After a calm and controlled first-half, the Boston Celtics scrambled and scrapped to hang on and beat the Memphis Grizzlies 113-103, sweeping the season series.
The Game Flow:
The first half was a moderate snoozer aside from Gerald Green’s offensive outburst and a pair of Isaiah Thomas highlights, as it looked like the Celtics would effortlessly take care of business at home against an undermanned Grizzlies team (Mike Conley was given the night off to rest after rushing back from a broken back). The Celtics scored 56 points against the leagues number one defense and though they only led by eight at the half it felt as though they were completely in control of the game.
Turns out there’s a difference between making something look effortless and an actual lack of effort. The Celtics opened the second half playing some sloppy, lackadaisical basketball and the Grizzlies took advantage. Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley were able to stop the bleeding but the damage was done, and with the lead shrunk to two the Grizzlies hung around.
The feel of the second half was completely different than the first (the box score informs me that the Celtics actually only lost one quarter and it was by just one point, even though it felt like they took a serious beating in the third). As the Grizzlies kept the Celtics within striking distance the tight nine-man rotation from the first half ballooned to eleven, Jonas Jerebko was banished to the shadow realm, and Marcus Smart played the final seventeen minutes–signs of a team searching for an answer (and finding one in Smart). Though it was a nail-biter at times, the Celtics responded each time the Grizzlies were able to make it a one possession game and didn’t let a lackluster seven minutes turn into a frustrating loss.
The Celtics took a giant dump on the court to open the third quarter and made this game a lot harder than it should have been. Whenever this team shifts into cruise control it costs them, even more so against a team like Memphis who has no quit.
I’m sure I’ll catch some heat for passing over Gerald Green–but Red’s Cigar goes to Marcus Smart, who came in halfway through the third with his plunger/mop/assorted-dump-cleaning-up gear and was able to settle down the Celtics offense. His stat line (13 PTS, 4 REB, 6 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK) was good and his passes were great as he found Bradley over and over near the basket and on the break. He also made some (ill-advised) key shots and got some STAHHHHHHHHPS, it was the full Marcus Smart experience.
“I thought he was really good tonight,” Stevens said of Smart. “I thought the biggest thing was he was all over the place defensively.”
It’s worth noting that while eleven players got to play tonight, Terry Rozier was not among them. Rozier isn’t a bad player–but Marcus has shown that he’s at his best with the ball in his hands playing point guard, and there aren’t a lot of minutes for Rozier when two of the Celtics five best players play that position.
First he did this…
Isaiah Thomas shows the Garden crowd why he deserves to be an All-Star this year! Every RT is a vote #NBAVote https://t.co/eXyWhcgsps
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 28, 2016
then he followed it up with this…
Thomas weaves his way through four Grizzlies and nails a floater for the hoop and the harm… https://t.co/BllozsZpk0
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 28, 2016
The Grid:
A. Bradley – 23 PTS 7 REB, 4 AST, 2 STL, 1 BLK
I. Thomas – 21 PTS, 7 AST
G. Green – 19 PTS, 19 Minutes
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