Celtics 132, 102
Despite multiple videos of Jayson Tatum warming up and testing his ankle circling social media, he didn’t suit up for this game.
If you ask me, that was for the best. The more rest Tatum can get between now and the playoffs, the better.
Joe Mazzulla leaned on a double-big lineup in Tatum’s absence, starting both Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford.
That decision worked great. Boston jumped out to a 12-point lead in the first 5:20, leading 21-9. Horfod had 3 points and 3 assists during that period. Porzingis had 6.
Therefore, the two big men combined for 9 points and 3 rebounds in less than 6 minutes — not too shabby, huh?
The Celtics won the math game. They took 14 more threes than Phoenix and seven additional shots at the rim.
It’s hard to see how the Suns planned on winning this game when they lost the math battle in both key areas.
The Suns did win the mid-range battle, taking 28 shots in the paint and 9 at the rim, giving them a 42.5% frequency in the paint and restricted area.
Jaylen Brown has looked a little out of sorts recently. However, he looked solid in this game. He moved well, used his burst when needed and showcased his strength to power through defenders at will.
I always enjoy seeing a physical version of Brown. I think he’s at his best when overpowering guys and forcing his way to his spots. That aggressiveness was a core part of his approach in the playoffs last season. I hope we see more of it.
Baylor Scheierman. That’s it. That’s the bullet point.
The Takeaways
** The rest of today’s postgame analysis, is for paying subscribers. Subscribe below to unlock this post, all paid posts moving forward, and the complete Celtics Chronicle archive.***
