Streak snapped: 10 Takeaways from Boston Celtics-Orlando Magic

It’s been a bit, however one other baffling Boston Celtics loss to the Orlando Magic means we’re doing these Takeaways within the Good, Unhealthy and Ugly type. Three of every.

1. We’ll begin with the great things. Sam Hauser’s function has began to alter for the Celtics. He was a key rotation man to open the season. Even when Boston received wholesome, Hauser hung across the rotation for some time. However when he stopped making photographs, his court docket time lessened. For now, Hauser seems to be a man who will solely play on nights when different Celtics are out.

Hauser can get his rotation spot again if he performs extra video games like he did in Orlando. Hauser made three three-pointers, however that’s what he’s alleged to do. He’s been a lifelong shooter, so that can presumably come again. It’s performs like this drive to the basket that may hold Hauser afloat when the jumper isn’t falling:

The sort of fast resolution to take an off-the-dribble pullup is one thing we haven’t seen a variety of both:

Don’t hand over on Hauser simply but. He might discover a approach again into the rotation earlier than all is claimed and achieved.

2. Derrick White has 44 blocks this season. That’s second within the NBA behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander of the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder for gamers underneath 6-foot-7. For his profession, White averages simply shy of a block per sport.

Typically they arrive in assist protection like this one on a Markelle Fultz drive:

Different instances, White takes his man on straight up and sends the shot again the opposite approach:

White’s versatility on each offense and protection has been a boon to the Celtics. Final season’s commerce deadline deal regarded good then and it seems even higher a yr later.

3. So far in his profession, Payton Pritchard has been requested to hit photographs and to be a pest on protection. Pritchard hasn’t been requested to do a variety of playmaking for others but. With Marcus Sensible and Malcolm Brogdon out, we received some glimpses of Pritchard’s conventional level guard abilities on this one.

Pritchard does a pleasant job right here of stepping into the tooth of the protection earlier than organising Jaylen Brown for the brief jumper:

Grant Williams ended up faking and stepping right into a pullup right here, however the preliminary cross by Pritchard is fairly good things out of a display screen motion:

Possibilities for Pritchard to run the offense will probably be few and much between. However these flashes present us that there’s most likely extra to his sport than being a shooter and pesky defender.

4. Let’s get to the Unhealthy. Boston’s transition protection was horrible on this sport. 10 live-ball turnovers didn’t set the protection up for fulfillment, however the Magic outscored the Celtics 24-6 in fastbreak factors.

Relying on the way you depend it (groups rating issues otherwise as transition vs halfcourt), Orlando outscored Boston someplace within the vary of 50-20 in transition factors.

All sport lengthy, the Celtics weren’t getting matched up appropriately. The Magic have been good about pushing and attacking in opposition to a non-set protection. On the opposite finish of the ground, Boston principally performed within the halfcourt. Alternatives to get out and run have been very restricted for the Celtics on this one.

5. Associated to the above: Boston had 18 turnovers. It feels just like the variety of Celtics turnovers in wins vs losses is drastic. In actuality, Boston averages 12.3 turnovers in wins and 13 turnovers in losses. That’s not a lot of a distinction.

That mentioned, having a turnover quantity that approaches 20 goes to make it exhausting to win. And, as famous above, live-ball turnovers are killers. On this one, most of Boston’s giveaways got here in or across the paint, however in addition they had a number of of the sloppy, unforced open-court turnovers too.

Given they’re seventh in turnover fee, this actually isn’t an enormous downside. However, regardless of the stats saying in any other case, it seems like it’s when the Celtics lose. One thing to control the remainder of the best way and within the playoffs.

6. Orlando dominated Boston within the paint. Even when the Magic aren’t taking part in their insanely big lineups as a lot anymore, they’re nonetheless fairly huge. Their dimension appears to present the Celtics some actual points.

Orlando had 54 factors within the paint, in comparison with simply 32 for Boston. The Magic shot 27-of-45 within the paint, together with 20-of-31 on the rim. Sure, Rob Williams was out, however that’s nonetheless some tough rim safety from the fellows in inexperienced.

The lane is the place the issue completed. The place the issue began was some poor perimeter protection. Whether or not it was the Magic guards breaking down the Celtics to get into the paint, or Orlando’s bigs driving their Boston counterparts, the house group lived within the lane. Even with out their finest two defenders in Rob Williams and Marcus Sensible, the Celtics shouldn’t have had this a lot hassle containing ballhandlers.

7. Transferring on to the Ugly part, we have now to begin with Grant Williams and his incessant complaining. It began solely moments after Williams entered the sport, when he complained about what he thought was an unlawful display screen set by the Magic.

Early within the second quarter, Williams stared down the official after he was known as for an unlawful display screen. And this was a superb name, as Williams clearly moved late:

On his fifth foul, Williams resorted to leaping up and down like an indignant toddler within the Goal toy aisle being advised he can’t have a $200 LEGO set:

Once more, it’s fairly apparent Williams leans into be certain his proper shoulder delivered a blow.

We’ve talked about it earlier than, nevertheless it’s value saying once more: No official likes to be proven up or to listen to a ton of yapping. However they actually don’t prefer it when there’s a regular stream of grievances being issued by a task participant. Refs give star gamers a variety of leeway to complain. They’ll additionally let veterans get their phrases in. Youthful function gamers? Not a lot.

Grant Williams is an effective participant. He’s essential to Boston together with his versatility on each ends of the ground. He simply must play and let the others deal with the officers.

8. Considerably associated to the above: The Orlando Magic regarded just like the poised, veteran group down the stretch. After Boston reduce the Orlando result in 97-95 with 6:20 to play within the sport, the whole lot fell aside. The Magic closed the sport on a 16-3 run.

The Celtics regarded rushed and every kind of out of types over the ultimate 6:20. On drives, they have been trying to get bailed out, and a number of possessions featured guys making an attempt to do an excessive amount of.

Unhealthy video games and unhealthy losses occur. Occurring this fashion was uncharacteristic and hopefully only a blip for Boston.

9. We talked about above that Orlando dominated Boston within the paint. On the Celtics offensive finish, they’d one other tough sport with ending on the rim. Boston was simply 16-of-32 within the paint, together with 10-of-17 on the rim.

On an evening the place Boston shot very effectively from behind the arc, they simply wanted a bit one thing to assist to steadiness issues off inside. It’s unclear if this can be a signal of struggling in opposition to huge, lengthy groups. Or was it only a unhealthy night time? If it’s the previous, that’s not an incredible signal for a group which may should undergo Milwaukee or Cleveland within the playoffs.

We’re betting it was only a unhealthy night time, nevertheless it’s one thing we’ll be monitoring transferring ahead.

10. The nine-game win streak is over. And it resulted in a nasty loss. Sure, the Magic are bettering, particularly as they’ve gotten wholesome. However they aren’t a superb group. The Celtics struggles in opposition to them are odd, to say the very least.

The very best factor after a nasty loss is to get proper again on the court docket. Boston heads additional south to Miami to shut out this three-game journey in a back-to-back on Tuesday.

Time to begin a brand new streak. Will that occur on Tuesday, or will we have now to attend till Boston will get again dwelling on the finish of the week?