Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss to Clippers: Boston, Ice Cold from Beyond the Arc, Refuses to Adapt
Wednesday's loss to the Los Angeles Clippers drops the Boston Celtics three games under .500 for the first time since starting the season 2-5. At 16-19, they're now 10th in the Eastern Conference, clutching the last spot in the play-in tournament.
Here's what stood out from a game where the Celtics had one of the worst shooting performances in NBA history and stubbornly refused to prioritize attacking the basket.
Jaylen Brown Carries the Celtics' Offense
Responsible for carrying the scoring load in Jayson Tatum's absence, Jaylen Brown made a living in the restricted area, scoring all but four of his field goals from there, en route to a 30-point performance.
Unfortunately for the Celtics, like the rest of the team, Brown was undeterred by his struggles from beyond the arc, hoisting a game-high 13 threes despite only connecting on one of them.
Marcus Morris Revenge Game
Playing against one of his former teams, a franchise that could have extended itself further to re-sign Marcus Morris but chose not to, which isn't to say that it was the wrong decision, but years later, that likely still motivates Morris when he plays the Celtics.
Morris came ready to play, making six of his first eight shots, and he finished his revenge game in Boston with a team-high 23 points. Down Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, Morris, acting as a focal point of the Clippers' offense, helped lead Los Angeles to the winners' circle.
The Celtics Were Willing to Die from Beyond the Arc
The Celtics jacked up 42 threes in Wednesday's loss to the Clippers. They only made four of them, which translates to a conversion rate of 9.5 percent. According to Jared Weiss of The Athletic, citing Sportradar, this was only the third time in NBA history a team has taken 40 threes and made five or less. The extent to how poorly Boston shot the ball doesn't stop there.
Despite their struggles from beyond the arc, Boston generated 54 points in the paint, produced 28 second-chance points, and Robert Williams had a career-high ten offensive rebounds. It was clear what was working and what wasn't, yet the Celtics refused to adapt. They created a lot of open threes, in part because the Clippers had no problem with that, but at some point, they needed to make attacking the basket the priority.
Speaking with the media after the game, Ime Udoka said multiple times that he liked the shots the Celtics were getting. That suggests he had no problem with their approach. Perhaps the coaching staff wasn't trying to drive home the message that the team needed to get to the basket. If that's the case, it's another disappointing aspect of Wednesday night's loss.
Up Next
The Celtics host the Phoenix Suns, who have the second-best record in the NBA, in an afternoon game on New Year's Eve. Friday's tip-off is at 1:00 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
In More Ways Than One, the Celtics are in Need of a Shakeup
What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss to Timberwolves: It's Just Not Working
What Stood Out in Celtics' Christmas Loss to Bucks: Boston Starts Fast, Crumbles at Crunch Time
Should the Celtics Trade for Buddy Hield?
