Everything you need to know about the Celtics’ 117-112 win over the Los Angeles Clippers with BSJ insight and analysis:
Box Score
It wasn’t classic late-game execution, but they’ll take it: The Celtics opened up an 11 point lead and then everything came to a sputtering halt. The Clippers were already one of the worst clutch teams in the league as it was but they didn’t have Kawhi Leonard (a late scratch with back spasms) or Marcus Morris (left in the second quarter with a concussion). Maybe in a different universe the Celtics lose this game, but three in a row is three in a row. After much was made of the Celtics not being in the playoff picture, here they are alone in fourth place again.
Kemba Walker is back: I’m not going to write too much here because I’m saving it for later in the piece. Just know that he looked good, and he’s been looking good for a few games now.
TURNING POINT
The Celtics went scoreless for nearly 2:30 down the stretch but they were able to protect their lead and only give up four points to the Clippers.
SECOND GUESS
As Kemba Walker feels more like himself, the Celtics should try to make it a focus to run plays for Jaylen Brown. He was the hottest guy to start the game but he started the second half standing around in the corner and forcing it once he did get the ball. He only got five shots in the second half after leading the Celtics with 16 points on 7-9 shooting in the first half.
TOP PLAYS
[embed]https://twitter.com/celtics/status/1366922652682575872[/embed]
[embed]https://twitter.com/taylorcsnow/status/1366941019003121666[/embed]
THREE UP
Robert Williams: I’m going to get more into Williams in a separate piece, but he’s not only playing well, he’s playing with a little ferocity out there. He’s going after rebounds a little stronger, he’s boxing out a little better, and he’s generally making a positive impact.
Payton Pritchard: 14 points off the bench on 5-8 shooting (4-7 3pt) is huge for Pritchard, who has been struggling lately.
“Everything is a new experience this year and that’s part of it,” Pritchard said before the game. “I want to come out and hit a lot of shots, do a lot of great things, but I just have to stay with it, stay prepared and keep growing. This is a learning curve, and I have to keep learning.”
He stayed with it and hit some big shots for a Celtics bench that made significant contributions in this game.
Kemba Walker: This still isn’t where I’m talking about Kemba, but I had to put him in this section after a 25 point performance on 8-19 shooting (6-12 3pt) to go along with a team-high 6 assists.
TWO DOWN
Celtics defense: They still have a long way to go here, and the return of Marcus Smart will help.
“I think we'll practice the Wednesday before we play Brooklyn, and then we've got a couple of days before we play again,” Stevens said. “We'll probably practice all three of those days, which would be a little unusual, but that should give (Smart) even more of a chance to practice.”
If Smart is healthy enough to participate in those, then the Celtics will have something to look forward to, to start the second half of the season.
The C’s defense was scrambling a lot and there were plenty of undisciplined closeouts that saw guys flying past shooters. The Celtics could have made this easier on themselves with more discipline.
On the plus side, the Clippers only shot nine free throws. Defending without fouling was a key for Boston. I suppose one could argue that it’s hard to foul when you’re not in the vicinity of any shooters, but let’s just give it to them on a technicality here.
Jayson Tatum: Sunday’s hero had a rough shooting night and spent a bunch of the third quarter forcing it trying to get himself on track. He finished with 14 points on 5-16 shooting.
TWO TAKES VICTORY LAPS KARALIS PROBABLY WILL REGRET LATER
Let’s be honest here...
If I told even the most negative among us that...
- Walker wouldn’t return until January
- Tatum and Robert Williams would contract COVID-19
- Jaylen Brown would be fighting knee tendinitis
- The NBA would reschedule three games from January into February forcing four weeks of back-to-backs no stretches of two days off
- Smart would miss that entire month