Here’s What Stood Out in the Celtics’ Win vs. Spurs: Boston Never Trails but Has to Fend Off San Antonio in Game That Goes Down to the Wire

The short-handed Spurs gave the Celtics all they may deal with Saturday evening within the Alamo Metropolis.

Between Boston’s lovely ball motion, aiding on 30 of 47 discipline objectives, Jayson Tatum producing a game-high 34 factors, and Jaylen Brown chipping in 29, the guests by no means trailed.

However as efficient because the Celtics facilitated the rock to create open, in-rhythm photographs or factors on the rim, producing 54 factors within the paint, in addition they dedicated 14 turnovers, resulting in 19 factors for San Antonio.

Between that and the hosts persistently producing factors off cuts, scoring 70 factors within the paint, even when the Spurs obtained down double digits, they repeatedly made a counter-run.

On a mission to stay it to his former workforce in what he clearly thought-about a revenge sport, Josh Richardson registered 18 factors, 4 assists, three rebounds, and two blocks.

Between him matching Tre Jones and Zach Collins for a team-high 18 factors and Doug McDermott contributing 13 off the bench, San Antonio’s second unit chipped in 51 factors.

However Boston additionally obtained vital contributions from a bench that contributed 41 factors. Robert Williams and Malcolm Brogdon, particularly, have been glorious.

Brogdon completed with 23 factors on 8/12 taking pictures, went 5/6 from past the arc, had seven assists and no turnovers.

Williams registered ten factors, 11 rebounds, 4 blocks, three assists, and two steals, making a major affect at each ends of the ground.

Now, for a deep dive into the Celtics’ 121-116 win over the Spurs.

A Excessive Scoring First Body within the Alamo Metropolis

The Spurs ran their first play for former Celtic Romeo Langford, who obtained an open take a look at a floater off two ft however missed the 15-footer.

Boston constructed an early 9-2 benefit, turning stops into transition buckets, together with an open three for Jaylen Brown from the left nook. The guests additionally pushed off San Antonio’s lone make, resulting in a Derrick White layup in opposition to his former workforce, prompting Gregg Popovich to name for a timeout along with his membership down seven.

On the 6:50 mark, Brown labored a give-and-go with Al Horford, producing a finger roll layup that gave him ten factors in simply over 5 minutes. That got here on the heels of Brown working successfully as a playmaker on a drive-and-kick to White for an open nook three.

Talking of White, he registered two blocks within the opening body, together with coming from behind to swat a Josh Richardson floater.

Richardson paid it ahead, rejecting Sam Hauser on the rim later within the interval.

However the Spurs turned three Boston turnovers into seven factors, together with changing a poor cross from Sam Hauser right into a layup that helped the hosts stage a 9-1 run, a burst that obtained them inside one, bringing the rating to 26-25.

San Antonio additionally obtained a major enhance from its bench, outscoring the Celtics’ second unit 16-9, led by 5 factors from Richardson.

Whereas Boston obtained much less from its second unit, Robert Williams made his presence felt. His two factors got here from cleansing up a Jayson Tatum missed layup. He turned one other offensive rebound right into a Malcolm Brogdon three and picked off a Richardson cross that finally led to a Tatum mid-range jumper.

Williams additionally delivered a skip cross to Tatum for a 3 from the correct wing and swatted a Malaki Branham three to finish the quarter, preserving a 33-30 Celtics lead.

Tatum, Brown, and Stunning Ball Motion Propel Boston to Double-Digit Halftime Lead

After a four-point first body, Tatum dominated the second. He registered 13 factors on 5/5 taking pictures, with all his factors coming past the arc or on the rim.

Brown produced eight factors, coming into the half main all scorers with 18. He did so on 7/14 taking pictures.

The Celtics’ ball motion within the first half was implausible. They assisted on 9 of 13 discipline objectives within the opening interval, then did so on 8/14 within the second.

On a play that exemplified the attractive ball motion that led to these assists, on a drive-and-kick, Brogdon’s paint contact put the Spurs’ protection in rotation. Jeremy Sochan bumped to the nook when White collected the kick-out cross, so White shortly swung the ball to Good for an open three.

Shortly after that, the Timelord annihilated a Branham three-point try, then tracked it down and went in for a layup that put Boston forward 68-53 with 1:04 left.

The guests entered the break main 68-57.

The Celtics did have 4 turnovers within the second quarter, elevating their complete to seven within the first half, however solely obtained burned for 4 factors after giving up seven within the first 12 minutes.

And whereas the Spurs obtained ten factors from Richardson and Zach Collins and stayed lively, typically scoring off cuts, Boston did properly defending the three-point line, limiting San Antonio to 4/14 on first-half threes, together with 1/7 within the second body.

Spurs Swing Again in Third Quarter

The Celtics obtained off to a sluggish begin to the second half. The Spurs opened the third quarter on a 13-3 run, producing most of their factors on the rim as they whittled Boston’s 11-point lead down to 1.

Dealing with the dilemma of whether or not to deliver Robert Williams in forward of schedule or save his minutes for later, Joe Mazzulla opted for the latter.

The Celtics may’ve used his two-way affect to assist fight a San Antonio workforce that constructed confidence all through the interval, however saving the Timelord’s minutes for when there’s much less margin for error is justifiable.

There’s additionally benefit to Mazzulla difficult his workforce to flip momentum in opposition to a short-handed Spurs squad.

Williams performed the ultimate 3:43 of the third body, instantly making a distinction. He had a block, dissuaded drives from reaching the rim, a dunk, and an help.

In a regarding growth, with just below eight minutes left within the quarter, Collins obtained whistled for an unlawful display screen, kneeing Good at the back of the latter’s knee. It wasn’t malicious, nevertheless it despatched Good to the ground. When he obtained up, he reached for the again of his knee. He then needed to get helped to the locker room.

The Celtics’ preliminary willpower is Marcus Good has a left knee contusion. He is uncertain to return to tonight’s sport.

Persevering with to offer a wanted enhance off the bench, Brogdon registered 5 factors within the third body, together with monitoring down an errant cross and drilling a 3, extending Boston’s result in 79-72 with 5:36 left within the interval.

That gave Brogdon 14 factors on 5/6 taking pictures, together with 4/4 from past the arc. He additionally had three assists and no turnovers.

Brogdon’s different basket got here on a layup that was part of a 9-2 run, together with 4 factors on the rim by Tatum, boosting the guests’ benefit to 91-82 with 1:39 remaining within the quarter.

However San Antonio closed the body on a 7-2 run, together with 5 factors from Richardson, narrowing the hole to 93-89 coming into the ultimate 12 minutes.

Celtics Fend Off Spurs in a Fourth Quarter That Goes Right down to the Wire

After scoring 5 factors on six photographs, Brown missed his first try of the fourth body, a 3, then dedicated a turnover. Needing to get himself in rhythm, he correctly went to his mid-range sport, burying a pull-up jumper from 20 ft. That gave Boston a 105-97 lead with 8:21 on the clock.

On the Celtics’ following possession, after a Spurs timeout, Mazzulla dialed up a misdirection play the place Brogdon discovered a chopping Brown for a layup as a part of a 9-2 run, extending their benefit to 107-97.

However shortly after that, the Spurs obtained again to producing factors on the cylinder. San Antonio’s 12-2 run featured eight factors on the rim because the hosts obtained to inside one, 114-113, with 1:12 to play.

That stretch included Langford uncorking a floater off two ft from contained in the paint, then slicing his method to the basket for the layup that pulled the Spurs inside one.

Boston, who turned the ball over on a Brown push off on the possession earlier than Langford’s layup, is fortunate Tatum did not get the identical name its subsequent time down the courtroom. He did not lengthen his arm to create separation from Tre Jones, however the latter went flying, drawing a loud response from the group and the ire of coach Popovich.

With the officers permitting the play to proceed, Tatum lofted a lob to the Timelord, placing the guests forward by three with 48.1 seconds left.

However the Spurs answered, drawing up a misdirection play out of a timeout that obtained Richardson a clear take a look at a 3, tying the sport at 116 with 37.1 seconds to go.

Boston countered with Tatum shortly going to work off the catch, pulling down a step-back jumper from 14 ft with 33.1 seconds on the clock.

On San Antonio’s last possession, Robert Williams did a wonderful job in opposition to Langford, not permitting the latter to get a shot off. However with the protection scrambling, Jeremy Sochan wound up with an open look from the correct wing that may’ve given the hosts the lead with lower than ten seconds left.

Fortunate for the Celtics, the shot missed the mark, they usually closed out the sport on the free-throw line. That included Brogdon grabbing the miss when Tatum made his first one however missed his second, then swished his two makes an attempt, sealing Boston’s 121-116 win.

Up Subsequent

The Celtics return dwelling to host the Chicago Bulls on Monday. The sport ideas off at 7:30 pm EST. Inside The Celtics could have content material associated to the sport popping out earlier than, throughout, and afterward. And comply with @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and evaluation from pregame to submit.

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