The Celtics Win Over The Timberwolves Was A Rollercoaster Of Emotions
Brian Babineau. Getty Images.
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You might not like what I'm about to say, but it's true. The Celtics were sort of lucky to win this game last night. For a majority of it, I thought they played mostly like shit, especially defensively. They were careless with the basketball, they came out flat, their transition defense was horrific to start and that carried over to their halfcourt defense. If what we saw for basically 2.5 quarters last night happens against a team not named the Minnesota Timberwolves, I think it's fair to say they probably lose this game.
It's also true that they found a way to win. It's also true that the Jays looked unselfish and came through when it mattered most. It's also true that Kemba did the same. For a team that has shown all year a pretty large sample of losing to the worst teams in the league, it was refreshing that they finally didn't have one of those results. It doesn't change much in the larger picture of their season. They still have more work to do, but it's OK to enjoy a night where your franchise player did something to put him in a sentence with Larry fucking Bird.
As expected, you saw the same old negative shit on Twitter after this win. Mad when they lose and mad when they win. It's hard to not get triggered by it, I say this from experience, but that's what happens when you mostly underachieve all year. That comes with it. Until this team turns things around and improves up to that 4/5 spot, that won't change. However, in order to do that, you have to win. It's not going to magically change overnight. This team has to continue to show that they are trending in the right direction. There were times last night where it looked like they were going backwards….again, but at the end of the day they won. Winning is good. I don't care who it comes against or how it happens. Who are we to thumb our nose up at wins right now? The Celts need any and all they can get.
But let's not pretend like they were perfect in this game. There is plenty to still be concerned about, and we're going to talk about that because it's just as important as Tatum dropping 53. Let's dive in.
The Good
- I mean it's a no brainer how we are starting today's blog. You become the youngest player in franchise history to drop 50+ points in a game you get the start
It's OK to enjoy watching the best player on your team do cool shit, regardless of what Twitter tells you. Last night we witnessed the 3rd most points ever scored by a Celtic in a regular season game. Bird had 60 in 1985, then McHale had 56 in 1985, and now Tatum and Bird have 53. That just narrowly beats out Isaiah's 52 that came in 2016 against the Heat. Call me crazy, but that's pretty fucking cool. It doesn't mean you cue the duckboats, but it's OK to appreciate one of the best individual scoring performances in Celtics history.
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Everything about how Tatum got his 53 is what should make you happy. He was aggressive, he attacked the paint, he played inside/out and then once he found himself in the zone, he erupted from three. Fuck it, let's watch it again
It's the mindset for me. That once he got to the paint he didn't immediately turn to his fadeaway. He instead went with the stephthrough, which is something I've been begging to see basically all year. Guys are anticipating Tatum's fadeaway, so it's always going to be there for him and it's pretty damn effective.
I've talked about how when we see the Celts in a game they have to win, that we need their best players to put the team on their back and carry them over the finish line. That's what last night was. Tatum won't always score 53 points on 16-25 and have 16 FTA, but he can definitely always have this aggressive mindset. That's really all I care about. If this team is going to turn things around, that's the version of Tatum they need. Not the one that settles.
I also found this to be pretty interesting when Jay King tweeted it out late last night
If Tatum is starting to get back to being his pre-covid self, that's a pretty big deal.
- A lot of talk surrounding this team for whatever reason is how the Jays suddenly can't play together and how they need to be split up. That confuses me if you watched Jaylen's night
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Does that look like a player who is jealous of Tatum or can't play with Tatum? It's such a weird stance to have in my opinion. Jaylen had it going offensively for a majority of this game, he finished 9-16 (4-9), and yet in a big moment what did he do? He gave the ball to his teammate because he recognized the moment. He wanted to see him succeed. That should tell you all you need to know about their relationship.
I don't expect a night like this to change the minds of those who think they should be split up. I just find it weird to think that makes this team better. The entire point of this era was committing to the Jays as they develop, and you blow that up after 1.5 years of it? Especially when both are really fucking good? Makes no sense.
- For a large majority of this game, Kemba was ass. Big time brutal, no two ways about it. But when it mattered most, and this game moved to the fourth quarter, he came alive. He got things started with 7 huge points in the 4th on 2-3 shooting, and then had two gigantic threes in the overtime to basically seal the win
We all know he needs to be better for a full 48. His early struggles were part of why this team at one point was down 17 to this lowly Wolves team. But in the end, he showed up. In big moments when this team needed someone other than Tatum to step up and make a big shot, Kemba delivered. That has to be a huge relief for him because it sure as shit was for me. He also finished with a team high 9 assists, which I think we all can get behind.
Too often though did we see Kemba get into the paint and panic. Almost like he was refusing to shoot the floater or some shit. I need him to always be aggressive and be a threat offensively. That's when he is at his best.
- Ever since "The Heave" Marcus Smart has been the ideal version of the Smart this team needs. Last night was no exception
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His offense came around which is all fine and good, but I care more about his defense. The man willingly chose to handle KAT with no help on the block and was actually successful. He's returned to the defense first/playmaking player that is just what this roster needs. He finished with 8 assists and just 2 TOs and I'd say he did a little bit of everything. The 24 points on 7-12 (4-8) is nice, but that's not what I truly care about. I care more about Smart getting back to being consistent on the defensive end and actually being the playmaker we know he can be. If that's the version we get, this team will continue to improve.
- 32-34 from the FT line. Inject that shit right into my veins. I might be the only person on the planet that cares about this team's FTs, but they matter. They will always matter.
- I love how Payton Pritchard is not afraid of the moment. Guy has gigantic testicles. Doesn't matter if it's getting late in the fourth quarter of a close game, he's always ready to let it fly. You don't always see that from rookies, but you definitely see it with Fastpp.
- I don't care who it comes against, a team scoring 140+ on 54/45/94 on 87 FGA/42 3PA/34 FTA has never happened before in NBA history. That's cool.
The Bad
- OK, we also have to address reality. The way the Celtics started this game was pathetic. Beyond pathetic if you ask me. It was really the same old story we've seen whenever this team plays someone shitty. They don't play with the right energy, they turn the ball over, and they dig themselves an early hole. How many times did we see the Wolves take a turnover and score an easy transition bucket? Too many. That's the shit that cannot happen if this team is going to turn things around. Considering how ready they were against the Knicks, that's what's so infuriating. I don't know if they thought they could just show up and beat the Wolves, but this team isn't anywhere close to being good enough to have that mentality.
Down by as many as 15 in the first quarter, giving up 60/42% splits and 66 points by the half. Defense has been an issue all season for this team and last night was a great example of why. It's not even like they were getting killed by prayer threes either. They were letting the Wolves get whatever they wanted and then all the points off turnovers only made it worse.
- Speaking of turnovers, this team has a legit turnover problem. Another 20 last night, that's what I mean when I say the Celts were lucky to win this game. You turn it over 20 times, you most likely are going to lose. The brutal part is these turnovers are coming from their best players
Jaylen: 5 turnovers
Tatum: 5 turnovers
Kemba: 4 turnovers
Every game recently it seems like at least one guy has an insane amount of turnovers. For whatever reason this team LOVES passing the ball to their opponent. It needs to stop. That's how you get killed 17-5 in fastbreak points and give up 24 points off turnovers. That shit is losing basketball. When you are careless with the basketball like the Celts were, you give shitty teams life. You lose games you shouldn't. Then when you do it against good teams, you get a game like the loss against PHI.
I don't know what the deal is, but it has to be cleaned up immediately.
The Ugly
- We should probably talk about the last 3 minutes because holy shit was that bad. Up 11 with 3 and change to go, and you collapse like a house of cards. A game that had no business going to OT was suddenly in jeopardy because we saw everything we hate from this team down the stretch. A stagnant offense that was nothing but iso/threes that don't drop on one end and then on the other you have absolutely no resistance defensively. DLo gave them a prayer with that horrific transition three which probably would have given them the win, and then of course he comes right back down with that bank shot three to tie it.
The problem is it should have never gotten to that point in the first place. For whatever reason, the Celts couldn't understand you probably shouldn't switch off KAT considering he was starting to make his threes. Then you had another brutal miscommunication between Smart/Kemba on a DLo cut for an AND1. It was some of the worst basketball we've seen this team play. Again, they got a little lucky.
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It sort of started with the Smart stepback three, but then Jaylen missed a wide open one, they had a brutal missed opportunity on a great Jaylen cut because Smart threw the lob off the rim, and they got tight. All they needed was 1 bucket and 1 stop and they couldn't get it. I think we all were expecting the worse when that MIN run started.
So when you add it all up, this game was sort of a microcosm of their season. Some good moments, some infuriating moments, and a night where I wouldn't say they played "well". But at the end of the day, a win is a win is a win no matter how you slice it. You get the same amount of wins when you beat the Wolves as you do any of the elite teams in the league. They all count the same. For a team that needs to start stacking Ws, I'm just relieved they didn't blow it.