BSJ Game Report: Celtics 125, Lakers 121 (OT) - Late rally, Brown's resurgence, carries C's past Lakers

Everything you need to know about the Celtics overtime win over the LA Lakers with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL 

The Celtics started cold from 3, but Jaylen Brown’s 10-point first quarter, and a heavy dose of daring Russell Westbrook to shoot kept things close. The Celtics started the second on a nice run behind Malcolm Brogdon and Jayson Tatum, but the Lakers closed on a 27-12 run to take a 6-point halftime lead. The teams traded runs with Boston starting hot, the Lakers hitting with a big haymaker, and then Boston tying things up heading into the fourth. The Lakers built a 7-point lead almost halfway through the quarter, but Brown returned to the game with five fouls and took over down the stretch to force OT, and help carry them to the win. 

Box Score

HEADLINES

Jaylen Brown’s redemption: Much more on this in my featured story, but what Brown did when he checked back into the game was unreal. He had 17 points when he checked in at 6:58. He finished the game with 37. Let that sink in for a bit. 

Wild finish: I’m not sure what the craziest part of this game really was. Patrick Beverley nearly burying the Celtics with a 3 (improbable) and a putback dunk (inconceivable!)? Brown saving the Celtics and getting to the line with a free throw to tie? LeBron James clearly getting fouled, not getting a call, and then going absolutely ballistic? Beverley pulling a camera onto the court to show the ref the call they missed? All I know is that before Brown checked back into the game to take over, the building was DEAD. By the end of the game, the crowd was bananas and it turned into an amazing atmosphere. 

Probably should have lost: First of all, they didn’t, so there's no need to apologize for winning a basketball game. However, they played poorly for long stretches. 

“We did some interesting things in the middle of the game that put us in a tough spot, but our body language didn’t wane, our next play mentality didn’t wane,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So the win is good, but it’s more important that we stick to that regardless of the outcome.”

That's great, and a good point by the coach. A team goes through lulls and then fights through and puts itself in a position to win. That's all good. 

Except they very clearly fouled James on the final play and there was no call. As I always say, you never want to put yourself in a position to rely on the refs down the stretch, but this call was so egregious that the league didn’t even wait for tomorrow’s Last Two Minute report to admit they were wrong. 

“There was contact,” Crew Chief Eric Lewis said in a pool report after the game. “At the time, during the game, we did not see a foul. The crew missed the play.”

Of course, LeBron would have had to hit a free throw and it’s possible Boston could have answered at the other end, but still, the Celtics got away with one here. 

TURNING POINT

Brown checked in with 6:58 to go in the game and with 5 fouls. He scored 9 points after checking into the game, including the game-tying free throw, to send the game into OT. He scored 11 in the overtime. 

THREE UP 

Jaylen Brown: How bad was the start of this game for him? I’ll just say that my column tonight was going to be on Brown either way, and the other version wasn’t going to be very complimentary. I unplugged my computer and started to pack up to head in for postgame interviews … but then Beverley missed a free throw, the Celtics got some life, and Brown got a free throw to redeem himself. The overtime was more brilliance from Brown, and suddenly he went from 17 points on 6-13 shooting to 37 points on 13-23 shooting. He finished 9-11 from the free throw line.

Malcolm Brogdon: He’s the real MVP of this game. 26 points on 8-15 shooting, 3-7 from deep, including some huge, clutch baskets, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block. He was huge and his 7 fourth-quarter points were just as important as Brown’s points. Brogdon basically kept the Celtics afloat until one of the stars could close the door. 

Derrick White: I think he was an unsung hero in this game. I’m not sure why he was off the floor in favor of Grant Williams for so long. 

TWO DOWN 

Jayson Tatum: I teetered on this. He was certainly worthy of both up and down, but he was not good in the first half, amazing in the third quarter, bad again in the fourth, and then okay in the OT. He did have a couple of turnovers late in the game that swung him to the down section 

Grant Williams: I’ll give him credit for popping a dislocated shoulder back into place late in the game and finishing with it, and he hit some shots that make the number look good, but I didn't like his game tonight. He fouled out of the game and his complaining to the officials is still out of control sometimes. 

TOP PLAYS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- This team misses Marcus Smart

I think even the most fervent Smart hater can, at this point, admit how much he means to this team. 

Without him, the ball is in Tatum and Brown’s hands more often in creator roles, and that just puts them in spots where they may be trying to do too much. Having Smart sets them up better offensively, and it allows for off-ball actions that get their stars easy buckets. 

I think it’s been especially noticeable over the past couple of games. The Celtics aren’t moving the ball as well, they're disorganized too often, and they are prone to iso ball. Not having Smart to create some easy opportunities for guys or recognize mismatches better hurts the offense.  

- Tatum’s offense is growing

There was one play that really stood out in the overtime. 

You can see Tatum directing Brogdon to go to Brown. Tatum reads the defense, spins, and gets a perfect pass from Brown for the layup. 

Mazzulla didn't call that play. Tatum orchestrated that, knowing how the Lakers were going to overplay his screen for Brogdon.

“That’s kind of their advantage of being smaller and stabbing at the ball and things like that,” Tatum explained. “I’ve done a lot better job the second half of last year and this year of screening to get other guys open and open up the game for myself. So playing off the ball is something I’ve gotten a lot more comfortable with, and just realizing feeling all the momentum, the weight on this shoulder, I spin off, and the low man on the corner, if he doesn’t help, I have a layup like I did. If he does, JB knows to just get back to the corner.”

It’s a brilliant read of the defense by Tatum in a clutch spot. Even though I criticized his overall game, this was really good recognition and execution. It’s a little bit of evidence of how Tatum is growing as an offensive mind.

Put a pin in this play. We’ll see it again. 

Next up: The Celtics have three days off before facing Brooklyn at home Wednesday night