BSJ Game Report: Grizzlies 132, Celtics 126 - Despite Jeff Teague's 26, Celtics can't get past Grizzlies

Everything you need to know from Boston's 132-126 overtime loss to the Memphis Grizzlies with BSJ insight and analysis. 

Box score

Shorthanded Celtics fought hard. The Celtics started Jeff Teague and Semi Ojeleye after the late scratch of Jayson Tatum and the planned absence of Kemba Walker. The Celtics moved the ball and had 31 assists on 47 made baskets. They hit 17 of 35 3-pointers. And every time Memphis made a run, the Celtics had an answer. 

I know people are angry and they just can’t wait to let their rage fly, but considering how awful the Celtics have looked in recent games, this was actually encouraging to see. 

“I think the last two nights have been a lot more like Celtics basketball,” Brad Stevens said. “I’m disappointed we didn’t play better in overtime. ... And we made a lot of tough plays, we made a lot of plays to give ourselves a chance the last 30 or 45 seconds of the game in regulation. That was good, poised stuff. So we can build off the last two nights and we’ve got to. This is disappointing, but it’s also more who we want to look like at least.”

I’ll stop you right here before you stop reading and head right to the comments section: This isn’t about participation trophies or whatever Michael Felger said yesterday that you want to repeat at me. This is about taking a rope full of knots and untying them one at a time. 

The rope is still full of knots. We all know that. They just undid a knot or two. 

The defense was not quite as encouraging. They gave up 132 points and 80 points in the paint. The layup parade was out of control, especially in the second and third quarters. Look at this shot chart (if you dare)



This starts on the perimeter, where more resistance needs to be applied at the point of attack. But some rim protection helps.

Robert Williams was a game-changer. Here’s the Memphis shot chart after Wiliams checked in in the fourth quarter. 



He played 28 minutes, which is more than usual. You might be clamoring for more than that, but Boston has made it clear that his hip issue is a concern and they don’t want to push that. If he can give them a little more now and build up to 30-plus minutes for the stretch run and playoffs, then that will help a lot.

Give Jeff Teague his flowers. He started, played 39 minutes, and dropped 26 points on 10-12 shooting, including two late layups in the fourth quarter to keep Boston in the game. 

TURNING POINT

Grayson Allen hit a 3-pointer at the end of the shot clock halfway through overtime to give Memphis a five-point lead. Boston just never had the energy to recover

TOP PLAY

Jaylen Brown doing it on both ends

https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1374168260783013888

You have to see this Ja Morant play

https://twitter.com/NBCSCeltics/status/1374191552185126914

THREE UP 

Jeff Teague: People were losing their minds over Teague starting, which is warranted. But Stevens’ decision was rewarded. Teague barely missed and was the biggest reason why Boston even had a chance. He was 5-5 in the fourth quarter and overtime. Maybe not playing as much as everyone else kept him fresh enough to make those late contributions.

Robert Williams: I already mentioned his rim protection, but he was also a big part of maintaining the offensive flow. He had 4 assists in the game, and he hit a crucial jump shot of all things. Ramping up his minutes, however they need to while maintaining the health of his hip, has to be a priority for the Celtics.  

Jaylen Brown: He tried to put the Celtics on his back. He was 4-6 in fourth quarter for 9 points.  He’s been asked to do a lot, and maybe he can be rewarded with a day off, though he doesn’t seem to want one. 

“Let's go. Let's go. Put some ice on it, whatever it is that’s hurting, put some ice on it and let’s go, get ready for Milwaukee,” Brown said after the game. “Rub some ice on it, rub some dirt on it, and whatever. Let’s go. Let’s get ready for Milwaukee.”

ONE DOWN

Marcus Smart’s OT. Smart’s shooting abandoned him in the overtime. He was 0-3, forcing two jump shots in the middle of the shot clock that should have been passes. One of the jumpers came in a tie game, which makes it especially rough, because scoring there would have put a ton of pressure on the Grizzlies.  

ONE TAKE KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

You know what? I'm doubling down on the positivity.

Yes, I realize I come off like I'm prospecting for pennies in sewage pipes, but I'm really just looking for any kind of pulse I can find, and at least the Celtics still have one.

And maybe it won't mean much in the end, but it's still important, because a lot of these guys are going to be around for a while, and their desire to fight through this muck is part of how they'll learn how to succeed.

It's like a kid learning how to do kick flips on a skateboard. They've spent a lot of time being terrible at this and getting hurt in the process. But every once in a while they land it, and even though it's wobbly, or maybe they nearly land it and fall, there are ways to see the progress.

"Everything is about growth and getting better," Brown said after the game. "I think as a unit, if we just keep moving in the right direction, we’re going to break through. I’m a firm believer in that. I'm not going to stop my belief because of a rough patch or whatnot."

Go ahead and get mad at the losses. This isn't the NCAA tournament. It's not the NFL where a rough month dooms a team.

This is a very weird, very trying NBA season with a lot of unexpected things happening. There are 29 games left, and there's still a pulse. As long as that's true, there's a reason to keep looking forward.