requires gamers to protect an space moderately than a selected participant. Nevertheless, when Knecht lower towards the baseline, Jaylen Brown adopted him, leaving Rui Hachimura open in his zone.
This sequence highlights an absence 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 most effective groups on the rim, capturing 70% (4th within the league). Nevertheless, final night time, they transformed simply 10 of 26 makes an attempt, a mere 39%.
Just lately, the Celtics have struggled with rim effectivity.
This pattern is value 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 pictures. Nevertheless, their effectivity in these zones is declining. Might this sign a possible spacing downside?
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 simple scoring alternatives, it’s puzzling why the teaching workers didn’t rely extra on the double-big lineup. Offensive rebounding was a important difficulty. The Celtics missed 56 pictures however secured solely 11 offensive rebounds.
7 – Celtics’ supporting forged takes the night time 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’t win with such poor manufacturing from the supporting forged.
This West Coast highway journey appears to have drained the Celtics’ power. Everybody besides Porzingis and Horford appeared fatigued final night time. 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 means via the Celtics’ protection
Austin Reaves, a frequent goal of the Celtics’ offense, discovered methods to reply successfully. His means 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 compelled 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 means 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, nonetheless, the problem was too nice, and the fourth quarter shortly devolved into rubbish time, with Walsh and Scheierman additionally seeing minutes. Nonetheless, it was a helpful 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.
In opposition to the Clippers, the Celtics shot effectively, recording a 57.4% eFG%, however turnovers dragged them down. In opposition to the Lakers, the Celtics turned the ball over simply 7 instances however couldn’t keep capturing effectivity.
With an all-time-low 39% on the rim and solely 32% from three, the Celtics struggled to generate open seems. Their reliance on mid-range pictures, Porzingis post-ups, and Jaylen Brown isolation performs led to a different poor offensive night time.
It’s notable how the Celtics’ offensive struggles fluctuate. The teaching workers and administration should take into account potential options.
