One other unhealthy loss: 10 Takeaways from Boston Celtics-Houston Rockets

1. This was a foul loss for the Boston Celtics. There’s no explaining that away. You possibly can try to be optimistic and say “They don’t care about video games in mid-March”, however the actuality is that the Houston Rockets are one of many worst groups within the NBA. The Celtics shouldn’t be shedding video games to the Rockets.

When requested if his staff takes too many three-pointers, Joe Mazzulla was defensive of Boston’s method to shot choice. Mazzulla had no situation with the variety of threes the Celtics took, even in a sport the place they seemingly obtained to the basket at will.

As an alternative, Mazzulla stated the explanations Boston misplaced have been fouling, rebounding, turnovers and second-chance factors.

It’s laborious to search out a lot fault with that evaluation. But, getting downhill somewhat extra would have been good too.

However let’s break down the place Mazzulla stated the Celtics failed.

2. We’re gong to start out with turnovers, as a result of it’s the simplest place to start out. Boston had 14 giveaways for the video games, which isn’t a very great amount. It’s really proper in vary of the Celtics season-average for turnovers.

What was irritating have been the kinds of turnovers Boston had. We’ve picked three to indicate a scarcity of care and focus with the ball.

That is simply terrible ballhandling from Jayson Tatum, and it led on to an and-1 for the Rockets:

Once more, unhealthy ballhandling, this time from Malcolm Brogdon. And, once more, it obtained Houston to the free throw line:

Jaylen Brown had a terrific sport (extra on that later), however he wasn’t resistant to the unhealthy ballhandling bug both:

All three of those clips have two issues in frequent: A scarcity of care with the ball and a scarcity of respect for the opponent. These aren’t nice steals. It’s Boston placing the ball on a platter due to an “it’s simply Houston” method to the sport.

3. General, it was a horrible passing sport for the Celtics. They’d simply 19 assists on 39 baskets. A below-50% assist-to-basket fee isn’t a components for profitable.

Boston was all too content material to convey the ball up and instantly go into ISO mode. Jaylen Brown had success with this. Malcolm Brogdon largely did too. Jayson Tatum couldn’t make a jumper, so his evening was much more blended.

In whole, upon a second watch of the sport, the Celtics had over 30 one- or zero-pass possessions. That’s method too many performs of fellows making an attempt to do an excessive amount of on their very own.

4. Let’s get to the rebounding, or lack thereof on the protection finish. The Rockets had 15 offensive boards on this sport. A lot of them have been the identical type of stuff we’ve seen from the Celtics all 12 months. Not blocking out, not working again or, merely, not going up and getting the ball.

That is simply sloppy. The preliminary protection is nice. Boston forces (invitations?) a contested, midrange pullup. However nobody will get a physique on the Rockets and Jabari Smith Jr. finally ends up with a simple putback:

This play begins with a turnover, however the way it ends is even worse. 4 Rockets are down the ground towards one, or possibly two (if you happen to depend the late-arriving Sam Hauser) Celtics. Houston misses the primary shot, however KJ Martin is there for the tip-in and-1:

Not boxing out on free throws is mainly a cardinal sin in basketball:

Someplace between three or 4 Celtics may have put a physique on Tari Eason right here. None did:

That is simply terrible. Jalen Inexperienced is likely one of the smallest gamers on the ground. There are a number of Celtics within the paint, but it surely’s Inexperienced who outworked all of them for the ball. A number of instances too:

5. Houston used these 15 offensive rebounds to place up 17 second-chance factors on 7-of-14 capturing.

To be truthful, Boston obtained 10 offensive rebounds of their very own, and obtained a few staff rebounds too. However the Celtics have been simply 4-of-12 on second-chance capturing for 10 factors.

That seven-point margin loomed fairly massive in a two-point loss.

6. Let’s speak in regards to the fouling.

This isn’t going to be well-liked, as a result of everybody now is aware of who Ben Taylor is, however this sport wasn’t unfairly known as. The Celtics performed horrible protection for big parts of the sport.

Kevin Porter Jr. and Jalen Inexperienced are each very fast, and each have herky-jerky, unpredictable video games. These are the sorts of guards Boston has struggled with all season. Marcus Sensible, Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon all spent massive parts of the sport in foul bother, largely attributable to making an attempt to protect Porter and Inexperienced.

Now, a number of the calls have been ticky-tack to make sure. However that occurs in each sport. The overwhelming majority of the sport, it was Boston being a step gradual or reaching and grabbing because the Rockets guards glided by them.

General, the Celtics protection has been advantageous this season. Offense is up throughout the league, so it looks as if Boston is struggling. However relative to the remainder of the NBA, the Celtics are the fourth-best protection within the league.

Nevertheless, as of late (particularly because the All-Star break), the perimeter protection has been porous. And with enjoying just one large, that’s placing a ton of stress on these non-Rob Williams bigs to wash up an excessive amount of within the paint.

7. Associated to the above: Boston was outscored 54-50 on factors within the paint. Given the Celtics obtained to the rim each time they needed, they need to have received that inside battle.

Houston had no likelihood of stopping Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Malcolm Brogdon and even Derrick White from moving into the lane at will. Sadly, Boston didn’t take as a lot benefit of that as they need to have.

Additionally, Joe Mazzulla might need no situation with the variety of three-pointers Boston took. And that’s advantageous. However the course of to create these three-pointers was very sloppy. As an alternative of hitting the paint, forcing rotations and creating open seems to be, the Celtics took a whole lot of self-created threes. These are by no means going to be photographs which are nearly as good, even when Boston has some guys which are actually good at creating them.

8. Associated to each of the above factors, and likewise the rebounding level: Joe Mazzulla has to decide on a backup large man rotation. It’s clear that Grant Williams is out of the combination for the time being. That’s obtained Mazzulla experimenting nightly behind Al Horford, whereas Rob Williams is out. And it hasn’t gone nicely.

Blake Griffin obtained the preliminary name on this one, however then didn’t play after halftime. Grant Williams noticed some minutes within the second quarter, however wasn’t heard from once more. Luke Kornet obtained thrown in for nearly 9 minutes within the second half. And Mike Muscala hasn’t performed significant minutes in what seems like perpetually.

Basketball groups are finest once they have a rhythm. Then you definitely regulate based mostly on personnel and circumstances. However when the 4 foremost backup large males go into every sport having no concept once they’ll play or how a lot they’ll play, or in the event that they’ll even play in any respect, you’ve got an issue.

The personnel aren’t good, however they’re higher than the blokes who obtained Boston to the Finals final season. Mazzulla has to determine this out over the previous few weeks of the season.

9. It’s time for an additional doubtless unpopular take: Jaylen Brown ought to have gotten the final shot over Jayson Tatum on this sport.

Brown was on all sport lengthy. He scored 43 factors and was the Celtics finest participant by a large margin.

Tatum is Boston’s star. He’s the nearer. He deserves the final shot…nearly at all times. And Tatum obtained a very good look however missed a layup. Which he had additionally finished a number of instances earlier within the sport.

Do we all know Brown makes that shot? Nope. Did he deserve the prospect for as soon as? Sure.

10. The Celtics ought to have been heading right into a matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves at 2-0 on the street journey. As an alternative, they’re 1-1, and following the Milwaukee Bucks profitable on the Sacramento Kings, Boston is now 2.5 video games again, and three again within the loss column.

It’s wanting increasingly just like the Celtics aim wants to alter to holding off the Philadelphia 76ers for the second seed within the Jap Convention Playoffs, as chasing down the Bucks for the highest seed is turning into tougher by the day.

This loss additionally means Boston actually must win in Minnesota. That Portland-Utah back-to-back is looming as a difficult problem. And shutting the journey in Sacramento isn’t the simple win it as soon as was.

Going into the ultimate three video games of the journey at 1-2 makes coming house after a .500 journey a problem and approaching a profitable journey, impossible. Again at it on Wednesday towards a frisky Timberwolves staff.