Jaylen Brown saved his promise to be higher: 10 Takeaways from Boston Celtics-Los Angeles Lakers

1. In opposition to the New York Knicks, Jaylen Brown didn’t get it performed and the Boston Celtics misplaced. Following that recreation, Brown expressed his love for the sport. The entire recreation. The highs and the lows. And Brown promised he’d be higher subsequent time.

Promise saved.

This round, Brown made the clutch free throw to assist get the sport to time beyond regulation. Within the additional interval, Brown carried the Celtics by scoring 11 of his 37 factors.

NBA gamers say lots of issues about “being higher” after disappointing losses. Heck, Brown has repeated that phrase considerably recurrently over the previous few years. The essential factor is that he means it and he virtually at all times delivers.

2. Let’s run by way of a few of Jaylen Brown’s finest performs late in regulation and time beyond regulation. Rui Hachimura doesn’t stand an opportunity when left on an island like this in opposition to Brown. After attending to the paint, it’s good persistence by Brown to make use of the jump-stop to energy up for the end vs attempting to blow up off the preliminary drive:

First, you need to like the method right here. Jayson Tatum makes the right go to Al Horford within the nook. Horford would most likely like this one again, as a result of he missed by a mile. However Brown was on it for the putback and-1:

After sinking the clutch free throw to tie it, Brown took over instantly in time beyond regulation. He goes proper by way of and over Dennis Schroder for this and-1:

Feeling good, Brown confidently stepped into this transition pullup triple:

This possession was a large number, however the ball was with the new hand and Brown delivered to beat the clock:

You may’t get Thursday’s loss again. That’s over and performed with. All you are able to do is be higher transferring ahead. Jaylen Brown was higher, after which some, on Saturday night time.

3. It’s usually Jayson Tatum who steps up with Jaylen Brown, or vice versa, and Tatum had an enormous recreation, however the Jays acquired different assist too. All season lengthy, we’ve been speaking about how Malcolm Brogdon is giving the Celtics what they have been lacking final season. Saturday was simply one other instance.

Brogdon has a cool, old-school scoring recreation. Nothing is fancy, however he mixes in drives, pullups, step-backs and spot-ups at a fantastic charge. This hesitation dribble acquired Brogdon all the best way to the rim for the end:

Late within the recreation, Brogdon was wonderful. On this drive, he merely overpowered Patrick Beverley for the layup:

Troy Brown Jr. is clearly much more frightened about Tatum slipping this display, when he must be frightened about Brogdon pulling up behind the display:

Brogdon’s capacity to get to his lefthand for the end is much extra spectacular than remembered from his pre-Celtics days:

26 huge factors off the bench and Brogdon was the important thing a part of Joe Mazzulla going to quirky defensive look that we’ll breakdown later.

4. It wasn’t a signature Jayson Tatum efficiency, however he nonetheless acquired to 30 factors. It’s telling that Tatum can play “poorly” and nonetheless have a big impact on the sport.

Tatum did most of his finest work getting Boston again within the recreation within the third interval. After seeing one three go down on the prior possession, you need to love Tatum staring down LeBron James and pulling up in his face:

This was a tricky catch. One of the best half is that Tatum didn’t dribble out and shoot a turnaround or fallaway. He had the smaller defender on his again and completed sturdy on the rim:

Boston acquired 22 fastbreak factors on Saturday night time, they usually wanted all of them. This was an excellent lookup the ground by Tatum to drop the ball on Derrick White:

Russell Westbrook had made a layup proper earlier than this, however thought he was fouled and stayed down on the ground. In a 5-on-5 scenario, someway the Lakers managed to protect everybody however the Celtics All-Star starter:

30 factors regardless of inefficient taking pictures night time and a few good protection continues to be a productive recreation. That’s leveling-up for Jayson Tatum.

5. We talked about Joe Mazzulla acquired artistic on protection on this one. With Rob Williams out, and Grant Williams beginning, the Celtics huge rotation was in a little bit of flux. That was compounded some as a result of the Lakers are at present bringing Anthony Davis off the bench to assist handle his minutes. That left Boston in a tricky spot on how one can guard Davis.

Mazzulla selected to start out lots of possession with Malcolm Brogdon guarding Davis, whereas preserving some measurement (Grant Williams, Al Horford or Jayson Tatum) on LeBron James. Initially, it appeared like a pre-switch for James-Davis pick-and-roll actions. Nonetheless, the Lakers selected to not run many Davis-for-James screens. That left Brogdon in a spot the place he needed to maintain up 1-on-1 in opposition to the a lot greater Davis.

Brogdon did a very nice job on these possessions. As a substitute of letting Davis get inside to make use of his measurement benefit, Brogdon pushed Davis off his spots. Brogdon used an outdated Marcus Good standby of anchoring in opposition to Davis. Brogdon acquired one leg, or his torso, into Davis’ bottom to stop him from backing him down. Then, when Davis was simply sufficient of his spot, Brogdon was in a position to flip and contest the shot, whereas nonetheless being in place to dam out:

There have been additionally a number of possessions the place Davis by no means shot and easily kicked the ball again out. Brogdon holding up in opposition to the larger participant was big for 2 causes. The primary is straightforward: He didn’t get overwhelmed 1-on-1. The second is a little more advanced: it took the Lakers out of their common offense. Los Angeles desires to run James-Davis actions. They’re two of the very best gamers within the league, so it is smart to spam these actions. The Celtics have been recurrently in a position to bait the Lakers into going instantly at Brogdon. That took James out of the play and put the Lakers in a spot the place they didn’t appear comfy as a staff on offense.

For individuals who suppose Joe Mazzulla simply chomps gum and sometimes substitutes, that is an instance of the coach and his employees having a gameplan and the gamers executing it. Exterior of possibly getting just a little cute with offense-defense subs with Derrick White and Luke Kornet late, Mazzulla coached one heck of a recreation. This defensive gameplan is one instance, together with a number of key timeouts and a few nice play-calls for baskets all through the sport.

6. Talking of offensive ideas and units: Boston is getting good mileage out of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown working actions collectively. Tatum screens for Brown right here and the defenders turn out to be utterly engaged, leaving Brown wide-open:

Late in regulation and in time beyond regulation, the Celtics rode some horns units to the end line. On this one, Tatum directed Brogdon to go to Brown to provoke the motion, as a result of he knew he had the backdoor spin and that Brown would discover him:

Slowly, however certainly, Boston is introducing extra stuff the place Brown and Tatum create seems collectively. That was key late final common season and all through the Finals run. Seems like what’s outdated is new once more for the Celtics.

7. Nothing is extra enjoyable than a fantastic ball-fake that utterly fools the protection. Boston’s bigs have been working the ball-fakes in opposition to LA.

First it was Grant Williams hitting the Lakers with a faux on the break:

Late within the recreation, Al Horford used a ball-fake to free himself up for an enormous three-pointer:

8. The final two takeaways are the place we convey a number of the steadiness that folk requested for lately within the feedback.

Sam Hauser has turn out to be borderline unplayable these days. Sure, he typically holds up decently on protection, however Hauser has misplaced his taking pictures contact. And he’s not almost a adequate defender to make up for that. On this recreation, that stood out drastically within the first half.

There may not be a worse participant in NBA historical past to soft-double in opposition to than LeBron James. He’ll choose you aside in case you try this. Hauser both wanted to stay with Lonnie Walker on the lower right here or go double James. He did neither:

Ball-you-man. That’s a elementary of basketball protection. One way or the other, Hauser overpassed the soon-to-be all-time main scorer in NBA historical past as a result of he was overly centered on…Rui Hachimura:

Hauser can’t play if he’s not hitting pictures AND making these sorts of defensive errors. Joe Mazzulla apparently agreed as a result of he referred to as a timeout shortly after that James basket and Hauser didn’t seen the ground once more for the remainder of the sport.

9. Let’s tackle the top of the sport, lets? Jayson Tatum fouled LeBron James on the final drive of the sport. It was fairly clear, and the officers blew it.

You may argue that the sport by no means ought to have gotten to time beyond regulation. That’s completely honest and never even one thing that must be contested too vociferously from the opposite facet.

However the recreation did go to time beyond regulation. And the Celtics took benefit as soon as it acquired there.

Typically you get fortunate. Typically you don’t. In a protracted season, it tends to common out. What actually issues is taking benefit when fortune smiles upon you. In any case: “Luck is what occurs when arduous work meets alternative”.

10. The Celtics now have three days off. With the best way NBA groups schedules typically work, they’ll get both Sunday or Monday as a real break day. And so they seem like they want it.

It additionally implies that Joe Mazzulla and employees will get an actual follow day or two in, as properly. That’s big, particularly mid-season. It’s an opportunity for Mazzulla to deal with some issues he’s seen that he doesn’t like, whereas additionally putting in some new schemes or ideas.

The Celtics have eight video games earlier than the All-Star break. Six of these eight video games are in Boston. There are additionally 4 video games left earlier than the commerce deadline. Whereas Mazzulla works on cleansing issues up on the court docket, Brad Stevens and his employees can do some work on the roster.

This can be a time when participant’s ideas can begin to drift a bit. A trip is looming for a lot of the roster, whereas others can be making ready to participate in All-Star festivities. However with the hole between Boston and different contenders having closed, they should keep centered for about two-and-a-half extra weeks earlier than the break. That begins once more on Wednesday in opposition to the Brooklyn Nets.