BSJ Game Report: Boston Celtics 120, Memphis Grizzlies 107 - Tatum out-duels Morant in 4th to seal huge win

Everything you need to know about the Boston Celtics' win over the Memphis Grizzlies with BSJ insight and analysis. 

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics' defense was pretty stifling for the entire game, but the Celtics were handing Memphis plenty of turnovers early on, which kept the game close. Boston would build a little bit of a second-half lead, but they gave up an 11-2 run late in the second quarter and only led by two going into the half. They turned it around right away with a 10-2 run to take control. They limited their turnovers the rest of the way and rode a monster Jayson Tatum fourth quarter to a big win.

Box Score

HEADLINES

Another third quarter turnaround: For the second game in a row, Boston came out of halftime on a mission. After coughing up 11 turnovers which led to 14 Grizzlies points in the first half, the Celtics only had 4 turnovers for 4 Grizzlies points in the second half. After giving up an 11-2 Grizzlies run late in the second quarter, Boston opened the third on a 12-2 run. 

Jayson Tatum outduels Ja Morant in the fourth: Tatum dropped 21 points on 9-13 shooting in the fourth, bettering Morant’s 14 points on 6-8 shooting. 

“It was a lot of fun. The place was electric tonight,” Tatum said. “I think it was just one of those moments - two guys just going at it, doing what they can to will their team to a victory, and it just so happened that it was a back and forth thing.”

Stifling defense: You knew Morant was going to go off eventually, but in quarters 1-3, the Celtics' defense held Morant and Desmond Bane to a combined 9-31. Part of limiting their damage involved limiting their own turnovers and not allowing Morant to fly around. 

TURNING POINT

The Celtics opened the third quarter on a 10-0 run (12-2 if you want to extend it a bit) started by a pair of Marcus Smart 3-pointers. Suddenly the close game became double digits. Boston won that quarter by 11 and held strong the rest of the way. 

SIX UP

Jayson Tatum: 37 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists. Tatum is on his way to a first-team All-NBA bid if he continues this through the end of the season. And once again, he’s doing it without the benefit of the 3-pointer. He was just 2-7 from deep, getting his points on 12-18 shooting on 2-pointers and 7-8 free throws. 

The best part is only two of the 2-pointers came outside the paint. 

“We really like his aggressiveness,” Ime Udoka said. “But him as a screener or the handler gives people problems. So it's whether he's going against a small, or putting a big, Stephen Adams or whoever may be in it, we have a lot of options with him. And he pretty much can take advantage of all matchups.”

Marcus Smart: Two pivotal 3-pointers keyed the run to start the third quarter, but he also was huge closing the fourth. He had 5 points and 3 assists in the final 3:44 of the game. 

Al Horford: My focus on Horford was the defense he played all night, especially his effective switching onto Ja Morant. 

“That was our game plan,” he said. “Obviously, in my mind, he's one of the front runners for MVP of the league and I really just trusted the game plan. Just making sure I stayed solid as best as I could. Not giving any easy looks and contest them as best as I can. He still kind of found his ways, but trying to make it tough on him early.”

Said Smart, “Al is the OG. Everybody thinks Al is up there in age and he lost it. He still got it. We love it.”

With so much focus on his defense, it sort of got lost that he also dropped a monster 21 point, 15 rebound, 5 assist game to go along with his 2 blocked shots.

Robert Williams: Ho hum, another double-double. 10 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, 3 blocks … that 5x5 night is coming sometime soon. I swear it is. 

Grant Williams: A perfect 3-3 from deep and some solid defense from Williams.

ONE DOWN

Aaron Nesmith: This has nothing to do with how he played. It’s that he rolled his ankle pretty badly very early in the game. This was a big spot for him to get a start or two in place of Jaylen Brown and now he’s going to be out. 

TOP PLAYS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- It might just be time to buy in to this team

I see it in the comments or on social media, wondering whether they should dive back in and believe in this team. 

I say do it. 

The lapses have been rare since the calendar turned. They’ve dropped a couple of tough ones but they’ve managed to win a lot more. They are now 38-27, 11 games above .500, and alone as the fifth seed in the East. They are a game behind Milwaukee, two behind Chicago and Philadelphia, and 4.5 behind first place Miami. 

“We’re trending in the right direction,” Tatum said. “Especially at this time of the season, trying to be the best version of ourselves heading into the playoffs.”

They are a tick away from overtaking Golden State for the best defense in the league for the regular season and they are in the top 10 in effective field goal percentage (which adds weight for 3-pointers made) and true shooting percentage (which takes all field goals and free throws into account) since January 1. 

“We went through some growing pains. New team, new staff, things like that,” Tatum said. “Dealing with COVID, guys were injured, I ain’t hit no shots. So guys stopped getting COVID, we got healthy and I started making some shots. And we’ve really been playing just a lot better as a unit because we just had more time together honestly.”

I have no clue how far they will go, but I feel good about saying this: These Celtics are guys you can feel good cheering for. It’s clear they are willing to put in the work, and you’re seeing the results. 

“I think watching us now, we play with a lot more passion and we just seem like we’re having a lot more fun,” Tatum said. “Obviously when you’re winning you tend to play with a little more enthusiasm and smile and laugh and things like that. It wasn’t happening too often at the beginning of the season. So, defense, everybody being locked in, just having fun. This is basketball at the end of the day and it’s supposed to be a lot of fun. And we’ve been having a lot of fun lately.”

Go ahead. You can have some fun too.

- I’m ready to collect my coffee

Somewhere in the comments earlier this season, when I made my assertion that Marcus Smart could successfully be the team’s point guard, I recall betting coffee on it. 

I’m ready to collect. 

Admit it. Marcus Smart is successful as this team’s point guard.

He pushes the pace, he moves the ball, he obviously defends, and his shots are falling. Since January 1, he’s shooting 38.3% from deep. Only Grant Williams (44%) and Payton Pritchard (38.5%) have been better. 

Is he perfect as the team’s point guard? No, but 18 points and 12 assists on this stage was exactly what Boston needed. 

Smart does have stretches where he turns it over. That's something he needs to clean up. But he more than makes up for it on the defensive end. Offensively, he gets guys where they need to be on the floor, finds the right guy at the right time, and then when someone like Tatum starts really cooking, “(i) make sure I’m staying out of his f---ing way. Let him do his thing.”

Marcus Smart is the point guard. He’s good at it. Everyone fall in line. 

I like my coffee black.