The Celtics are heading into Game 2 tomorrow with a ton of confidence. Between the first half of Game 1 where they dominated and the portions of the second half where they got what they wanted when they were trying, the Celtics head into tomorrow night’s game feeling pretty good about their chances of making this a quick series.
However, as good as the defense was, everything isn’t all rainbows and puppy dogs. The Hawks were definitely complicit in their own demise.
“I think it’s a little bit of both,” Joe Mazzulla said at the team’s Monday practice. “I think they got some good looks from 3 … when we're not organized and disciplined on the offensive end, they're able to get out in transition. And so I think a lot of it has to do with how we manage that. Can we stay organized offensively, can we keep them out of transmission, can we keep them in the half court?”
When the Celtics were managing all of that, they were an elite-level defense. When they weren’t, they were giving up a lot of open shots the Hawks simply missed. According to NBA.com tracking data, the Hawks were 3-17 on open shots (with a defender 4-6 feet away) and 6-20 on wide-open ones (with a defender more than six feet away).
Dejounte Murray was 1-8 on open shots. Trae Young was 0-3 on open shots and 1-3 when wide open. Saddiq Bey was 0-3 on wide-open shots. De’Andre Hunter was 1-4.
There were certainly parts of the game where the Celtics benefited from the Hawks missing, especially in that second-quarter run where Boston got their biggest separation. Young, Hunter, Muray, and Bey all missed open looks as the Celtics lead grew from 14 to 25 before. If any one of those shots fell, it could have changed at least some of the game flow that led to a 30-point halftime lead.
The Hawks can look at themselves in the mirror and question whether they were truly shooting comfortable shots versus trying to quickly answer the Celtics. The Celtics, meanwhile, can look at themselves and understand that improving on their Game 1 performance has more to do with the in green rather than adjusting to the team in red.
“I thought that was important for us to focus as much on ourselves as our opponent,” Mazzulla said, later adding “I think it's just as important to prepare for yourself and really understand yourself and build an awareness to who you are, what goes well, what doesn't go well, etc. That's just as important as preparing for Atlanta and so we'll do both. Prepare for ourselves, understand ourselves, and focus on them as well.”
NO CONCERNS OVER JAYLEN BROWN’S HAND
Brown was a full participant in practice and was out on the floor afterward going through shooting drills. Brown didn’t speak, but Mazzulla said he wasn’t aware of any new stitches necessary after the cut on Brown’s shooting hand opened back up during Game 1.
“It’s a constant adjustment,” Brown said after Game 1. “Making sure I get a good grip on the ball. I had six turnovers tonight so I’ve definitely gotta clean that up … at times throughout the game I had to readjust it and stuff like that. Had a lot of padding on it so it’s a different feel shooting the ball. Just adjusting and adapting to the game, that’s it.”
HORFORD’S HUSTLE
Al Horford didn’t do much, numbers-wise, but his hustle at the right times resulted in plays like this:
“He's a lot of things for us, one of them is our emotional leader to where he has an innate maturity and an ability to bring a game back with a big shot or a blocked shot,” Mazzulla said. “We're just really fortunate to have him. His ability, not only what he can do from a basketball standpoint, but what he brings with it from an emotional and leadership standpoint. Not only does it help us over the course of a season, but in moments of games is big for us.”
The emotional leadership was evident as the Celtics toyed with the Hawks and saw their 30-point lead cut down to 12 in the fourth quarter. Horford spent part of a timeout making an adamant point to his teammates.
“Just making sure that the group locked back in, that we were focused, and that we got back to playing the way that we were,” Horford said. “And our group responded. We did what we had to do and did enough to put them away.”
Horford got the entire TD Garden to respond to a defensive rebound and foul early in the game when he was finally able to secure a rebound after one of the few bad possessions where the Hawks got multiple cracks at it. He came away with the ball and walked halfway down the floor pumping his fist and yelling to no one in particular. It drew a standing ovation from a crowd that was looking for any reason to explode.
“I just think the games are so much more intense, it brings a lot more out of all of us and our crowd,” Horford said. “Just from pregame you already knew it was going to be a good environment and we really just feed off of that and get it going. These are the type of moments—and it’s such a difference between the postseason and the regular season. You can feel it out there.”
NO APPETITE FOR A BLOCK/CHARGE CHANGE
Both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant were injured in plays where a defender slid under them in an attempt to take a charge. Those kinds of bang-bang plays always stir some controversy amongst NBA fans because they always end up with someone on the ground.
But even with the injuries, there is little appetite within the NBA to change any rules associated with those plays.
“Man, I don't know. Injuries are part of the game,” Malcolm Brogdon said. “I feel like we make rule changes every year, to how the game should be reffed and called and played, and I don't want to make too many changes. Man, this is basketball, people are gonna get injured, people are gonna take chances. When you jump in the air, you take a chance. That's just the reality of the game. So I'd rather not see the game change. But we’ll see.”
Mazzulla was even less into the idea.
“I think it's an important play in the game. I think in a lot of those situations, if you passed it, you wouldn't run a guy over,” he said. “I think it's an important play, it's a momentum changer, it's a physical play, it's plays that have helped win games, it's plays that have lost games. And so as long as it's in there, you have to do your best to utilize it. I'm not big on the legislation. I'll play by any rules, whatever they're voting on. I don't really care what the rules are.
“I don't care. Whatever the rules are, we'll find a way to follow them and manipulate them at the same time.”
MARATHON MEN
Don’t count Horford among those athletes who will challenge themselves with the ultimate endurance test of running a marathon.
“I could never do anything like that,” he said. “I have so much respect for it. … It’s such a special day and such a special part of the city. It’s pretty cool. But no, I’m not a runner. I can’t run probably more than a mile, honestly. So, a lot of respect, and a lot of admiration for anybody that goes out there and finishes it.”
Mazzulla, on the other hand, is a big tester of limits, so he isn’t ruling it out.
“I would just go until I died. However long that is,” he said. “I don't know, but I wouldn't mind finding out one day.”
This is very on-brand for Mazzulla, who seems to be an all-or-nothing kind of guy. Ain’t no half steppin’ when Mazzulla’s involved, for better or for worse.