With their victory on Saturday, the Boston Celtics guaranteed a season-series sweep of the New York Knicks.
1 Playing with intensity
Though it’s always simple to say this following a victory, the Boston Celtics have started to elevate their quality of play. Having completed the All-Star break, it is understandable that Joe Mazzulla’s club would start looking for new equipment. It is anticipated. It is necessary
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But are you only finding that gear in your second game following the break? That’s encouraging, to put it mildly. Teams are manipulated by the Celtics. They bound them on either side of the room. They wait after that. They attack as soon as they sense the momentum starting to gather or see the other team’s heads dropping.
That basket occurred during the third quarter against the New York Knicks. The Knicks were outscored by the Celtics by nine points. They contributed seven additional assists. Additionally, they scorched New York from the three-point line, making nine of thirteen attempts and having six players score at least one three-pointer.
There was a lot of discussion on Jayson Tatum’s patience during the show. He was receiving recognition for his ability to sense the game and let it come to him. I concur. That’s what he ought to be getting praised for.
All of the Celtics’ players, in my opinion, are playing a more sophisticated style of basketball. When Boston plays the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday, we will most likely witness it once more, as we did on the opening tip versus New York.
#2 Jaylen Brown had an incredible look.
Throughout the season, Jaylen Brown’s first-quarter scoring has been discussed on these takeaways. Throughout the game, we witness the best form of him when he acts aggressively right away. Kristaps Porzingis picked up the load after Brown let up in those early exchanges leading up to the All-Star break. But when the Knicks came around, he was back to his best
I consider this to be the sign that Brown is cooking. The three-point pull-ups aren’t the issue. It’s not how your finger glides smoothly around the edge. It’s the fadeaway jumpers in the middle range. That is his preferred counter. It’s his way of saying, “I feel like myself.” When those shots go in, the defense begins to second-guess how to stop him, which allows him to make more physical drives to the hoop like the one below.
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However, he continued to score in the first quarter. In the second, third, and fourth quarters, Brown made five additional shots. Considering his ability to score inside and his status as a prominent scorer, it’s acceptable that only three of his baskets came from the outside.
This play was enjoyable to me. Not because of the dunk, but rather because of how effortlessly Brown crossed the hoop and ducked Isaiah Hartenstein out of the play. The slam served as a perfect final-second exclamation point.
In addition to his scoring, Brown contributed on the glass, pulling down eight rebounds and dishing out three assists. But generally, I thought his defense was excellent. He handled himself well on switches, leaped passing lanes, and rotated nicely. Brown had a flawless performance from beginning to end. Every time the Celtics attempted to attack the mid-range or pressure the hoop, he provided them with a dependable scoring option.
#3 Kristaps Porzingis is an awful opponent.
Porzingis is too well-known to Knicks supporters. They’re aware of his abilities. But fans of the Washington Wizards, Dallas Mavericks, and Knicks rarely get to see Porzingis like this. Why? since he is enjoying his time with the Celtics. Depending on what the game requires, he can play as a third option that can scale into a secondary or primary option. Because of the flexibility of his function, he is able to perform with fluidity overall.
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