A shock, I know.
In this journey to 16 wins, every one is going to look different.
Other times, it’s going to look gross.
This is what winning in the playoffs looks like, so you may as well embrace it.
What you should also avoid doing is comparing what you see to the other series around the league.
None of that shit matters.
If the answer is yes, then that is what matters.
Now, we can also be honest.
Even if winning is what truly matters, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t want to play well.
They’ll have to be better in Game 2, but we’ll worry about that on Wednesday.
As I always say, perspective is important.
They won rather comfortably while playing nowhere close to their ceiling.
Call me crazy, but that’s not so bad!
In the first round, they are 286-74 (79.4%).
With that said, let’s begin
The Good
- Imagine starting anywhere else?
You may remember his explosion against the Heat last year as well.
I’m just saying.
It happened once, it secured a win.
That’s what champions do.
They find ways to win no matter what it may look like on any given night.
They weren’t reactionary, they instead imposed their will.
When they do that, there is not a team on planet Earth that can survive it.
Good one year, a disaster the next.
A TS% in the low 50s/high 40s.
Yeah, that fucks.
This is the benefit of Jrue being allowed to be the 4th or 5th option.
As we saw, he can take quarters over if needed, but that’s not his role.
His role is to make his open 3s, make his layups and lock up his assignment defensively.
That means finding your spots in transition and letting it fly.
That all starts with ball pressure.
I’m thinking that’s pretty good, but it’s hard to say.
They just won a playoff game scoring 103 points.
The beauty of Joe is that he can mold this team into whatever a game needs in that moment.
This is the mentality of a champion.
Joe Mazzulla does not recognize or acknowledge pain.
You aren’t dead, so get up.
Derrick did his part, and so did Payton Pritchard.
While that helped, defensively Pritchard was also a menace, even with his height disadvantage.
- There’s a reason NBA games are 48 minutes long.
Not just in terms of holding ORL to 39/33%, but look at the OREB number.
Just 3 OREB in the final 24 minutes, which tells you they were finishing these defensive possessions cleanly.
Thank you Jayson Tatum!
That, should never happen.
Lastly, I’m looking at the TOs.
A GREAT number considering what a tough defense the Magic are.
There’s your game right there folks.
- He only took 1 shot, but I loved how Sam Hauser played.
That might not sound like anything special, unless you’ve been watching all season long.
Speaking of Jaylen, I thought he moved about as well as expected.
Good enough for me!
Yeah, 8-22 (1-8) and being 0-4 from the FT line is absolutely disgusting.
That is objectively true.
But also, I can’t find myself to give a single fuck.
Because he still impacted winning at a high level.
Sometimes you have an off night and your teammates pick up the slack.
Shit, SGA just went like 4-13 and the Thunder won by 51 points.
Will this be another postseason run of poor efficiency?
Who knows, but if the Celtics win, I can’t imagine caring.
- More concerning to me was the performance of KP.
When you need a bucket, fine, dump it down and let KP go to work.
Their defensive rebounding to start this game was HORRENDOUS.
Winning basketball, championship-level basketball, requires you to dominate the glass.
Once you get to the playoffs, there are few things more important than rebounding.
You HAVE to do it.
Eventually, those second and third chances will go in and you’ll be in a tough spot.
- I still can’t believe Tatum went 0-4 from the FT line.
I don’t think I’ve ever seen that happen befoer at any point in his Celtics tenure.
So look, 1-0 is 1-0.
The goal is to win, regardless of what it looks like.
Things only get tougher from here, and that starts with Game 2.
1 down, 15 to go.
