Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Closed 2023 with Dominant Display vs. Spurs

The Celtics outscored the Spurs 40-23 in the third quarter, delivering a dominant two-way performance that broke the game open.

Bobby Krivitsky

Daniel Dunn-USA TODAY Sports
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The Boston Celtics closed out 2023 in style, scoring 134 points, their most in a New Year's Eve matchup.

The team with the NBA's best record improved to 26-6, earning their sixth-straight win and 11th in their last 12 games.

Derrick White had 17 points, five assists, and a thunderous third-quarter dunk in Boston's 134-101 win in his return to San Antonio, as Celtics fans in attendance showered him with chants of "White's an All-Star."

Jaylen Brown was outstanding, stuffing the stat sheet with 24 points, six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Jayson Tatum finished with a game-high 25 points, including 12 in the second frame. He buried 10/17 (58.8 percent) of his shots, including 5/10 from beyond the arc, even knocking down multiple pull-up threes.

Boston also got 47 points from its bench, including a second-straight stellar performance by Luke Kornet -- more on that later.

Now for a deep dive into what stood out, especially in the third quarter, as the Celtics broke the game open with a dominant two-way display that led to outscoring the Spurs 40-23.

1. The Spurs have one of the NBA's worst defenses and entered this New Year's Eve matchup allowing the third-most points per game.

Their struggles at that end of the floor were apparent early and often in the first frame. The Celtics, who staged a 14-5 run to build a double-digit lead, consistently created the shots they wanted.

While they started settling and weren't as forceful late in the period, they put 30 points on the board while holding the hosts to 22 in the first frame.

2. Boston shot 52.4 percent from the field, assisted on 7/11 makes, and generated 12 points in the paint.

In his return to San Antonio, Derrick White scored eight of the visitors' first 13 points, including drilling a pair of threes. His output matched Jaylen Brown for a team-high in the first 12 minutes.

3. With Jayson Tatum on fire and the Celtics continuing to move the ball effectively, they produced at least 30 points for the second straight quarter, putting 35 on the board.

Tatum buried 5/6 shots in the second frame, entering halftime with 15 points. That matched Victor Wembanyama for the most in the matchup after the first 24 minutes.

This year's number one pick in the NBA Draft put on quite the display, stepping into and knocking down mid-range jumpers, faring 3/5 from beyond the arc, and dishing out two assists.

But Boston, who assisted on 8/13 field goals in the second period and 15/24 in the first half, repeatedly swung the rock around the perimeter to go from getting good looks at threes to great ones.

That and raising their game on defense later in the quarter fueled a 17-6 run in under five minutes, giving the visitors a 65-53 advantage at the break.

Crashing the glass and parlaying four offensive rebounds into a 7-0 edge in second-chance points also helped their cause.

4. The Celtics broke the game open in the third quarter, dominating as soon as intermission ended.

They opened the third frame on a 14-2 run that ballooned to 29-13, expanding their lead to 94-66. It grew to 105-76 entering the final frame.

Jaylen Brown was outstanding, generating 16 points, the most in the period. He did so on 5/7 shooting, scoring from all three levels. He also had a pair of steals, including one that led to a ferocious jam by Derrick White.

Tatum registered ten points, going 4/8 from the field and drilling a pull-up three.

5. What set the table for the visitors outscoring the Spurs 40-23 in the first 12 minutes after halftime was lockdown defense.

Swarming and consistently contesting shots, they held the hosts to 40.9 percent shooting, including 2/10 from beyond the arc. They also forced six turnovers and scored 12 points off those giveaways. 

6. From blocking shots to finishing at the rim, effective screens, and dishing out dimes, Luke Kornet followed up his best performance as a Celtic with another excellent two-way display.

He finished with 12 points, the most off the Boston bench, four rebounds, two assists, and two blocks. He hasn't missed a beat since returning from over a week-long layoff.

7. With the Celtics firmly in control, the only starter who played in the fourth quarter was Jayson Tatum, who subbed out after 1:26.

It was the second unit and extended rotation that got to shine in the team's last 12 minutes of 2023, as they put the final touches on a 134-101 win in which the franchise scored its most points on New Year's Eve.

8. The Celtics are on to 2024 and a Tuesday night tilt against the Thunder in Oklahoma City. That game will tip off at 8:00 EST.

Further Reading

Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'

Luke Kornet Opens Up About Handling Inconsistent Role, Putting the Team Over Himself

Jrue Holiday's Assertiveness Elevating Celtics' Offense

Jayson Tatum's Selflessness vs. Lakers Exemplifies Celtics' Maturation: 'Hopefully, It's Gonna Pay Off'

Celtics' Offensive Approach Outweighs Three-Point Struggles in Christmas Victory vs. Lakers

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'

Jayson Tatum Joins PR Team for Derrick White’s All-Star Campaign

Jaylen Brown Shares His View of What Defines 'Celtics Basketball'

An Empowered Jaylen Brown Strives to Balance Scoring with Playmaking: 'I've Grown A Lot'

Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'

Published
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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