1. It wasn’t an ideal begin to the 2022-23 Boston Celtics season, but it surely was lots adequate. On an evening the place Boston celebrated the life and legacy of Invoice Russell, the Celtics flashed the dominant play that they confirmed within the second half of final season.
Boston managed to maintain management of the ball, with barely higher than 2-to-1 help to turnover ratio. They pushed tempo. The protection was a little bit inconsistent, however that’s to be anticipated, particularly whereas working in a number of new faces. And Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had been superstars and made performs every time Boston wanted them.
Total, it was a very good win to open a protracted marketing campaign. And getting it over one other prime Japanese Convention crew within the Philadelphia 76ers doesn’t damage in any respect both.
2. Jayson Tatum would possibly make an MVP leap this season. He drew 9 free throw makes an attempt. He flashed a few new strikes. And he continued to point out the world he’s a terrific defender too.
Tatum began the evening by making a pleasant defensive play in opposition to the speedy Tyrese Maxey:
This offseason, Tatum labored on his floater. That’s a shot he can get to so much, however hasn’t made fairly often in his first 5 years. To this point, so good on the hassle he’s put in:
The Celtics made a significant effort to push the ball (extra on that later!) all through the sport. In case you don’t get matched up accurately, otherwise you’re sloppy together with your switches, Tatum goes to get you:
In sure circles (this area included), we’ve been begging for Tatum and Jaylen Brown to do extra off-ball slicing. Boston has the passers to get them straightforward offense. This can be a basic Princeton backdoor lower by Tatum right here for the simple layup:
3. Jaylen Brown was each bit Jayson Tatum’s equal in carrying the Celtics to the win. If Boston can sustain the fast-paced offense, Brown goes to be an actual weapon. He’s uniquely suited to reap the benefits of that type of play. However extra on that to come back!
Brown was lots good within the halfcourt too. A handful of instances, he confirmed a tightened-up dribble. That allowed Brown to assault slower gamers and get to his spots, like he did right here on the floater:
A handful of instances within the preseason Brown confirmed off a brand new hesitation dribble when going to his left. In these moments, he usually pulled up for a jumper. On this play, Brown makes use of the hesi, however takes his full area all the best way to the rim:
Over time the Celtics have had nice success going at Joel Embiid in drop protection. The primary attackers in opposition to that protection had been guys like Kyrie Irving, Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward, as a result of all possess an excellent pullup jumper. That’s Brown’s function now:
4. In case you’re going to beat the 76ers, it’s important to combine up your coverages in opposition to Joel Embiid. Al Horford does pretty much as good a job as anybody at masking Embiid 1-on-1, however Boston nonetheless threw in a number of doubles. And the Celtics like to dig down when Embiid goes to his spins across the nail.
On this recreation, Boston additionally did a very good job of attacking Embiid early earlier than Philadelphia might even get into something on offense. This was a pleasant transition choose by Marcus Good earlier than leaving it for Jayson Tatum:
Within the second half, Jaylen Brown learn that Embiid was making an attempt to carry the ball up himself very often. Just a little strain from Noah Vonleh, a lazy move from Embiid and the result’s Brown attacking Embiid on the rim:
5. Within the preseason the Celtics had been a foul rebounding crew. With out Robert Williams, it appears like a significant weak spot for this group. The guards and wings must crash again on the glass to assist out the bigs.
Three minutes into this recreation, Philadelphia had grabbed three offensive rebounds. It appeared prefer it may be a very long time on the boards for Boston.
However the Celtics cleaned issues up in an enormous method. Over the ultimate 45 minutes, the Sixers grabbed only one offensive rebound. Total, Boston outrebounded Philadelphia for the evening on each ends of the ground, led by Jayson Tatum’s 12 rebounds.
6. The Celtics would possibly remorse not extending Grant Williams. Williams goes to play so much for this crew, particularly if he performs as he did on this recreation. He did his stable, switchable, versatile defensive stuff. And Williams picked up the place he left off as a shooter. Williams additionally flashed a couple of new issues too.
The end right here was a bit awkward, but it surely was actually good to see Williams drive the closeout for a bucket within the paint:
Williams can be a greater passer than his stats have proven. He often makes good reads. Placing Williams in additional actions will lead to extra assists, because it does right here on the brief roll:
7. Malcolm Brogdon’s Boston debut couldn’t have gone significantly better. He’s all the pieces the Celtics wanted. Regular and dependable with the ball as a shooter or playmaker. Brogdon will assist settle everybody down when issues are going sideways.
This was a pleasant drive for Brogdon’s first Boston basket:
Just a few performs later, Brogdon hit a basic Brogdon shot: the baseline pullup:
Brogdon and Derrick White each have very, very excessive basketball IQs. They’ll catch you sleeping should you aren’t locked in. This was simply the primary time of many we are able to anticipate to see performs like this:
8. We’ve made point out a couple of instances of Boston pushing tempo. The Celtics had been trying to run at each alternative. Ultimately, Boston outscored Philadelphia 24-2 in fastbreak factors, and the transition margin will probably be fairly a bit greater as properly.
Jaylen Brown beats everybody to the free rebound right here and he’s off. With Joel Embiid nonetheless within the backcourt, Brown heads straight for the rim in transition:
As soon as the rebound is secured, Brown activates the jets. Good takes the outlet and he’s instantly acquired his head up on the lookout for runners and it’s Brown with the end:
If Jayson Tatum goes to get on the glass the best way he did on this recreation, then he’ll turn out to be a significant menace to rip-and-run off the boards. That is a type of performs the place Tatum is aware of he’s the perfect participant on the ground, as he drives for the and-1:
9. We’re going to wrap with some love for the native man, Noah Vonleh. Vonleh was referred to as upon sooner than anybody might have anticipated, as a consequence of foul hassle, and his first stint was a little bit of a multitude. However Vonleh settled in and had a very optimistic affect on the sport.
This can be a terrific discover by Malcolm Brogdon, and Vonleh does a beautiful job of making his area for the end:
In case you’re an enormous and also you need to play for Boston, it’s important to maintain your personal whenever you choose up a fringe participant. Vonleh does simply that in opposition to Tyrese Maxey on this drive:
10. It’s just one victory, but it surely’s all the time good to start out the 12 months off with a win. After all of the Celtics went by to finish the offseason, it was good to see them come out and beat one other title contender.
Now, it’s hurry up and watch for the following one. Boston has the following two days off, earlier than heading down south for a back-to-back set in Miami and Orlando. After permitting the 76ers to shoot 50%, it’s a lock that Joe Mazzulla goes to make use of that point in apply to work on cleansing up coverages.
However that’s nitpicky stuff for this area to be apprehensive about. The season is off to a very good begin. That’s greater than sufficient to have fun for now.
