#1 Derrick White’s triple-double
After three full days of rest, Derrick White looked fantastic. With Jrue Holiday ruled out of the game, he operated as the Boston Celtics primary point guard against the Detroit Pistons. As we’ve come to expect from White, he controlled the game on both sides of the floor and was a viable shot-creator for his teammates.
White is great at finding little pockets within angles. The above transition play is a good example, as he spots Payton Pritchard’s cut toward the basket, waits until there’s some daylight between the two defenders and threads a quick pass through the gap. The angle allows Pritchard to turn on the jets and get to the cup.
Interestingly, White took 20 shots against Detroit, matching the offensive output of Brown, as the two combined for almost half of the Celtics attempts. Kristaps Porzingis had 14 shot attempts, too. His perimeter game should be praised when looking at White’s offensive output. He hit six of his 12 3-point jumpers, some from the dribble, others off the catch.
I liked White’s above bucket for two reasons. First, it displayed some of the value Xavier Tillman can bring with his passing out of the post. Second, White was operating as a movement shooter, and that skill was needed due to Sam Hauser’s absence due to injury.
#2 Svi takes over for Hauser
Speaking of Hauser, Svi Mykhailiuk saw a big increase in his minutes as Joe Mazzulla sought to keep a movement shooter in the rotation and looked for ways to maximize Boston’s five-out spacing without multiple rotation members being available.
Before the game, Monty Williams had an interesting quote: He credited Hauser with some of Boston’s success this season.
“He’s shot the ball well all year long,” Williams said, as reported by CelticsBlog’s Jack Simone. “I don’t know if you guys have been watching that, but we have. He’s just a really good shooter. He’s a guy who was on our scouting report the last time we played them. I think he’s a key to their success… He can get it off quickly. He’s got great size… We just know he can shoot the ball. And he’s tough. He guards the ball. he switches. And he seems to fit this system well.”
Svi filled in for Hauser fairly well. His movement was solid, he navigated screens well, and he put up a fight on the defensive end. Essentially, that’s all you can ask from a deep role player who’s only seen the court 28 times this season.
Nevertheless, a 2-of-8 showing isn’t what Svi would have been hoping for. Still, he kept shooting to keep the defense honest and would undoubtedly have better nights if given the opportunity. He did well to slot into the rotation despite not really being in a game rhtyhm.
#3 Kornet and Porzingis double-big
With Al Horford and Jayson Tatum out, Mazzulla opted to run with a Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet double big lineup. On paper, that’s a questionable move. Porzingis would need to defend the perimeter, and Kornet’s lack of perimeter shooting would hurt the spacing (more on this in a moment). However, it worked well.
On defense, Kornet assumed the role of the drop defender. At the same time, Porzingis took over for Tatum as the helper, digging in on drives and rotating over to provide additional rim protection. At times, Porzingis and Kornet would swap roles, too, especially if the defense was in rotation when guarding screening actions.
When operating on the other side of the floor, Kornet was a type of designated screener, while Porzingis used his floor spacing and three-point shooting as his biggest abilities.
#4 Kornet’s perimeter game
The above clip shows the value of having Luke Kornet operating on the perimeter. He’s an adept screener who has proven capable of creating action with his movements. As you can see above, Kornet sets a drag screen for Pritchard before veering to set an on-ball screen for Derrick White. His roll then engaged Porzingis’ defender, who had to tag, leaving Porzingis wide open for the 3-point shot.
In this clip, Kornet is operating in the “delay.” He then flows into a horn pick-and-roll before slipping the screen and receiving the lob pass. For a non-shooting big, Kornet has emerged as a genuine playmaking hub within Boston’s five-out offense, both as a hand-off initiator and a screen creator.
#5 Brissett needs to improve his finishing
I’ve said a lot about Oshae Brissett’s energy and the defensive impact he can make. I’ve also mentioned how that impact often outweighs his offensive limitations. However, he does need to improve his finishing. He went 1-of-7 against the Pistons, with five of those shots coming inside the paint.
If Brissett wants to continue earning minutes and putting himself in a position to be considered for spot appearances during the postseason, he needs to prove that he can be relied upon when putting himself in scoring positions. Right now, he projects to be very one-dimensional, which could hurt him once the postseason is underway.
#6 Another strong Jaylen Brown performance
Brown sat out Sunday’s game against the Washington Wizards. However, he was back in the rotation to face Detroit and was clearly tasked with being the primary offensive option. Still, Brown was his usual self. He pressured the rim, attacked via cuts, and hit his perimeter jumpers.
What I enjoy most about watching Brown on the court is seeing him embrace contact and finish through the defense. He’s been exceptional when asserting himself around the rim this season, and that didn’t change against the Pistons. The above clip shows Brown attacking multiple defenders off the dribble, absorbing the contact, and still getting his shot attempt to fall.
He’s also taken that willingness to play through contact into his efforts on the glass. He’s become a reliable rebounder, averaging 5.6 boards per game (which is his lowest average in the past five seasons) on a team full of rebounding talent. Still, he pulled down seven boards against Detroit as he looked to create offense via rip-and-run scenarios.
In a game where Brown needed to step up as the primary scorer, he rose to the challenge yet did so in a way that allowed the offense to continue ticking. Brown has made a significant leap this season, and it’s evident regardless of what role he’s playing—as the Pistons found out.
#7 A beautiful transition play
I wanted to make sure I included this play in today’s takeaways. It’s nothing special. It’s just a good example of how this Celtics team has remained connected regardless of who is or isn’t in the rotation. The ball movement and selflessness on this possession stood out to me, making me feel like it was a good possession to share.
#8 Piecing sets together
Talking of wanting to share a possession with you all, one action during the game caught my eye. It’s not that the action was new or spectacular. Yet, it was a solid example of why it makes sense to piece actions together to generate a good-quality shot.
In the above clip, the Celtics go to a “Ram” action, which is a down screen where the screen receiver sets a step-up screen. Kornet ghosts the second screen, making the action a “ram ghost.” From there, he receives the ball around the elbow extended and flows into an elbow DHO with Brown.
Brown then curls with the ball and looks to set up a lob pass. The action ends up coming to nothing. However, it’s the process that stood out to me. If we see the Celtics stringing motion offense together like this consistently, they will be incredibly difficult to stifle throughout a seven-game series.
#9 Springer looks like fun
The more I watch Jaden Springer, the more I feel like he will be a fan favorite within the next 18 months — assuming he gets enough playing time to do so. He hustles on the defense end, takes pride in fighting through screens, and isn’t afraid to throw himself on the floor in pursuit of a loose ball.
Similarly to Brissett, Springer needs to improve his shooting and finishing. However, on a roster as talented as Bostons, with a coaching staff that’s full of experience, there’s no reason why he can’t take a jump during the offseason. For now, it’s fun seeing him getting the opportunities on the floor and seeing where he can grow and why he came so highly recommended at the trade deadline.
I’ll leave you with this nice second chance bucket.
#10 A tougher test awaits
The Milwaukee Bucks are up next for the Boston Celtics. After a couple of games against some of the Eastern Conference’s struggles, Mazzulla’s team will need to raise their game. In terms of seeding, this game is far more important to Milwaukee than it is to Boston. However, considering how their last meeting went and the fact that both teams are considered potential contenders, there is a lot of pride at stake.
No matter what happens during the game, I won’t be reading too deeply into it. However, the Celtics should definitely be looking to make a statement. There’s value in getting the mental victory. And there’s value in keeping the media off your back, too. Hopefully, the Celtics will be back to full strength for this game, and Giannis Antetokounmpo will be cleared to play. The best way to prepare for the postseason is to play the best teams at full strength. This game will be a highlight of Boston’s stretch run. I’m excited.
Catch you all on Thursday morning.
