The Celtics began their playoff run with a 112-99 win over the Hawks in Sport 1 on Saturday.
Listed below are the takeaways.
1. The Celtics confirmed each their excessive potential and considered one of their troubling tendencies on Saturday.
The Celtics’ potential is clear when the ball slides everywhere in the ground, the protection holds the opposition to a minimal 3-point proportion, and each possession is handled with the required consideration to element. The primary half was a masterclass, the Celtics created mismatches and attacked them with fervor. Defensively, they held the Hawks in test, forcing 10 consecutive misses from 3-point vary earlier than Trae Younger lastly related. The lead was in double digits after 1 / 4, and it swelled to 74-44 after a dominant second.
We have been very conscious of the personnel, we have been very bodily and simply detailed of their tendencies and their execution, Joe Mazzulla advised reporters afterward. It is simply one thing now we have to work to proceed.
The second half was considerably much less dominant. The Hawks outrebounded the Celtics 55-38, and the Celtics cooled considerably from 3-point vary, ending 4-for-17 in quarters three and 4 after capturing 9-for-16 within the first two. The lead dipped as little as 12 on a few events earlier than the Celtics took management within the ultimate three minutes.
Each recreation is its personal story, Jaylen Brown stated. We anticipate to get their finest shot subsequent recreation. You may’t take a staff without any consideration. We allow them to get somewhat extra snug within the second half, so I anticipate the subsequent recreation for them to be somewhat extra ready, so now we have to be somewhat extra ready as effectively.
Brown is definitely proper that every recreation is its personal entity, and the Celtics should not anticipate their 30-point cushion or the Hawks’ late rally to hold over to the subsequent recreation. The one factor that carries over is Celtic’s 1-0 lead, which implies their enterprise efficiency on Saturday afternoon may be thought-about successful.
2. Matchups on this sequence shall be a tricky needle to string for the Hawks. The beginning lineup options two gamers the Celtics are excited to focus on in Younger and John Collins. Dejounte Murray is means too small to do something about Jayson Tatum. Clint Capela is a really helpful participant, however the Celtics can drag him distant from the basket. DeAndre Hunter is an effective defender, however he can solely hope to decelerate Tatum, and he cannot do something about different mismatches that the Celtics can choose aside.
How the Hawks defend Tatum going ahead shall be attention-grabbing, he shot 1-for-8 within the second half after a 9-for-15 first half, however his misses have been somewhat flukey. He bricked an open 15-footer, received caught beneath the rim for a layup, rattled a pair of open 3-pointers and practically airballed a floater. The Hawks went to a drop protection late in an try and rush the Celtics, however Tatum has develop into far too refined as a passer for that technique to work over the course of a recreation.
In the meantime, Jaylen Brown began the sport with a steal and a layup on the primary possession en path to a game-high 29 factors and led 5 Celtics gamers who scored in double figures. Even when the Hawks restrict Tatum, which appears unlikely, they’re making an attempt to patch up plenty of cracks within the drywall in opposition to this Celtics roster.
3. Brown returned after lacking two video games with a lower on his hand, and the lower was opened within the first half. He was noncommittal when a reporter requested if extra stitches have been wanted, saying solely that he thinks it will likely be wonderful and the staff will take a look at it tomorrow.
Particularly with the adrenaline within the recreation, you simply get it going, Brown stated. At instances in the course of the recreation I needed to modify it and stuff. Had plenty of padding on it so it is a completely different really feel to shoot the ball. Simply tweaking and adapting to the sport.
Brown completed with six turnovers, however he pulled down 12 rebounds along with his game-high scoring.
He seemed good, got here out aggressive and clearly performed via it,” Tatum stated. So it seemed like he was wonderful and taking part in very well.
4. Al Horford took simply 4 photographs, however he buried a 3-pointer with 3:16 left that pushed the Celtics’ lead again from 12 to fifteen, he blocked two photographs within the ultimate three minutes and he energized his teammates with an impassioned speech because the lead seeped away.
Horford’s teammates appreciated the 36-year-old veteran’s management.
[When]issues go effectively, he picks everybody up. When issues go dangerous, he brings everybody collectively, Derrick White stated. That is simply who he is been since I have been right here. He makes large performs once we want them. Massive, emotional performs. And he was large for us tonight. We simply received somewhat little bit of that.
5. Marcus Sensible put collectively one of many higher defensive performances by a Celtics participant this 12 months. He helped hold Trae Younger in test, switched as wanted in opposition to a lot of Hawks gamers after which made two essential performs late to assist the Celtics maintain off a late Hawks cost. The primary play was a ridiculous block in transition in opposition to Hunter. The second was a steal that was initially known as a foul earlier than Mazzulla efficiently challenged it.
If Tatum is an offensive nightmare matchup for the Hawks, Sensible is an analogous power on the opposite finish. Sensible would not appear more likely to get an All-Protection nod for his regular-season efficiency, however he began the postseason wanting just like the reigning Defensive Participant of the 12 months.
Typically you’re taking it without any consideration, however [hes] among the best, if not the most effective defender now we have on this league, Tatum stated. Simply extraordinarily particular on that aspect of the ball and he reveals it night time in and night time out.
6. White was a beneficiary of Younger’s protection, ending with 24 factors on 7-for-13 capturing. His first 4 baskets all concerned Younger in some capability, two pick-and-roll 3-pointers that missed Younger utterly, a rolling layup that put Younger in the course of the motion and a 1-on-1 floater over the Hawks’ defensively challenged star .
7. Younger, in the meantime, gave the Hawks simply 16 factors on 5-for-18 capturing. He completed -14 and was 1-for-5 from deep, a part of a 5-for-29 efficiency from behind the arc by the Hawks general.
The Celtics anticipate to see a greater offensive efficiency from Younger in Sport 2.
We simply attempt to be strong on him, White stated. He is an important participant and we all know that and we all know he will make some changes and now we have to make changes to proceed to make it troublesome for him.
However he is an important participant and goes to make powerful photographs. We simply need to proceed to make it powerful on him.
8. Sport 2 takes place on Tuesday. Everybody concerned expects a greater first half than the one the Hawks despatched in Sport 1.
[Game 2 will be] as onerous as we do it, Sensible stated. If we are available in and we permit them to get open freely, get on the glass and get second, third probabilities and begin to really feel much more snug, it is going to be actually troublesome.
The place are Celtic’s heads?
I imply, we did not lose the lead, Tatum stated. We have been up 30 at halftime and it got here right down to 13 or 12. It is the playoffs. They’re an excellent staff. We anticipate them to run. Lots of it was turnovers and missed layups and issues like that. However we responded and clearly there are plenty of issues we are able to be taught from and I am certain the Hawks really feel the identical means.
So it is all about changes and studying from Sport 1. There’s plenty of video games left.
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