Boston Celtics
Vucevic got here off the bench once more, tallying 19 factors, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal.
Nikola Vucevic and the Celtics destroyed Vucevic’s previous staff in Boston’s last recreation earlier than the All-Star break, claiming a 124-105 win over the Bulls.
Listed here are the takeaways.
Nikola Vucevic settled in properly
Cease us when you’ve heard this one earlier than: Typically, a participant arriving in a brand new state of affairs wants a short while to regulate.
The commerce that introduced Vucevic to Boston could have been financially motivated, however Vucevic is sweet at numerous issues on the court docket. His third recreation in Boston — which got here on the heels of two off days, a follow, and movie classes by which the middle “labored his ass off” based on Joe Mazzulla — showcased his higher qualities effectively.
Vucevic got here off the bench once more, tallying 19 factors, 11 rebounds, three assists, two blocks and a steal. In opposition to an admittedly porous Chicago protection, Vucevic was visibly extra comfy than he seemed in his debuts in opposition to the Warmth and Knicks. He hit 4 3-pointers, pick-and-popping the Bulls to demise with miles of area created by the gravity of the Celtics’ stars round him. He flipped in a bit floater hanging round within the paint and offering an outlet across the rim. He scored on the pick-and-roll. He dropped in a child hook out of the publish. He fired a pinpoint cross to a chopping Jordan Walsh for a dunk, and he dished a pleasant high-low look to Jaylen Brown posting up in opposition to a smaller defender.
Vucevic’s offense is, in fact, the largest promoting level — he offers the Celtics a dynamic presence from all three ranges in ways in which they merely didn’t have earlier than.
“His pick-and-roll positioning defensively was good, actually good, simply the reads,” Mazzulla stated. “After which offensively, the reads had been good — the spacing, understanding the place he’s, the early offense reads, offensive execution, he simply felt rather more comfy on the market.”
Walsh was equally impressed.
“I like him,” Walsh enthused. “It’s nice. Each time he catches the ball, I’m simply chopping, and he’s wanting each time. So it’s nice. It’s a option to type of get entangled within the offense with out having the ball in your fingers.
“It’s tremendous good to have a man to need to facilitate that and likewise stretch the ground and accomplish that many issues.”
The massive rotation will likely be price watching. Luka Garza was relegated to garbage-time minutes — a troublesome however maybe unavoidable hit for a participant who has labored laborious however is clearly third within the pecking order. Will Vucevic maintain coming off the bench? Neemias Queta has been wonderful within the beginning lineup all season, and he offers a defensive presence that Vucevic can’t match, however the Celtics’ offense had actual zip to it with Vucevic on the ground.
“The one factor we all know is that we don’t know something,” Mazzulla stated. “Something can occur, and so we simply need to be prepared to regulate — both to our opponents or to what offers us the perfect probability to win.”
The Bulls had been checked out
We might be remiss if we didn’t observe that the Bulls had been by no means able to play a basketball recreation earlier than they headed out for his or her All-Star break, which is smart — who amongst us brings their finest to the desk on the day earlier than some long-awaited PTO?
The issue for the Bulls was that the Celtics seemed like a staff nonetheless stung by their unbelievably poor capturing efficiency in a significant recreation in opposition to the Knicks on Sunday, they usually had no intention of going into the break on a equally bitter observe in opposition to the Bulls. Chicago began sizzling, however they began letting go of the rope close to the tip of the primary quarter, and the Celtics blew the sport open within the second, out-scoring the Bulls 36-17. The sport was considerably unserious the remainder of the way in which.
Payton Pritchard is the right participant for throwaway video games
Pritchard is, in fact, additionally an excellent participant for actual video games, however on nights like Wednesday when the Celtics simply want to remain on the rails to cruise to a win, Pritchard is the perfect conductor.
Pritchard nearly by no means turns the ball over (his turnover proportion is within the one centesimal percentile league-wide). He creates simple offense for himself (26 factors on 11-for-18 capturing on Wednesday).
Maybe most significantly, he simply genuinely appears to like hooping — he performs effectively with starters, however he additionally appears to be like simply as locked in going through overmatched second-unit gamers down the stretch when the lead is 20 or extra.
Jordan Walsh had an amazing recreation
Walsh hasn’t had as massive a task over the previous couple of weeks as he did earlier within the season, however he could have earned his method again into Mazzulla’s good graces in the intervening time with Wednesday’s efficiency. He was a menace defensively — three steals and two blocks — and he scored 16 factors to go along with six rebounds, 4 of which had been offensive. Most of his offense got here on put-back baskets and cuts.
“Everybody’s received completely different roles and obligations, and his is once you are available in, you’ve received to assist us go on a run,” Mazzulla stated. “You’ve received to do one thing, whether or not it’s an offensive rebound, steal, deflection, block.
“So he takes his function critical, and I believed he was large tonight on each ends of the ground.”
Walsh began 20 video games and has seemed like a breakout two-way participant at occasions this season together with his athleticism, size, and aggressive protection.
“I had stated some time in the past that I’m looking for my pockets to be extra aggressive,” he stated. “I felt like in the present day, clearly I took these alternatives, but additionally, I felt like individuals had been on the lookout for me to make these performs.”
Anfernee Simons is open to a return
One factor that was abundantly clear on the last buzzer was how comfortable the Celtics had been to see Anfernee Simons.
Simons arrived in Boston with the information that the Celtics had been procuring him for monetary functions, and that pall by no means lifted.
Nonetheless, Simons ingratiated himself to each teammates and coaches by totally accepting his function and shopping for into what the Celtics wished him to do, and his explosive scoring capability and easy, aesthetically pleasing type of play ingratiated him to followers.
At shootaround previous to the sport, Simons praised Vucevic, noting that he knew he was traded for a “nice participant” who match a place of want for the Celtics.
Close to the tip of his session, a reporter requested Simons if he might envision a return to Boston.
“For certain,” Simons replied. “Clearly, received to complete our season right here first after which see what occurs there, however for certain, down the road. Like I stated, I loved my time right here, constructed nice relationships right here, however I see it for certain. I see it.”
That’s a simple query to brush off for a participant if he needs to take action — Simons might have merely stated he cherished his time in Boston, however he was centered on ending out the season in Chicago and would take care of his free company when it arrives.
As a substitute, he despatched a really clear message to the Celtics: If you wish to speak, you’ve gotten my quantity.
The appreciation is actually mutual.
“He didn’t have to return in and settle for what we wanted from him, and be open-minded and develop, and we wouldn’t be within the place that we’re in proper now if he didn’t assist us win video games,” Mazzulla stated.
The Celtics enter the All-Star break in type
The midway level of the NBA season was almost a month in the past, and the Celtics are nonetheless a bit mysterious — no one is kind of certain how good they are going to be in opposition to the perfect of the perfect, and no one is bound how they’ll look when Jayson Tatum returns.
However the iteration of the Celtics that made it to the All-Star break with a one-game lead over the Knicks deserves each ounce of credit score for what they’ve completed thus far. Some followers wished them to tank. Others thought they may hit .500 in Tatum’s absence.
As a substitute, the leaders of this group dug deep into their profitable DNA, they completely hammered the margins on the behest of a coach who’s genuinely obsessive about them, they usually spent the primary 52 video games of the season creating their younger expertise into function gamers who appear like they may be genuinely useful within the playoffs. Brad Stevens tore down the roster and received them not solely out of the second apron, however underneath the tax. Their draft picks are intact going ahead.
The Jap Convention is broad open. The Celtics are excellent, they usually have the potential for greatness percolating beneath the floor as Tatum’s return looms.
On a dark evening in New York Metropolis 275 days in the past when Tatum went down clutching his ankle, the above would have gave the impression of optimism bordering on delusion.
What’s subsequent
The Celtics will head west after they return from the break, taking over the Warriors subsequent Thursday earlier than a showdown with the Lakers the next Sunday.
Tatum has expressed a want to return to the court docket at TD Backyard. The Celtics’ subsequent recreation at house is Feb. 27 in opposition to the Nets.
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