NBA Notebook: Celtics force more turnovers and other preseason stats

Joe Mazzulla began training camp with a familiar message that prepared the Celtics for change this year. Don't assume, he said, that they'll win the same way they did one year ago. Environments, trends and their own internal conditions could shift, forcing Boston to win a different way, a calling card of their championship identity one year ago.

That flexibility showed in the preseason, when they came one foul call away from sweeping despite Al Horford's absence for most of it and playing a variety of lineups, including courting their reserves against multiple Raptors starters. The most significant change came in their ability to force turnovers, creating 17.8 per game, which ranked 14th most among preseason teams, compared to 12.0 per game last regular season, which tied for last. 

"I thought we had good, active hands," Joe Mazzulla said this week. "I thought we got deflections. I thought our reads were good and our shift activity, being able to be in gaps, but also get out to shooters. The more you can have high hands and active hands, it puts you in position to be able to get those deflections. Between that and our ball pressure, it has to be something we continue to fight for." 

The Celtics didn't drastically change their approach on defense during the regular season aside from wrinkles they already had last season like switching more aggressively at times, changing matchups to create favorable switches, flashing some zone and hilariously trapping the ball-handler after the tip-off to begin the first Raptors exhibition. Mazzulla wanted to force more turnovers last year too, but also noted that you can't just make the other team give it away. Playing a solid, numbers-based approach on that end instead of trying to be ultra-disruptive culminated in Boston ranking second in defense after an uneven 2023 on that end. Despite forcing only 12 giveaways, the Celtics protected the ball better than any other team in the league on offense, committing only 12.2 turnovers per game themselves to cancel out that margin. 

It left little room for error though. When the Celtics turned it over more than 12 times last year, they went 18-6, wins aided by shooting over 38% from three or creating six or more steals. Boston also keyed in on the other margins, out-shooting their opponents 42.5-36.7 in three-point attempts, playing the offensive boards close 10.7-11.1 and allowing the fewest free throw attempts (17.3) to their opponents while attempting 20.2 of their own. That gave the Celtics wins in three of the four factors last year that often lead to winning, and though they know turnovers fluctuate and involve having the fortune to create, they're the second most significant factor among the four in deciding games.

"I'd say the biggest part of what we're trying to do is having a bit of fluidity," Luke Kornet said. "Being able to adapt, not even from one possession to another, but within the same possession. If you read something and see that there's a right answer that's not technically what our coverage is, being free to adapt and change and as we all kind of grow and see what other people are seeing to be able to do that. Also, I feel like in some of the other games, it's probably just preseason, guys are throwing the ball around a little bit, but I do feel like our connectivity from the beginning defensively has been pretty high." 

The Celtics kept their own turnovers (12.2) to a league-low during the preseason, won the offensive rebounding battle 13.2-11.8, attempted a staggering 52.6 threes each night that towered over their league-leading 42.5 from 2024 and only allowed 35.2 attempts to their opponents, the fourth-fewest opponent attempts in the preseason. They only lost the free throw battle, posting a .219 free throw rate (20.8 att.) while opponents created free throw attempts on .263 percent of their possessions (23.0 att.). Free throws will always be a sliding scale with their three-point volume, which has made a larger impact, especially when Boston shoots close to 37% from deep while holding their opponents to 31%. 

It's a numbers game for Boston, and one that overwhelmingly worked one year ago and provided some flexibility for them to seize small advantages in the game's margins beyond the talent edge they often held over the competition. They need to have them all at their disposal though. If the threes turn off, they won games last year by tracking down their misses on the offensive glass, where they grew even more aggressive this preseason, posting a 32.6% offensive rebounding rate (6th) compared to 28.7% last year (14th). 

Attacking the basket more, 52 times per game in the NBA Finals compared to 39 during the regular season, actually led to fewer free throws, while the Celtics could never figure out a way to consistently force turnovers last year, even into the playoffs where they only caused 11.6 per game (9th). So they focused on reducing their own mistakes, fouling at the lowest rate in the league and committing the fifth-fewest turnovers in the playoffs. 

With so much personnel remaining from the 2022 defensive unit that forced their opponents to turn the ball over on 14% of their possessions, a borderline top-10 figure in the regular season that persisted into the playoffs, seeing flashes early that they can get disruptive again if necessary was a major preseason positive. Potential new additions to the team's rotation in Xavier Tillman Sr., entering his first full Boston season, and Jordan Walsh, who the team expects to guard all five positions, providing hope that the team can get into more aggressive switching lineups. Tillman often played to the ball-handler in his preseason pick-and-roll coverages, other perimeter players stunted and Walsh pulled off my favorite steal of the exhibition slate by recovering around a screen. 

"There is a list of things that we have to get better at," Mazzulla said to begin training camp. "(Turnovers are) on the list again, but those are all balance things. Can we do that without compromising our individual accountability and our individual defense? It's a balancing act. Can you find creative ways to do it? I still think that's something that we have to get better at. It hasn't put our backs against the walls yet, but you always gotta find two, three things to grow at right off the bat, so yeah, that's on the list." 

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week...

Atlanta: Some encouraging preseason productivity from Jalen Johnson (69% FG, 87.5% 3PT), rookie Zaccharie Risacher (60% FG, 44.4% 3PT), Trae Young (53.8% 3PT, 7.3 APG) and Dyson Daniels (38.1% 3PT) fits how you would imagine this team reinventing itself after the brief Dejounte Murray era. Rotation crunches remain at center and the wing spots and they ranked 19th in preseason defensive rating, for whatever that's worth. If they can find growth on the defensive side of the ball this year, one of the east's play-in spots should be theirs. Host the Nets on Wednesday and Hornets on Friday to open the season. 

Boston: Will raise its 18th championship banner on Tuesday before facing the New York Knicks in the first game of the 2024-25 season at 7:30 p.m. EST. The ceremony is expected to begin around 7 p.m. Jayson Tatum shot 38.9% from three in the preseason on 36 attempts. Al Horford returned from a slow ramp-up to begin training camp, starting against Toronto in the preseason finale and shooting 1-for-6 in 23 minutes (0-4 3PT). Xavier Tillman Sr. and Jordan Walsh made compelling cases to fill minutes at the back end of Boston's rotation. Boston visits Washington next Thursday after opening night, but will not make the championship White House visit until their November trip. The Celtics waived Lonnie Walker IV before Saturday's deadline to make decisions to training camp contract players. He's expressed a willingness to play in Maine to earn his spot with Boston. 

Charlotte: Excited to see what they look like early in their first season under Charles Lee. Brandon Miller, who finished third in rookie of the year voting in 2024, shot 48.8% from three on 8.6 attempts per game this preseason. Tre Mann, who arrived from Oklahoma City this offseason, finished 47.1% from deep, LaMelo Ball hit 41.7% on high volume and rookie Tidjane Salaun made an impression by averaging 11.8 PPG and 7.2 RPG (40.5% 3PT). Center Mark Williams, who missed training camp with a foot injury, will be evaluated before opening night on Oct. 23 in Houston. Cody Martin (wrist) impressed Lee in his return from a string of injuries over the past year. Ball is utilizing ankle braces after multiple injuries derailed his past two seasons. 

Chicago: Lonzo Ball shined playing in his first NBA game since Jan. 14, 2022, scoring 10 points in 15 minutes while shooting 2-of-4 from three. Ball expects to play under a minutes restriction to begin the season, but looked comfortable and in rhythm throughout his return. Josh Giddey, who shot 1-for-11 in the same game (31.7% FG preseason), will take on the glue role Ball once held alongside Zach LaVine and Coby White as the Bulls assess their roster to begin the year. The hope Ball and LaVine once held for contending alongside departed star DeMar DeRozan is gone, but Ball's return is nonetheless a borderline miracle following a knee cartilage transplant and will be a great story to track throughout the year regardless of which direction the team's season goes. Giddey and the Bulls will discuss an extension into this year. Chicago opens at the Pelicans on Wednesday. 

Cleveland: Darius Garland hopes to find stronger footing this season after taking a step back in 2024 due to a broken jaw he suffered in Boston that made him miss most of December and January and lose weight while restricted to a liquid diet. He finished the year averaging 18.0 PPG and 6.5 APG on 44.6% shooting (37.1% 3PT) in only 57 games after two straight seasons posting 21 PPG. Beyond Garland's redemption, the Cavs need more from their wings, who flashed mixed results this preseason, rookie Jaylon Tyson averaging only 1.3 three-point attempts (25%), Isaac Okoro's struggles from deep continuing (28.6%), Dean Wade starting slow (23.1%) and Caris LeVert seeing similar results (22.2%). Max Strus will likely return to his starting role, but he missed most of the preseason with a hip ailment. Emoni Bates is out indefinitely after undergoing meniscus surgery prior to the season. Cleveland opens in Toronto on Wednesday. 

Dallas: Klay Thompson expressed little concern after a slow preseason start with his new team, shooting 24.1% from the field and 33.3% from three in three games. Thompson's back tightness, Luka Dončić's (calf) absence and the team's careful management of Kyrie Irving all likely impacted Thompson's play, though he had showings like his 0-for-9 finish on Monday late in his Golden State tenure. How much Thompson has left in him will heavily dictate how the Mavs perform this year. Dereck Lively II averaged 8.5 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2.0 APG and 1.8 BPG on 76.5% shooting in his new starting role. Jaden Hardy led the team in preseason scoring, shooting 40.7% on 6.8 attempts per game. Dončić returned to practice on Wednesday and responded well after missing most of training camp. They open against the Spurs on Thursday. 

Denver: Michael Malone didn't seem to love the Nuggets' efforts in the Abu Dhabi series last week before questioning the conditioning of the team this week. Denver wants to run more this year, which hasn't been their style during the Nikola Jokić era. Malone also said he hasn't seen the group show that they want revenge for their second-round exit last postseason yet when asked. Still, Julian Strawther's preseason emergence has been a positive in camp, leading the team in scoring with 18.8 PPG (50% 3PT) while Russell Westbrook shot 55.6% from deep through his first nine attempts. Zeke Nnaji shot 54.5% from three, which could become important if Dario Šarić struggles as the depth center. Christian Braun shot only 37.1% FG (13.3% 3PT) ahead of likely starting on opening night against the Thunder on Thursday. 

“I don’t think we’re in great condition right now, and that’s one thing we talked about as coaches during the game,” Malone said on Sunday. “Looked like some guys are just winded and a little tired out there. So that’s something that we can try to improve upon ... [I] played that starting unit the whole third quarter and tried to push their envelope a little bit. And that was probably a little bit hard on some of those guys. Then in practice, I think we can get up and down more. I think so often as coaches in modern-day NBA, the league’s gotten so soft [that] everybody’s afraid to condition and run. We have to.”

Detroit: Former Celtic Lamar Stevens didn't make the Pistons' roster after joining them on an Exhibit 10 contract this preseason, setting him up to join their G-League roster or look elsewhere. He shot 50% on 10 shot attempts across three games. Jaden Ivey, Isaiah Stewart and Tobias Harris had strong preseasons while Cade Cunningham, rookie Ron Holland II and Tim Hardaway Jr. struggled from three, a concern despite their revamped roster. They ranked 20th in preseason shooting. Detroit hosts Indiana to open the season on Wednesday. Pistons legend and Celtics draft pick Chauncey Billups entered the Hall of Fame last weekend, showing love to both franchises in his enshrinement speech.  

Golden State: Draymond Green said he expects to finish his career with the Warriors as he begins the second season of his four-year contract, but noted teams can change. In his interview with AndScape before his 13th Warriors season, he discussed Golden State assistant coach Dejan Milojević and wishing he didn't disconnect with the organization as much as he did in the aftermath of punching Jordan Poole, along with Klay Thompson's departure this summer. The Warriors open on Wednesday at Portland. 

Houston: Not expected to extend Jalen Green or Alperen Şengün before the rookie extension deadline. Both players would become restricted free agents this summer if they're not signed by next week, and though they could emerge as the franchise's cornerstones, the team continues to prioritize flexibility. The Rockets have reportedly offered both less than max contracts, while both players want to pursue the max next summer. Houston hosts Charlotte on Wednesday to open Ime Udoka's second season as head coach. 

Clippers: Kawhi Leonard (knee) will not be ready for opening night and is considered out indefinitely with the same knee swelling that derailed his end of last season. Team USA sent him home from the Olympic training camp before Ty Lue had previously expressed confidence that Leonard would be ready for the start of the year, but more recently, reports signaled that the star could deal with his knee ailment for the rest of his career. This marks the beginning of his three-year, $150 million extension. Without Paul George, that leaves Terance Mann, Derrick Jones Jr., James Harden and Nic Batum on the wing while Leonard is out for a roster that increasingly no longer looks like a contender. They open against the Suns on Wednesday. 

“No timeline,” Lue said. “It’s going to take some time. He’s going to progress. He’s doing all of the right things. He’s working hard and he’s looking good. So there’s no timetable.” 

Lakers: LeBron James begins year seven with the Lakers, longer than any previous consecutive tenure with the Cavs and Heat, as LA received some hope from rookie Dalton Knecht in a 35-point performance where he shot 8-for-13 from three. Anthony Davis also scored 35 on Thursday, while James shot 4-for-7 from three in three appearances this preseason. Bronny James' struggles from Summer League continued, averaging 1.6 PPG on 20% shooting across five games. Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) will miss opening night as he continues to recover from surgery for at least two more weeks. They tip-off against Minnesota on Tuesday after Celtics-Knicks. 

Miami: Pat Riley called this a telling year for the Heat, six years into the Jimmy Butler era, and one the verge of Butler becoming a free agent next summer. He believes in the core and added that Butler is embracing his position, with the ability to opt-in while the team maintains the chance to extend him until June 30. A max extension would pay Butler $54 million next year and $57 million in 2027, while his 2025-26 player option is worth $52.4 million. Riley had previously criticized Butler's outspokenness while being sidelined with injury last postseason, and continued to stress the need for players to be available this week. Miami opens against the Magic on Wednesday. 

I truly believe in these guys. Bam, Jimmy and Tyler, to some extent maybe Terry [Rozier] have to be better," Riley said. "It’s always about can you produce more, can you be more, can you be together more? I’ve seen the improvement. ... So I think we have a core of really, really great players who need to find another level of greatness. This is their time. So take the challenge.”

Milwaukee: Giannis Antetokounmpo dropped a possible hint about his future, saying that he could get traded if the Bucks don't win a championship this year, calling it the nature of the NBA. While that'll be more Antetokounmpo's call than Milwaukee's in the near term, the comment places more pressure on the Bucks, a constant leadership method by the star throughout his tenure with the team. Damian Lillard shot well (46.7% 3PT) in his second preseason with the team while Gary Trent Jr. shook off an elbow injury to make a strong case to start (40% 3PT). Khris Middleton (ankle) did not play in the preseason, though he had made enough improvement to have some hope of playing on Thursday before ultimately sitting. The Bucks open at Philadelphia on Wednesday. 

Minnesota: Karl-Anthony Towns thanked Wolves president Tim Connelly for visiting Towns' house and telling him in front of family and friends that the team decided to trade him earlier this month. He still described the trade as difficult while discussing it on a podcast with his new Knicks teammates, but appreciated Connelly making that gesture. Julius Randle, who joined the Wolves in the deal, made his return from shoulder surgery this week and posted 15 points, six rebounds and five assists on 6-of-12 shooting. Donte DiVincenzo averaged 12.3 PPG, 3.5 RPG and 4.3 APG while shooting 38.5% from three in his four appearances after the trade, sharing tense moments in his first meeting against his former teammates. They visit the Lakers on Tuesday.

New Orleans: The Pelicans look to be among the teams that will utilize higher pick-up points and ball pressure to force opponents to begin their possessions later in the shot clock. Willie Green said he sees a correlation in that defensive strategy also allowing them to initiate early offense. 

New York: Arrive at TD Garden for the long-awaited matchup with the Celtics following the Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns trades in the offseason. Opening night will also mark OG Anunoby's second game against Boston with the Knicks, the first a dominant win late last season. Towns averaged 18.3 PPG and 11.0 RPG in the preseason, shooting 37.5% from the field and 17.4% from three. Bridges (10.5%) and Anunoby (31.3%) also started slow from deep, while rookie Pacôme Dadiet provided a surprising burst in his two appearances (55.6% FG). Landry Shamet, who signed in New York late this offseason, suffered a dislocated shoulder in the preseason finale that could force them to waive him and go in a different direction with their final roster spot. TJ Warren shot 62.5% playing on a training camp deal, Marcus Morris spent time in camp before being released earlier this month and the Knicks could be a team to watch if the Celtics waive Lonnie Walker IV on Saturday. He spent last year across town with the Brooklyn Nets. 

Oklahoma City: Isaiah Hartenstein, who signed a three-year, $87 million deal to help strengthen the Thunder's front court this summer, suffered a non-displaced fracture in his left shooting hand that will sideline him for 5-6 weeks. The nature of the injury should allow him to avoid surgery. Hartenstein averaged 7.0 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.0 BPG and 1.0 SPG in three preseason games while playing well alongside Chet Holmgren, who will return to the center spot he played throughout last year in Hartenstein's absence. Jalen Williams sprained his left ankle on Thursday, though the injury is not considered severe. Depth center Jaylin Williams was already recovering from a hamstring injury this preseason, potentially leaving four players on the sideline for opening night after the Thunder set a standard for health last season. The Kawhi Leonard injury update came as more welcome news to the Thunder, who own LA's unprotected first round pick this year from the Paul George trade. 

Orlando: Posted a 98.5 offensive rating that ranked 27th in the preseason despite strong showings by Paolo Banchero, Jett Howard, Anthony Black and their bigs. Franz Wagner's shooting struggles (29.6% FG) continued while Jalen Suggs, Cole Anthony and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope also fared poorly from deep, albeit in limited attempts. It's only worth watching due to this group's unusually sluggish offense by a playoff team's standards limiting them to a first-round exit last year before a relatively low-key offseason aside from the Caldwell-Pope addition. However, Suggs' full-court pass might've been the highlight of the preseason. 

They open at Miami on Wednesday.

Philadelphia: Paul George suffered a scary-looking knee injury this week that further testing revealed as a bone bruise that will be evaluated in one week. That could leave him sidelined on opening night against the Bucks on Wednesday, but not much longer if that happens. Tyrese Maxey left Friday's game with a thumb contusion, a cautionary move according to reports, after rookie guard Jared McCain landed in the hospital earlier this week following a hard fall on his back in preseason action. Doctors diagnosed him with a pulmonary contusion and cleared him through concussion testing before releasing him. Nick Nurse said on Friday he's doing well, quickly advancing to running on the treadmill. His status for Wednesday's game is unclear, with Eric Gordon, Kelly Oubre Jr. and Caleb Martin likely to fill the wing depth for however long George is out. Guerschon Yabusele spoke about his return to the NBA with reporters in Boston last weekend. 

Phoenix: Kevin Durant could wait until next offseason before deciding to extend with the Suns as the team reportedly hopes to secure him long-term entering his third season with the team. Phoenix can offer him two-years, $123.8 million next year compared to a one-year, $59.5 million contract now. Durant becomes an unrestricted free agent after next season, 2025-26, but faces over-38 contract restrictions beginning in 2026-27 which limit the length and guarantees for older players. Tyus Jones shined, rookie Ryan Dunn shot well (43.3% 3PT) and Monte Morris hit threes (40%) while averaging 4.0 APG, all signs that Phoenix could be a far more well-rounded team following a four-game loss to Minnesota in the playoffs that raised questions over Durant's future with the Suns. 

Portland: Matisse Thybulle (knee) joined a growing Blazers injury report that already includes Shaedon Sharpe (shoulder) and Robert Williams III (hamstring). Thybulle underwent a procedure and will miss roughly 3-4 weeks. Williams III returned to some practice activity last week, raising hope that he could make his return for opening night against the Warriors. The Blazers gave away antennas to promote their new over-the-air TV broadcast.

Sacramento: De'Aaron Fox admitted he's assessing his situation with the Kings before signing a contract extension with the team, saying he hopes he can stay with Sacramento his whole career while stressing that teams can change quickly. He can sign a three-year, $165 million max extension now before free agency in 2026, but he can make more money by waiting until the offseason. Fox averaged a career-high 26.6 PPG in 2023-24. The Kings open their season against the Wolves on Thursday, when DeMar DeRozan will make his regular-season debut. 

"For one, I'm in no rush. For two, I just want to make sure where we're at, because people have seen the league—like, turnover of a team can happen in the matter of a month or two or six months. I mean, if we were contending for a championship, [it might be different]," Fox said. "Like, obviously, [the Boston Celtics'] Jayson [Tatum] just won a championship or [the Miami Heat's] Bam [Adebayo], who has been to the Finals twice. I'm just using people who are in my class [who have signed extensions]. They've already kind of been through that, done that. So yeah, they have that security of [having done] that. For me, obviously, we're continuing to build."

Toronto: Scottie Barnes impressed in the second exhibition against the Celtics on Tuesday with 26 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists in a win, hitting threes in droves early before finishing 5-of-9 from deep. Gradey Dick led all scorers with 27 and shot 12-for-21 from the field, averaging 15.8 PPG and shooting 37% from three in the preseason. Elsewhere, the Raptors look like mismatched parts, veteran center Jakob Poetl and head coach Darko Rajaković acknowledging that it's rebuilding time in Toronto despite veterans like Bruce Brown (knee) and Kelly Olynyk (back) remaining. Rookie Ja'Kobe Walter is out with a shoulder injury and RJ Barrett suffered his own shoulder ailment midway through training camp. They look better on paper than in reality right now, putting Barnes in a difficult developmental spot despite some intriguing players joining him for a full season -- if they all stay that long.

Washington: Host the Celtics on Thursday featuring top picks Alex Sarr and Bub Carrington, returning wings Jordan Poole, Kyle Kuzma and Corey Kispert, free agent center signing Jonas Valančiūnas and old friend Malcolm Brogdon, who's out following surgery on his hand. Winchester, Massachusetts native Brian Keefe returns as head coach after becoming the interim coach midway through last season. He went 8-31.