Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Cruised Past Marcus Smart-Less Grizzlies
The Boston Celtics got off to an uninspiring start on Sunday. That it came on the heels of lacking the energy and focus needed to beat a Los Angeles Lakers team playing without LeBron James and Anthony Davis made it all the more unsettling.
Not only were the Memphis Grizzlies without the man of the evening, Marcus Smart, due to a severe right ring finger injury that had him sporting a splint, but 13 of the 15 players on the visitors' roster signed to standard contracts were on the injury report for Sunday's affair.
Despite that, the Grizzlies grabbed 12 offensive rebounds and generated nine second-chance points in the first 24 minutes. Limiting opponents to one shot per possession has been a struggle for the Celtics this week.
But while Memphis was within two, 40-38, as the halfway mark in the second quarter approached, the hosts scrapped the lazy threes and flipped a switch after slow-playing the start of the contest.
Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis orchestrated a textbook pick-and-roll to get the latter a bucket, and they started attacking inside, leading to better ball movement, which helped them find their rhythm from beyond the arc.
With Jayson Tatum leading the charge, Boston staged a 22-6 run to close the first half, entering intermission with a 70-50 advantage.
There was no backsliding after that, as the Celtics put 41 points on the board in the third frame, drilling 5/12 threes (41.7 percent) and assisting on six of 11 field goals. Tatum tacked on nine more points, giving him 34 in the game's first 36 minutes. Porzingis produced nine, bringing his total to 26 on 10/17 shooting (58.8 percent).
While the hosts gave up 30 points, a bit much against an injury-riddled team working with several players on 10-day hardship exemptions, they still had a commanding 99-76 lead entering the final 12 minutes.
That afforded the starters much-needed rest after a grueling stretch, including seven tilts in 12 days. Holiday was the only member of the Celtics' first unit who played in the fourth quarter. He subbed out 3:27 seconds into the final frame as the "Stay Ready Crew" applied the finishing touches on a decisive 131-91 victory that included an emphatic two-handed flush from rookie Jordan Walsh as Boston got back into the win column.
The now 38-12 Celtics have two days off before hosting the Atlanta Hawks on Wednesday night.
Further Reading
Marcus Smart, Celtics Discuss His Return to TD Garden: 'Forever Be Etched into the City'
Celtics Accountable, Ready to Move on After Loss to Starless Lakers
Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'
Celtics Finding Joy in Basketball and Each Other's Company: 'We've Been Blessed'
Fixated on Winning, Jayson Tatum Again Proves He's Not 'Bored Making the Right Play Over and Over'
Brad Stevens Shares What Celtics Are Looking to Add and How He Hopes to Do So
Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'
Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines 'Celtics Basketball'
