Inside The Celtics

Examining What Went Wrong for Celtics' Offense in Loss vs. Timberwolves

As lethal as the Celtics are at attacking mismatches in isolation, they'll need to develop a more balanced offense to end this season holding the Larry O'Brien Trophy.

Bobby Krivitsky

Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports
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The NBA's last unbeaten team fell to 5-1 to start the 2023-24 campaign, as the Boston Celtics suffered a 114-109 overtime defeat against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday.

The matchup, billed as a battle between the league's highest-scoring offense and top-rated defense, saw the visitors get off to a hot start, quickly forcing several turnovers and producing a poster of Jaylen Brown climbing The Stifle Tower.

Surprisingly, that didn't serve as the springboard one would've anticipated it to, as Boston's offense went cold, a common occurrence through its first six games.

What the Celtics have feasted on to start the season is spreading the floor and finding or creating mismatches for someone to attack in isolation. And with so many capable options with their back to the basket, they're committed to getting the ball into the post, a tactic that's been fruitful.

But in the first frame, one in which Minnesota's guests scored only 26 points, Kristaps Porzingis, who went 2/6 from the field in the opening 12 minutes, forced several shots while working against Rudy Gobert.

That's not to say they weren't makeable attempts. And more off-ball activity may have led to the former All-Star showcasing his abilities as a passer, but whether it was the team wanting to keep its seven-foot-three center engaged early or Porzingis wanting to best Gobert, one of the league's top defenders, it was the wrong matchup to try to exploit.

Boston tended to create quality looks in the second quarter but wasn't converting. The visitors scored 29 points, shot 37 percent from the field, and went 3/10 from beyond the arc.

Some misses sting more than others, though. In the example below, Pritchard can't capitalize on an open corner three, leading to Jaden McDaniels drilling one from the right corner at the opposite end.

The Celtics' second unit ranks second-to-last in points per game. They need Pritchard and Sam Hauser to find their rhythm.

Boston's offensive production was at its worst in the third frame on Monday, generating only 19 points. However, it also featured some of the C's best ball movement vs. the top-ranked defense.

In the play below, Jaylen Brown's drive collapses the defense. That simple action is something the Celtics need to do more of, as it's a vehicle for creating high-quality, in-rhythm shots and keeping everyone involved in the offense.

Here, it sets up a kickout to Jrue Holiday, who, with the Timberwolves in scramble mode, makes the extra swing pass, leading to a Porzingis four-point play.

There was also this beautiful ball movement and corner cut from their seven-foot-three center, leading to him flushing home a baseline jam. While they don't want to force the issue, this should become one of their staples.

Unfortunately for Boston, there were plenty of examples of misses at and around the rim, including a Brown layup attempt and Holiday baseline floater. There was a drive-and-kick from Jayson Tatum to Porzingis that came up empty. Al Horford missed a corner three. Sam Hauser's still struggling. And there were decent shots Tatum and Holiday have the right to take.

The process of how it created shots in that period wasn't the issue. Shooting 26.1 percent from the field, including 2/10 from beyond the arc, off of those quality looks was the problem. The team that fell short in Monday's matchup even manufactured nine free throws that frame but only made five (55.6 percent).

In the last 12 minutes of regulation, the Celtics finally found their rhythm, making 9/14 (64.3 percent) of their shots, including 4/7 (51.7 percent) threes. What undermined them were five team turnovers.

It only led to two points for the hosts, who had as many giveaways as their visitors, with Boston converting those into seven points. But the latter's inability to take care of the ball wiped out possessions in a game that required overtime. Doing a better job in that category could've kept the Celtics unbeaten and avoided a fifth frame.

And in overtime, whether it was getting caught up in trying to foul out Anthony Edwards, who went supernova, erupting for eight points in the extra period, taking over the contest, or challenging Gobert or McDaniels, the Celtics went at the wrong matchup repeatedly, or tried to force the issue in the case of a Brown missed turnaround fadeaway over the Timberwolves' seven-foot-one center. Those mistakes fed into their turnovers in overtime of their first loss this season.

Now it's on this reconfigured roster to continue meshing, find the right balance of attacking mismatches, tapping into drive-and-kicks, moving the ball, and maintaining activity away from it to make life even easier for them offensively.

While having realistic expectations for progress on that front, what one hopes to see in Wednesday night's road matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers, who are 5-1 to start the 2023-24 campaign, is improvement in this area. The least the Celtics can do is take better care of the ball than it did in Minnesota.

Further Reading

Anthony Edwards Shares His Perspective on Battle vs. Celtics Star Jayson Tatum

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Suffer First Loss This Season in OT Tilt vs. Timberwolves

Jayson Tatum Discusses the Bond Between Him and the City He Stars In

From Self Doubt to Celtics History, Jayson Tatum Discusses Journey to 10,000 Points: 'I Didn't Think I Was Good Enough'

Jrue Holiday Discusses Celtics' Offense and Their Mindset: 'That's How Most People Like to Play Basketball'

Here's Where Jaylen Brown Impressed Joe Mazzulla the Most in Celtics' Win vs. Heat

Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense

Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present

Candace Parker on Celtics Trading Marcus Smart, Maximizing Tatum-Brown Tandem, Pat Summitt, and the Sports Matter Initiative

Dwyane Wade Discusses Jayson Tatum's Next Step, Him and Jaylen Brown's Challenge, Heat Culture, Pat Riley, Damian Lillard, and Life After Basketball

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Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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