Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Suffer First Loss This Season in OT Tilt vs. Timberwolves
In a battle between the NBA's highest-scoring offense and top-rated defense, the Minnesota Timberwolves handed the Boston Celtics, the last of the NBA's unbeaten teams, their first loss of the season.
It required overtime and 38 points from Anthony Edwards, who scored eight of the hosts' 13 points in overtime, but the former first-overall pick, a burgeoning star, took over this game when it mattered most.
And while the Celtics got 32 points from Jayson Tatum, 26 from Jaylen Brown, and 20 from Kristaps Porzingis, the visitors experienced multiple dry spells in each half. Their lack of ball movement remains concerning, and they got away from the hot hand at times, most notably Tatum's, despite him generating ten points before the midway mark in the final frame.
Now for a deep dive into what stood out in Boston's 114-109 overtime loss Monday night in Minnesota.
1. Despite Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis starting for Boston, it was Jrue Holiday who drew the initial assignment of defending Karl-Anthony Towns.
The five-time All-Defensive Team selection quickly demonstrated why he's one of the strongest guards in the league, stonewalling Towns in the mid-post, leading to a turnover and an alley-oop from Jaylen Brown to Jayson Tatum. That came on the heels of Brown beating Anthony Edwards on a basket cut in transition, slamming home the game's first two points.
2. Joe Mazzulla called Lamar Stevens' number early in Monday's matchup. With the visitors shorthanded, down Derrick White, thrusting Horford into the starting lineup for the second-straight game, it was a way to help manage minutes for the former Florida Gator and Porzingis and manage the rotation.
While it's interesting Stevens got the nod over Oshae Brissett, who was questionable coming into the contest due to a left thumb sprain, before getting upgraded to available, the former's done well with limited late-game opportunities after the outcome's decided, helping him earn this chance.
Boston's bench also brought Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, Payton Pritchard, and Svi Mykhailiuk in during the first frame, tapping into his team's depth to help keep the first unit fresh.
3. Naz Reid, who received a loud ovation from the fans at Target Center upon checking in for Towns, changed the complexion of the game, giving the Timberwolves better floor spacing and more offensive impact than they got from either of their starting big men.
The former LSU Tiger produced ten points, including drilling a pair of threes, and he earned a plus-eight plus-minus rating in 5:29, helping the hosts take a 29-26 lead into the second quarter.
4. While Minnesota held a slight edge after the first 12 minutes, the highlight of the period came when Brown climbed The Stifle Tower, putting Rudy Gobert on a poster.
5. To put it politely, the Celtics' ball movement hasn't been great to start this season, but they're the NBA's top-rated offense and generating the most points per 100 possessions.
They're doing an outstanding job of spacing the floor and attacking mismatches, which they usually have multiple they can target on a possession. Boston's also done well capitalizing on having so many post-up options.
But as the season progresses, this author anticipates seeing more passing and less dribbling. That's not to say they'll turn into the 1986 Celtics or the 2014 San Antonio Spurs, but this is only the sixth game of the 2023-24 campaign. And while mismatches will readily be available for hunting, if this offense starts incorporating more drive and kick, with that extra swing pass to go from a good to a great shot, it'll help them avoid the dry spells they've consistently experienced so far.
In a first-half example of Boston sharing the rock, Pritchard brought the ball up quickly, then swung it to Holiday, who moved it to the opposite side, getting it Brown.
The two-time All-Star attacked downhill, getting deep into the paint, collapsing the defense, and drawing the attention of four defenders. He kicked the ball out to Pritchard, who swung it to Holiday with Minnesota in scramble mode. With Gobert still in the paint, the former UCLA Bruin dished to Porzingis, who gave the seven-foot-one center a quick ball fake before rumbling downhill and banking in a floater through contact. He then tacked on the free throw, completing an old-school three-point play.
6. While Anthony Edwards led all scorers with 19 points in the first half, and Brown paced Boston with 14, Tatum got the visitors off to an 8-0 run to start the second quarter. He scored six of those points and swiped two steals, fueling his aggressive play, repeatedly charging to the basket.
The four-time All-Star registered 13 points and four steals in the first 24 minutes, helping the Celtics take a 55-52 edge into the break.
7. The unfortunate habit of Boston getting off to slow starts in the second half continued on Monday night. That included the Timberwolves staging an 11-2 run, with Edwards producing six of those points in a burst that featured the former first-overall pick banking in a mid-range jumper and giving Horford a quick hesitation, then blowing by the 16-year veteran and attacking the gap for a layup through contact.
Foul trouble forced the former Georgia Bulldog to ride the pine for most of the third frame, but the hosts outscored their guests 27-19 in a period where the Celtics shot an abysmal 26.1 percent from the field, including 2/10 from beyond the arc.
Minnesota took a 79-74 advantage into the fourth quarter.
8. Tatum was outstanding to start the last period, generating 10 points before the midway mark, tying the game at 90.
But Boston inexplicably stopped getting him the ball. And as its offense dried up, the Timberwolves, led by Edwards, ripped off a 10-2 run, taking a 95-90 lead with 5:02 remaining when their star wing attacked off the dribble from the left corner, then skipped the ball to Jaden McDaniels for an open three from the right wing.
9. But the Celtics, who have consistently been at their best in the final frame this season, staged a 9-2 run, including Brown burying a shot from behind the arc to go up by three, 101-98 after Mazzulla's decision to intentionally foul Gobert resulted in the latter going 0/2 at the free-throw line.
Boston couldn't hold the lead, though, as the matchup between the NBA's top-rated offense and defense, respectively, required a fifth quarter.
10. Holiday opened overtime with an outstanding play at each end, first, drawing an offensive foul against Towns, then scrapping for a rebound, forcing and coming up with the loose ball underneath before laying it in to give the visitors an early 103-101 lead in the fifth period.
But it was all Minnesota after that, with Mike Conley burying a three and the Celtics' offense again going cold against the stingiest defense in the NBA to start this season. From there, Edwards took over, generating eight points and getting into a zone where he seemingly couldn't miss.
And while a steal and a Tatum flush pulled Boston within three with 35.2 seconds left, McDaniels delivered what proved to be the dagger, attacking Porzingis off the dribble, dropping the latter to the floor, then elevating for a mid-range jumper that gave the hosts a six-point cushion with 15.5 seconds to go.
The Timberwolves' 114-109 win keeps them undefeated at home to start the 2023-24 campaign (4-0) and represents the Celtics' first loss this season. The latter, now 5-1, was the NBA's last unbeaten team.
11. The Celtics' next matchup is Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers in the City of Brotherly Love; tip-off is at 7:00 EST.
Further Reading
Jayson Tatum Discusses the Bond Between Him and the City He Stars In
Weighing Whether Celtics Should Sign Danny Green
Here's Where Jaylen Brown Impressed Joe Mazzulla the Most in Celtics' Win vs. Heat
Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense
Celtics Embracing Sacrifice in Championship Pursuit: 'Have to Buy into That'
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
