Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports
Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Survive vs. Shorthanded Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies entered Sunday night's matchup against the Boston Celtics down eight players, including multiple starters. That included Marcus Smart, who is expected to miss three to five weeks due to a left foot injury.
But with Desmond Bane pouring in a game-high 30 points and Santi Aldama contributing 28, both outscoring everyone on the visitors, the hosts gave their guests all they could handle.
That's a reflection of Boston not playing particularly well defensively. Perhaps the Celtics took their opponent lightly, or at the very least, didn't bring the same focus and intensity they'll likely have for Wednesday's contest against the Milwaukee Bucks.
And the officials getting too involved in the matchup, with whistles blowing frequently, affected them more than Memphis. But there will be games like that, and they'll have to fight through it. And they probably won't be facing a team down eight players, including its top star, as the Grizzlies were with Ja Morant serving his 25-game suspension.
The lack of flow and the physicality the hosts played with on defense gave the visitors trouble scoring in the half-court. Boston reached 30 points in only one period and got held to 23 in each of the final two frames.
But the Celtics, now 5-2 in clutch situations, defined as games within five points in the final five minutes, have been the best in the NBA in that area to start the season.
And in the final 1:01 on Sunday, Jayson Tatum, who finished with 20 points, ten rebounds, and five assists, found a cutting Kristaps Porzingis for a dunk to put the C's ahead 102-100.
The seven-foot-three center, the star of the night, then sealed the win, swatting Ziaire Williams's attempt to tie the game with a buzzer-beating baseline jumper.
Porzingis registered a team-high 26 points, eight rebounds, and six blocks in a victory that extends the longest active win streak in the Association to six.
Now, a deep dive into what stood out as Boston, the team with the best record in the league, survived an unexpected scare to improve to 11-2.
1. After slipping on the in-season tournament court in Toronto on Friday, a surface that drew complaints from both teams, Jaylen Brown, initially questionable for Sunday's game due to a right adductor strain, started the matchup with a two-handed flush, courtesy of no resistance from John Konchar.
That got the visitors, who quickly built an 8-2 lead, off on the right foot.
2. Kristaps Porzingis paced the Celtics in the first frame, generating 12 of their 26 points. It all came within the paint, capitalizing on his size advantage. That helped Boston produce 18 points within there to the Grizzlies' eight.
The seven-foot-three center also swatted three shots, giving him a combination that's a career first for the former All-Star.
3. However, with Memphis straying from its standard approach of prioritizing protecting the paint, instead limiting the visitors' impact from beyond the arc, and Desmond Bane registering 13 points, the hosts took a 27-26 edge into the second quarter.
4. Sam Hauser started Sunday's tilt 4/4 from beyond the arc. Between finding his rhythm as a shooter and how well he's defending, he's becoming an increasingly valuable rotation player.
5. With Hauser bringing a boost off the bench and Boston picking up its play defensively, the C's staged a 16-5 run late in the second period, building a 50-40 lead.
But the Celtics' energy defensively was low for much of the first half, resulting in late rotations and open shots for the Grizzlies.
Bane buried 4/7 threes and entered halftime with 18 points, pacing all participants. Santi Aldama drilled 3/8 long-range attempts en route to putting 17 on the board.
And with the visitors shooting just 4/14 (28.6 percent) from behind the arc, they went from ahead by double digits to clinging to a three-point advantage at the break. Excluding Hauser, the rest of the team went 0/9 on threes.
Porzingis led Boston with 12 points in the first 24 minutes. Jayson Tatum, who scored 12, was the only other starter on the team to reach double figures.
6. As documented in this author's game story from the Celtics' 108-105 win over the Toronto Raptors, Brown and Porzingis are quickly cultivating impressive chemistry.
The play below on Sunday highlights how effective the former is at getting open on backdoor cuts. It also showcases the latter's precision as a passer.
The chemistry between this duo is also fueling Brown's growth as a facilitator, as evidenced by the following pick-and-roll turned alley-oop.
7. Boston, often guilty of being sluggish to start the second half, came out with increased focus defensively, with Derrick White blocking Bane on Memphis' first possession.
At the other end, along with Porzingis throwing down an alley-oop, Tatum rejected a screen by the seven-foot-three center, then drove hard to the hoop before elevating for a one-handed flush, posterizing Bismack Biyombo.
8. On a night the officials were quick to blow the whistle, when Porzingis picked up his fourth foul, Joe Mazzulla brought Neemias Queta into the game. After rehabbing from right foot soreness, it was the 24-year-old from Portugal's season and Celtics' debut.
Boston's bench boss deployed him alongside Al Horford, with the latter playing the four and defending Aldama.
Frankly, Queta looked slow, perhaps a sign his foot still isn't fully recovered. After an extended absence, the game may have also been moving fast for him.
9. The lack of flow stemming from the referees frequently blowing the whistle, including giving Brown a technical after he complained about the lack of a foul call when he got hit on an attempt at the basket, hurt the visitors more than the hosts.
Five turnovers didn't help either. And the C's not being locked in for a contest against an opponent missing eight players, lacking focus and energy defensively. They weren't crisp offensively, either.
Still, they managed to keep the third quarter to a 23-23 tie, taking a 79-76 lead into the final frame.
10. The slugfest continued throughout the last 12 minutes. But with the score knotted at 100 with 1:01 left, Tatum went to work in the mid-post before finding a cutting Porzingis for a dunk to break the tie.
And on a chaotic final play, after a missed three by Aldama, Ziaire Williams' baseline attempt to tie the game at the buzzer and force overtime was thwarted by the same individual who scored what proved the winning basket. It was Porzingis' sixth block of the night.
11. The Celtics' 102-100 win extends the NBA's longest active win streak to six games. At 11-2, they also boast the league's best record.
Next, they'll face the Hornets in Charlotte on Monday night. That matchup will tip off at 7:00 EST.
Further Reading
Kristaps Porzingis on Celtics Besting Raptors in Slugfest: 'I Loved Our Character'
Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Weather the Storm to Prevail vs. Raptors
Jaylen Brown Blasts In-Season Tournament Court After Injury in Celtics’ Win vs. Raptors
Celtics Discuss Significance of Rivalry Win vs. 76ers for No. 1 Seed in East
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Keys to Celtics Second-Half Turnaround in Win Over 76ers
Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Beat 76ers in Their Best Win of Young Season
Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'
Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Chemistry with Jaylen Brown: 'I Love Playing with Him'
Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
