Inside The Celtics

Celtics' Focus on Winning Habits Keys Blowout vs. Bulls, Helping Them Advance in In-Season Tournament

The Celtics' 124-97 win over the Bulls and the Nets' 115-103 victory over the Raptors propels Boston to the quarterfinals of the NBA's In-Season Tournament.

Bobby Krivitsky

David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
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The Orlando Magic must feel some type of way about what unfolded on Tuesday night.

They closed out group play of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament with a 3-1 record and a +22-point differential, only to watch the Boston Celtics steamroll the Chicago Bulls, 124-97.

It then boiled down to whether the Brooklyn Nets bested the Toronto Raptors at Barclays Center and by how much. The hosts' 115-103 victory forced a tiebreaker between them and Boston and Orlando, determined by point differential.

And with that suddenly on the C's side, they've punched a ticket to the quarterfinals, where they'll play the Pacers in Indiana.

Now for a deep dive into how Boston did its part, overcoming a years-long problem while getting a game-high 30 points from Jaylen Brown, pairing it with eight rebounds and six assists, and all five starters scoring in double figures.

1. The Celtics weren't shy about firing from beyond the arc in the first frame of Tuesday's In-Season Tournament tilt.

They went 8/16 from beyond the arc, attempting their second-fewest threes in any quarter of a game this season. The first was when they hoisted 18 in the first 12 minutes after halftime of their 117-107 win against the Philadelphia 76ers.

That, coupled with effective closeouts, limiting the Bulls' ability to get downhill, and challenging shots, translated to a 31-20 lead entering the second period. Chicago shot a frigid 30.8 percent from the field in the first.

2. Boston also got productive minutes from its bench in the first frame. Dalano Banton provided an infusion of energy, had a block from behind, and earned a plus-11 plus-minus rating.

Payton Pritchard was also among the most notable contributors from the second unit, burying both threes he hoisted.

3. While the hosts slipped up defensively late in the second quarter, their offense was even better than in the first.

They played with pace, moved the ball effectively, and stayed active off it. They also utilized an inside-out approach to keep the defense in rotation and consistently create quality, in-rhythm shots.

The Celtics assisted on 21/26 field goals and shot a scorching hot 65 percent from the field, including 13/24 (54.2 percent) from three-point range.

They outscored their visitors 38-30 in the second period, taking a 69-50 advantage into halftime.

4. Jaylen Brown went 6/10 from the field, including 3/5 from behind the arc, made an impact as a cutter, and produced a couple more posters. He led all scorers with 16 points at the break. His six rebounds also paced all participants after the first 24 minutes.

5. Sluggish starts to the third quarter have been a years-long problem for Boston. It appeared that trend would continue on Tuesday, but the hosts locked in defensively, stringing together stops and forcing turnovers.

That made it easier for them to play up-tempo, fueling an energetic attack that grew their lead to as they outscored the Bulls 20-9 by the 4:44 mark in the third frame, expanding their lead to 89-59.

With their defense setting the tone, despite committing five turnovers, they held Chicago to 18 points while putting 28 on the board, taking a 97-68 advantage into the last 12 minutes.

6. Encapsulating the Celtics' continued dominance in Tuesday's tilt was a sequence where Jayson Tatum got a bucket, Derrick White picked off a poor pass from Julian Phillips, and Sam Hauser flushed home a missed three by Tatum.

7. Capturing how badly Boston wanted to advance to the quarterfinals of the NBA's inaugural In-Season Tournament, with 7:22 left and a 108-79 cushion, the C's went to a hack-a-Drummond, with Jrue Holiday intentionally fouling Andre Drummond. The ploy worked, as the Chicago center missed both free throws.

8. Speaking of Holiday, he was outstanding in his first game back after missing the last two due to a right ankle sprain.

That includes making his first four shots, dishing out no-look dimes, facilitating out of the low post, and defending at a high level, per usual.

He finished with 14 points, nine assists, seven rebounds, and a steal in the Celtics' 124-97 win.

Further Reading

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Strategy Behind New Wrinkle Helping Celtics Win on the Margins

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

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Overcame Poor Second Half vs. Hawks Sunday

Celtics' Loss to Magic Highlights Their Most Concerning Traits

Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis Discuss Their Quickly Cultivated Chemistry: 'An Automatic Connection'

Jrue Holiday Shares His Perspective on First Matchup vs. Bucks Since They Traded Him

Celtics Discuss Significance of Rivalry Win vs. 76ers for No. 1 Seed in East

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

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

Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present

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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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