There was a lot to be encouraged about after the Celtics' preseason game against Toronto on Saturday night. The Celtics looked more in control of themselves and they were moving and passing with purpose. They got nice contributions from role players, Jayson Tatum looked to be in nice form, and Marcus Smart settled into a better point guard performance.
If there was one issue, it was the team’s 23 turnovers.
“As much as we’re emphasizing passing the ball, we still want to take care of it,” Ime Udoka said afterwards. “Two games in a row we’ve been a little sloppy now but we’re happy with the effort and what they’re trying to do. It’s just a matter of execution now. That’s something I’ve preached from Day One, effort and execution, so we can clean those up, get more looks. Obviously we’re scoring enough. It’s just taking care of the ball now.”
Udoka said the team can’t live with that number of turnovers, but the Celtics will have to live with some if they’re going to push the ball as much as they want. Faster paced teams tend to turn the ball over a bit more, but as long those are the result of being aggressive and they’re not live-ball turnovers, it’s easier to deal with.
So with that in mind, here’s a look at most of the Celtics turnovers against Toronto. I didn’t include the fourth quarter turnovers because I’m not going to bother with bad timing between Sam Hauser and Ryan Arcidiacono. I’m focusing on the main guys and 14 of the 23 turnovers.
Turnover 1: Romeo Langford bad pass
Langford attacks the closeout but the second defender comes over and does a good job of staying vertical. Langford got himself into trouble and thought he had Robert Williams coming down the lane, but that timing was way off.
This turnover is bad recognition by Langford. After getting by the first defender, he should recognize the second one coming over but he decides to drive and jump anyway. He’s way too deep, so it’s not like he even had much chance to dunk on anyone because he was behind the backboard. I can’t figure out why he jumped.
There are two obvious plays:
1: a quick head and shoulder fake and dump off to Williams for a dunk.
2: Take another quick dribble so his body is angled more towards the baseline and whip a lefty pass to Al Horford in the opposite corner. That would have either been an open 3-pointer for him, or another swing to Tatum for a 3.
This is an out of control play and a bad turnover, especially because it’s live-ball and Toronto can go off on the break.
Turnover 2: Robert Williams charge
Horford is being aggressive with the baseball pass out to Robert Williams. Williams then gets a little too caught up in the moment and tries to make a play he’s not comfortable making.
First and foremost, Rob needs to be under control here. Just by getting the ball up this far, this fast, there are already cross-matches developing. Williams taking the dribble is not really an issue -- there’s nothing wrong with probing and seeing how a defense reacts.
At the same time, players have to recognize their skills and know when enough is enough. That’s so much easier said than done in the moment, but seeing a guy in front of him is a sign to just backtrack a little. If he did, he would have found Horford streaking down the middle.
A Horford catch there might be a layup, it might be a floater, it might be a kick out to Smart who has a driving lane of his own and Langford in the corner.
Horford hitting Williams with that pass is mostly fine, but it also does put Williams in a tough spot with an edict to be aggressive. At that point, Williams probably felt like ‘well I got the outlet pass and coach wants to run so let me just try something.’
Still, it’s on Williams to stay in control and recognize the secondary break is going to provide scoring opportunities too.
Turnover 3: Jayson Tatum stripped
This is a lingering issue for Tatum. He’s a little too loose with his dribble in traffic still. He needs to learn to keep that ball lower in those tight spots so he’s crossing over with the ball at his knees, not at his hip. A retreating defender can swipe like this and make a play on the high dribble, but if he can drop that a little bit when he’s in a tight spot, Tatum can more easily get to the rim in traffic.
Turnover 4: Al Horford stripped
Aggressive double from Fred VanVleet. Horford left that play wide open by turning his back. It’s a little bit of Al not paying attention, possibly because he’s too focused on running a play. It’s a lot of VanVleet being smart and aggressive and making a good play.
Turnover 5: Josh Richardson bad pass
Richardson got himself into a little bit of trouble with the jump and his dump off to Enes Kanter was deflected. The pass to Richardson was a little behind him and he seemed to be caught between wanting to dribble or pass.
Personally, I say Richardson should have taken one good, strong, two-handed power dribble, planted off two feet, and finished on the other side of the rim, but this was such a tight spot and he had Kanter right there that it’s not hard to see why he made that decision.
I’m not even sure he expected the pass, which is the biggest thing I can fault him for here. If he was in a mindset to catch the ball and do something with it, he might have made a different play.
These interior passes are tough and you have to be sure about them because they turn into fast breaks quickly. Much like a pick-six at the goal line, when this many guys are around the rim a turnover leaves few people left to defend when the ball goes the other way.
Turnover 6: Grant Williams stripped
Yikes. Say what you want about Grant but he’s good in the post and this was just a sloppy dribble. He knows it. He probably feels like could have continued going baseline and tried to make a play that way.
This is one where, when it comes up on the film, the coach just glares at you and you just have to say “I know ... I know” as you look at the floor in shame.
Turnover 7: Aaron Nesmith offensive foul
I’m really not too worried about this one. Nesmith attacked a closeout and tried to make an aggressive play. The defender didn’t even think it was charge. He was calling for a jump ball.
Still, if we’re in a film session, I’m stressing playing aggressive but under control. I appreciate the attack, now have the discipline to understand that by getting to a point where you’ve drawn two guys, you’ve accomplished a goal. Kick the ball, force the defense to rotate, and someone else will find even more space and maybe score.
This is a good teaching moment for a young player, especially a young scorer. They have to realize they are working as a five-man unit to find a way to put the ball in the basket. Every time you weaken the defense, you make it a little easier for the next guy.
Turnover 8: Tatum travel
Oops. Sometimes guys travel. Sometimes a guy turns expecting to see one thing, sees another, and he just flinches and takes an extra step. What can you say about this one? “Hey Jayson, don’t travel next time.”
OK, coach.
Turnover 9: Tatum bad pass
Right idea, bad execution. I’m not mad at the push, and Tatum knows he threw a crappy pass. You can see it in his body language.
When plays like this show up on film, players tend to speak up and tell you what they should have done before you even have to say anything. The decision to throw the pass was good. It was the right play to attempt. Tatum’s pass was god awful and he knows it.
If he continues to make those passes, then maybe a coach sits him down and they try to work on it. For now, you just have to trust that a player as good as Tatum will make that play next time.
Turnover 10: Smart bad pass
This is simple: Smart thought Richardson was going to keep running so he led him with the pass. Richardson did not keep running, so the pass went to Ime Udoka.
In Smart’s defense, Udoka was wide open.
This is simply a case of miscommunication and Smart trying to be aggressive and push the pace. This will be ironed out with more time together. I’m not worried about this play at all.
Turnover 11: Horford bad pass
This is set play for a Williams alley oop. It sets up as a pick and roll and the bounce pass to Horford is supposed to trick the defense into thinking Williams is no longer a threat.
It did not trick the defense. Everyone seemed to know it was coming, so credit to Toronto for making the play. At the end you can see Horford point to Williams and then clap in frustration.
Watch for this play again at some point. Maybe with someone in the right corner that will be guarded a little more closely, too, because Rob did not have much of a lane to get that pass.
Turnover 12: Tatum stripped
Second time this has happened. It’s just sloppy and obvious what Tatum is going to do.
Tighten up that handle! Crossovers aren’t supposed to go hip to hip. Get low!
Turnover 13: Smart travel
Smart was looking for the foul there and he might have had a case.
Plays like this happen all the time and the same thing I said earlier applies: pull it back, work it around, and find a new way to attack. Toronto was just packing the paint and Smart got swallowed up.
Turnover 14: Tatum offensive foul
This is a point of emphasis this season. Sure, the defender might have sold it a little, but Tatum clears out with his right hand.
He’ll have to adjust a bit because he uses his off-arm a lot to get to the rim. Players should have a little leeway with this kind of play, but Tatum can’t extend that off-arm and get away with it.
Overall, these turnovers aren’t too concerning. A lot of them were bad decisions that can be cleaned up with film study and reps. Some were just bad plays that each player will admit to later and the team has to trust that professionals won’t go repeating them. Some were just the result of trying to be aggressive, and that’s okay at this point of the preseason.
A few are still some lingering bad habits, and those have to be checked now. Again, it’s early, so there’s time to clean those up.