BSJ Game Report: Celtics 102, Grizzlies 100 - C's barely hold on in Memphis

MEMPHIS — Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the Grizzlies, with BSJ insight and analysis

IN A NUTSHELL

It was a one-point game after one thanks to 13 first-quarter points from Desmond Bane. Kristaps Porzingis’ 12 helped counter that as Boston did most of its early damage in the paint. The second half saw undisciplined defense and Santi Aldama got loose for 10 points. The game stayed close through the third and fourth and even when the Celtics looked to pull away, Memphis stayed close, taking a big defensive play by Porzingis to seal the win.

Box Score

HEADLINES

- An undisciplined mess: The Celtics very clearly didn’t take their opponent seriously. They bit on every pump fake. They made boneheaded plays. They didn’t look crisp at all. They were lucky to win that game, plain and simple. If Memphis was even marginally better, this would have been a loss. 

- Bad reads: The Celtics got to the rim easily early but never used that to get the drive-and-kicks that they normally get. If there's anything the Grizzlies are actually good at, it’s protecting the rim. They blocked five shots in this game and easily changed many, many more. For once, the balance between 2s and 3s was off because they forced too much at the rim. 

- Jaylen Brown looked fine: I’m very curious to see how tomorrow will look for him on the back-to-back in Charlotte, but he looked fine in this game as far as the strained groin goes. He didn’t shoot well, but he didn’t look hurt to me. 

TURNING POINT

I don’t even think there was a turning point in this game. Boston sort of just existed and Memphis is just bad. There wasn’t a defining run in this game. There wasn’t a point where I thought Boston seized control. Hell, I thought Santi Aldama’s 3-pointer was going in and Boston was going to lose. This was one of those weird games where the momentum plays were mostly made by Memphis, but Boston won because they are just better.

THINGS I LIKED

- They won: Actually, I’m not sure I liked that very much. It feels like a loss would have hit home more, but I’ll take the win because style points don’t matter in the NBA. 

- Sam Hauser stayed hot: It felt like the Celtics got away from Hauser after he came out blazing hot. He was the only Celtic to hit a 3-pointer in the first half and then he only got two more looks in the second half. They should have kept looking for him. 

- Kristaps Porzingis: He was Boston’s best player in this game, pounding mismatches and getting himself to the line. He also had the big blocked shot to close the game. 

- Free throw disparity: Boston went to the line 25 times and outscored Memphis by 11 at the stripe. 

THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE

- The lack of discipline: I wish I could count all the times they bit on pump fakes. A lack of discipline means a lack of respect for their opponent. I don’t think they necessarily lacked effort, it’s just that the effort was misplaced. They didn't think the game much at all. 

- So many whistles: There were 40 personal fouls in this game. There was never any flow to it, which made a bad game worse. 

- 14 offensive rebounds: Again, poor discipline. Boxing out takes effort and it wasn’t there. 

HIGHLIGHTS

TWO TAKES KARALIS WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER

- Jayson Tatum is coasting: I don’t think he’s brought his “A” game the past couple of nights. I thought he was mostly passive against the Raptors and I think he only turned it on in spots in Memphis. I know the 1-11 from the 3-point line against Toronto was a bit much, but the 1-1 against Memphis was too much of an overcorrection.

He had EIGHT turnovers in this game, four of them offensive fouls. For a guy who was playing so well to start the season, it’s a little bit of a shame to see him downshift in these past two games. This was a chance to assert a little dominance and really hammer home a couple of easy wins behind big performances. 

Obviously, he can easily get back on track and render this little stretch meaningless. And I admit there's a little bit of nitpicking here because every superstar has these games from time to time. But I still think it’s a little too early in the season for them. 

- Joe Mazzulla needs to go deeper into his bench: There was a weird stretch of Tatum, Brown, and Holiday sitting for a long stretch in the third quarter, and we did see short stints from Neemias Queta and Lamar Stevens, but I still think games like this could use an energy boost from early Oshae Brissett or maybe Svi Mykhailiuk. 

I just don’t think basically going with an eight-man rotation is entirely necessary right now. This is a chance to play these other guys some and get them comfortable. How much worse could they have been than what we saw?

Next up: The Celtics play the Hornets Monday night in a back-to-back.