#1 Derrick White’s triple-double
After three full days of rest, Derrick White looked fantastic. With Jrue Holiday out of the game, he played the role of Boston Celtics main leader against the Detroit Pistons. As we’ve come to expect from White, he controlled the play on both ends of the court and was a viable shot creator for his teammates.
White is excellent for finding small pockets in corners. The transition play above is a good example, as he spots Payton Pritchard’s cut to the basket, waits until there is some daylight between the two defenders, and makes a quick pass through space . The angle allows Pritchard to turn on the jets and get to the cup.
Interestingly, White made 20 shots against Detroit, matching Brown’s offensive production, as the two combined for nearly half of the Celtics’ attempts. Kristaps Porzingis also had 14 shot attempts. His perimeter game must be commended when considering White’s offensive production. He made six of his 12 3-point jumpers, some on a dribble, others on a catch.
I liked the above bucket from White for two reasons. First, it shows some of the value that Xavier Tillman can bring by leaving his position. Second, White operated as a motion shooter, and that skill was needed due to Sam Hauser’s absence due to injury.
#2 Svi takes over from Hauser
Speaking of Hauser, Svi Mykhailiuk saw his minutes increase significantly as Joe Mazzulla looked to keep a motion shooter in the rotation and looked for ways to maximize Boston’s five-out spacing without multiple rotation members available .
Before the game, Monty Williams had an interesting quote: he credited Hauser for part of Boston’s success this season.
“He shot the ball well all year long,” Williams said, as reported by Jack Simone of CelticsBlog. “I don’t know if you watched this, but we did. He’s just a really good shooter. This is a guy that was on our scouting report the last time we played them. I think he’s the key to their success… He can get out of there quickly. He’s got great size… We just know he can shoot the ball. And he’s tough. He keeps the ball. he changes. And he seems to adapt well to this system.
Svi replaced Hauser quite well. His movement was solid, he navigated screens well and he battled on the defensive end. Essentially, that’s all you can ask of a top player who has only seen the field 28 times this season.
Still, a 2 out of 8 performance is not what Svi would have hoped for. Still, he continued to make shots to keep the defense honest and would undoubtedly have better nights if given the chance. He did well to fit into the rotation even if he wasn’t really in a rhythm of play.
#3 Kornet and Porzingis double-big
With Al Horford and Jayson Tatum out, Mazzulla opted to run with a big double lineup of Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet. On paper, it’s a questionable decision. Porzingis would need to defend the perimeter, and Kornet’s lack of perimeter shooting would hurt spacing (more on that in a moment). However, it worked well.
On defense, Kornet assumed the role of defender. At the same time, Porzingis replaced Tatum as an assistant, taking interest in practices and rotating to provide additional rim protection. Sometimes Porzingis and Kornet would also swap roles, especially if the defense was in rotation during screening actions.
When operating on the other side of the court, Kornet was a designated screener type, while Porzingis used his floor spacing and three-point shooting as his greatest abilities.
#4 Kornet’s perimeter game
The clip above shows the value of having Luke Kornet operating on the perimeter. He is an adept screener who has proven capable of creating action with his movements. As you can see above, Kornet sets a slide screen for Pritchard before setting a ball screen for Derrick White. His throw then engaged Porzingis’ defender, who had to score, leaving Porzingis wide open for the 3-point shot.
In this clip, Kornet operates in “delay”. He then throws himself into a horn pick-and-roll before sliding the screen and receiving the lofted pass. For a big non-shooter, Kornet has become a true playmaking center within Boston’s five-and-out offense, both as a handoff initiator and screen creator.
#5 Brissett needs to improve his finishing
I’ve talked a lot about Oshae Brissett’s energy and the defensive impact he can have. I also mentioned how this impact often exceeds his offensive limits. However, he needs to improve his finishing. He made 1 of 7 against the Pistons, with five of those shots coming inside the paint.
If Brissett wants to continue to earn minutes and put himself in position to be considered for one-off appearances during the playoffs, he needs to prove that he can be counted on when he steps into scoring position. Right now, he projects to be very one-dimensional, which could hurt him once the playoffs get underway.
#6 Another solid performance from Jaylen Brown
Brown missed Sunday’s game against Wizards of Washington. However, he was back in the rotation to face Detroit and was clearly tasked with being the primary offensive option. Still, Brown was his usual self. He pressured the rim, attacked via cuts and hit his perimeter jumpers.
What I enjoy most about watching Brown on the field is seeing him take contact and finish on defense. He’s been exceptional asserting himself around the rim this season, and that didn’t change against the Pistons. The clip above shows Brown attacking multiple defenders off the dribble, absorbing contact and still knocking down his shot attempt.
He also incorporated this desire to play through contact into his efforts on the glass. He has become a reliable rebounder, averaging 5.6 rebounds per game (which is his lowest average in the last five seasons) on a team full of rebounding talent. Still, he pulled down seven rebounds against Detroit as he looked to create offense via rip-and-run scenarios.
In a game where Brown was expected to become the primary scorer, he rose to the challenge, but did so in a way that kept the offense rolling. Brown has made a significant jump this season, and that is evident no matter what role he plays, as the Pistons have discovered.
#7 A beautiful transitional piece
I wanted to make sure to include this piece in today’s takeaways. It’s nothing special. It’s just a good example of how this Celtics team has stayed connected no matter who is in the rotation or not. The ball movement and unselfishness on this possession stood out to me, making me feel like it was a good possession to share.
#8 Assembling the sets
Speaking of wanting to share a possession with all of you, one action during the game caught my eye. It’s not that the action was new or spectacular. Still, it was a good example of why it makes sense to put actions together to generate a good quality plan.
In the clip above, the Celtics run a “Ram” action, which is a down screen where the screen receiver sets a run-up screen. Kornet ghosts the second screen, making the action “ram ghost”. From there, he receives the ball around the outstretched elbow and jumps into an elbow DHO with Brown.
Brown then curls up with the ball and looks to set up a lobbed pass. The action ends up achieving nothing. However, it was the process that stood out to me. If we see the Celtics consistently string together the motion offense like this, they will be incredibly difficult to stifle throughout a seven-game series.
#9 Springer looks fun
The more I watch Jaden Springer, the more I feel like he’ll be a fan favorite over the next 18 months – assuming he gets enough playing time to do so. He hustles on the defensive end, prides himself on fighting through screens and isn’t afraid to throw himself to the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.
Much like Brissett, Springer needs to improve his shooting and finishing. However, on a team as talented as Boston, with a coaching staff loaded with experience, there’s no reason why he couldn’t make a move this offseason. For now, it’s fun to see him take opportunities on the field and see where he can grow and why he was so highly recommended at the trade deadline.
I leave you with this pretty second chance bucket.
#10 A more difficult test awaits you
THE Milwaukee Bucks are next for the Boston Celtics. After a few games against some of the Eastern Conference struggles, Mazzulla’s team will need to raise their level of play. In terms of standings, this game is much more important for Milwaukee than it is for Boston. However, considering how their last meeting went and the fact that both teams are considered potential contenders, there is a lot of pride on the line.
No matter what happens during the game, I won’t delve too deeply into it. However, the Celtics should definitely look to make a statement. It is important to achieve mental victory. And it also helps to keep the media away. Hopefully the Celtics will be back at full strength for this game and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be cleared to play. The best way to prepare for the playoffs is to play the best teams at full strength. This game will be a highlight of Boston’s streak. I’m excited.
See you Thursday morning.
