The Celtics have centered their focus for the 2023-24 season around “mindset,” a principle tested on Thursday night as they returned from the All-Star break to face the Chicago Bulls.
It’s widely acknowledged that the first game after the break tests a team’s mentality as they shake off any rust and find their rhythm after a week off.
Boston passed this test with flying colors, looking like their dominant selves for all but a 15:50 stretch at the end of the first half, where they were outscored 47-28.
Led by Derrick White, the Celtics set the tone early on the defensive side of the ball. Boston recorded seven blocks in the opening frame, three of which came from White. Two of White’s rejections came against 6-foot-10 Nikola Vucevic.
White poured in 12 points in the opening frame, along with his three blocks. He is the only player this season with at least three blocks and two made threes in the first quarter, a feat he has accomplished twice.
Despite leading by as many as 16 in the first quarter, the Celtics weren’t immune to the unforced turnovers and defensive breakdowns that are customary post-All-Star break.
Boston surrendered 39 points to the hosts in the second frame. Their 16-point lead slipped away as Chicago outscored them 39-28, taking a three-point lead into halftime.
“That second quarter just, kinda, came down to defensive execution. And I thought some lulls on the offensive end,” Joe Mazzulla said postgame. “We had some empty possessions. A couple of turnovers, a couple of rushed shots.”
That stretch was the closest thing to rust we saw from the Celtics – but it didn’t last long. As has been the case so often, Boston responded strongly, putting up a 37-21 third quarter and carrying a 13-point lead into the final frame. By the 2:45 mark of the fourth quarter, they had extended the lead to 20 points.
In total, the Celtics outscored Chicago 70-50 in the second half.
Derrick White led all scorers with 28 points, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown also reached the 20-point mark with 25 and 21, respectively.
Vucevic poured in a team-high 22 points for the visitors in the setback. Twenty of his 22 points came in the first half.
Here are three takeaways as the Celtics improved their win streak to a season-best seven games, picking up right where they left off before the All-Star break.
Different here
When Coby White gave his assessment of the Celtics at the Bulls’ shootaround Thursday morning, it was pretty straightforward: “They got a s— ton of good players.”
Boston’s win on Thursday night emphasized this sentiment.
In the first quarter, Derrick White led the charge with his earlier-mentioned 12 points. He then handed off the baton to Jaylen Brown, who added 14 points in the second quarter. Brown then passed the torch to Tatum, who contributed 15 points in the third. Before you knew it, the Celtics held a double-digit lead entering the fourth.
“That’s the fun thing. Each quarter might be somebody different, and we’re all just ready to go,” White said postgame.
This versatility is what makes Boston so dangerous. Although Tatum was struggling in the first half and Kristaps Porzingis was battling to find his stroke, another star is always capable of picking up the slack.
More impressively, nobody forced anything. Despite Tatum’s struggles in the first half, he attempted just seven shots. And he wasn’t alone.
After scoring a team-high 20 points on 7-of-10 shooting in the first half, Brown attempted just two shots in the second half as Tatum got things going. To take it a step further, Jrue Holiday attempted only five shots in nearly 30 minutes, knocking down three of them.
Eight Celtics finished the night with eight or more points, once again delivering a team effort.
Thursday night provided yet another reminder of the Celtics’ ability to defeat opponents in various ways. The team’s talent is undeniable, and as the year progresses, everyone has become increasingly comfortable in their roles.
What Brad Stevens has constructed is truly remarkable, akin to a masterpiece. While the ultimate measure of success will be determined in late May and early June, there’s a growing sense of optimism with each passing week.
Luke Kornet isn’t quite ready to surrender any of his minutes
Early in the fourth quarter, Luke Kornet cleaned up the mess on an Al Horford missed corner three with a left-handed putback slam. It was one of his four offensive rebounds of the night.
On his way back down the court, Kornet treated Celtics fans to a new gif-worthy moment as he celebrated with a “spaz dab.”
“I believe it’s referred to as ‘The spaz dab,’” Kornet said postgame. “It’s like – middle schoolers from like six years ago. I think it was big then.”
Talk about a throwback. That dance was popular almost a decade ago when Cam Newton used it as his signature celebration during his MVP season, back when this author was in the eighth grade.
Nonetheless, Kornet was feeling it.
The 7-foot-1 center had himself a nice night, finishing with 10 points on 5-of-6 (83.3%) shooting, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
The contributions from Kornet have been overlooked this season. The Vanderbilt product has proven reliable in his role, consistently stepping up and providing solid minutes when needed. Kornet’s ability to excel as a screener, rebounder, and disciplined player often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves.
Additionally, he is a key personality in the locker room.
“I love Luke. He’s the ultimate teammate, the ultimate professional. [He] never knows exactly when his time is going to come, or his minutes, but he’s always prepared,” Tatum said postgame. He might be like the funniest guy on our team, so he keeps everybody’s spirits high.”
With Xavier Tillman and Jaden Springer making their Celtic debuts on Thursday night, Kornet made it clear he’s not quite ready to relinquish his minutes. Although, in his typical professional and untroubled manner, he wouldn’t readily admit that.
“To be honest, I’m not really concerned about that at all,” Kornet said. “We’re excited to have Xavier here. I think he adds a piece that is great for us, especially, like, having the versatility and stuff in the playoffs.”
Competing for his spot has been a common theme for Kornet. However, Mazzulla has clarified that Sam Hauser, Payton Pritchard, and Kornet round out Boston’s rotation after the top six.
“The game, the rest of the season, will dictate opportunities,” Mazzulla said on how he sees Tillman and Springer’s roles moving forward. “Right now, it’s about just staying ready. Getting used to our schemes on offense and defense, and when the time is right, making sure that they are ready to play.”
The third center spot seems to be Kornet’s role to lose, as it should be.
Controlling the perimeter
Aside from the second quarter and parts of the fourth, Mazzulla had to be pretty happy with what he saw from his team on Thursday night. Boston’s defense was rock solid for all but 15:50, and the C’s controlled the perimeter, which helped them rebuild their lead.
Boston shot 23-of-47 (48.9%) from deep, compared to Chicago’s 10-of-28 (35.7%), outscoring the hosts 69-30 on the perimeter. Seven different Celtics knocked down at least two threes.
With their 23 triples, 11 blocks, and 10 steals, the Celtics became just the fifth team in NBA history to log at least 20 threes, 10 blocks, and 10 steals in a game.
This season has been a rough one for the anti-three-pointers crowd. After Thursday night, the Celtics are 32-3 when they make more threes than their opponent. Boston is outscoring its opponents 2,748- 2,214 on the perimeter this season, a 534-point difference.
Related
