BSJ Game Report: Celtics 121, Spurs 116 - Malcolm Brogdon, Robert Williams, save Celtics from collapse

Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the San Antonio Spurs, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

The Celtics came out well, but the Spurs were able to keep it close thanks to some missed layups and, after the Celtics let up a little, some bad bad turnovers. Malcolm Brogdon helped the Celtics build a lead as high as 15 and it looked like this could be a comfortable game. The Celtics, though, had a lazy third quarter and let the Spurs come within a point. Then Robert Williams checked in to save the Celtics. The Spurs did it again in the fourth, but Williams, again, checked in to save Boston.

Box Score

HEADLINES

Mixed effort: They came out playing with a good pace and energy. I liked how they were going most of the first quarter, then they had a couple of gross turnovers. Then they played great in the second quarter thanks to Brogdon, and then they relaxed in the third quarter. It’s like they tried to do just enough to win the game… but not so much that they ran away with it.

Robert Williams is a difference maker: I don’t know how he was only a +1 in this game because it felt like he was in the middle of everything good happening on the floor. His defense alone changed this game, nevermind his four offensive rebounds and his passing. 

Malcolm Brogdon’s shooting is back: Not a moment too soon. It felt like Brogdon was there for a timely 3-pointer whenever the Spurs were making one of their runs. He shot 5-6 from deep, and after a 34.7% December, he’s off to a 52.9% start from deep over four games in January.

TURNING POINT

Robert Williams subbed into the game with 3:14 left, caught a lob to end a Spurs run, and played some amazing defense on Romeo Langford to close out the game. 

FOUR UP

Robert Williams: He put up 10 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 4 block night. He’s put up a stat line with at least those numbers four times in his career. Only Kevin McHale has had more as a Celtic, and he’s only had one more. His best highlight was this block on Malaki Branham. 

“I'm really surprised he shot the ball,” Williams told reporters after the game. “Most people know I'm coming to block that. He won't try it again."

He has 12 blocked shots, twice as many blocks as missed field goals (6) this season. Wow.

Derrick White: They showed a tribute video for him in his first game back to San Antonio, and he responded with a very nice game. He had 3 blocked shots, flexing some really nice defense to go with an 11-assist night, his most as a Celtic (his career-high is 14).  

Malcolm Brogdon: I feel like I said to myself “oh they needed that” every time he hit a 3-pointer. They don’t win without him tonight. 23 points and 7 assists was huge, especially with Smart out most of the second half with the knee contusion.

Jayson Tatum: 34 points on 50% shooting from 2 and 3 is hard to ignore, though I do think he got a little 3-point happy and he didn’t execute well late in the game. As much as he was a huge reason Boston kept building leads, he was also part of the reason they almost lost that lead. 

ONE UP (with an asterisk)

Jaylen Brown: Brown is in the same boat as Tatum, except Brown had 6 turnovers and his turnovers were baaaaaad. Either they were wild miscommunications or they were crushing live-ball turnovers. Four of those came in the second half where he shot 5-12 (0-3 3pt) and looked to be hunting his own shots rather than running the offense. 

ONE DOWN

Grant Williams: I honestly can’t remember a single thing he did in this game. 

TOP PLAYS

THREE TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- Time to address the Robert Williams plan

I’m not looking to rush him back by any means, so I’m not feeling like he needs to play 30 minutes right now. But it’s pretty clear that he’s a difference-maker, so they need to do something to take full advantage of him. They at least got to see him as part of a closing lineup in a tight game. 

“One thing we got to work on is our late game execution with our big lineup, which is something that we haven't seen,” Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “We needed a game like that to where it's back and forth, things aren't going our way, they are going our way. You don’t get a lot of those. It was actually it's easier to say that because we won, but I'm happy that the game went the way it did because we got to execute some stuff.”

They can execute more Robert Williams stuff if they work him into the lineup a little more, or at the very least try extending some of his stretches so he’s on the floor in late half situations.

- It’s time to back off Al Horford’s minutes

Honestly, if Horford and Rob flipped minutes, that might be a great solution. I’m not saying start Williams over Horford -- though I’m not NOT saying it -- but Horford’s minutes have to be dialed back. He can’t be in the 30s all the time. He has to be limited to under 30. 

This is a dangerous game with Horford. We’re not even at the halfway point this season and he’s playing more minutes per game than he has since 2017-18. It’s too much. 

- Derrick White, bellwether of good Celtics offense

I thought the Celtics' offense was good in the first half. They moved the ball well, they got to the rim with ease, and they got good shots. White was 2-3 in the half with one 3-pointer taken and made. He had 6 assists as well.

The offense stagnated a bit in the second half and the shots at the rim tailed off. Unsurprisingly, White was 1-4 (0-1). He did have 5 assists. 

More often than not, White shooting well means the offense is going well. When it’s not, he’s generally not. 

Next up: The Celtics return home for a quick two-game homestand, beginning with the Chicago Bulls on Monday night