Inside The Celtics

Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Grizzlies

Celtics' supporting cast stars in win over Grizzlies.

Bobby Krivitsky

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
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While Ja Morant registered a game-high 25 points, scoring 16 in the second half, the Celtics' supporting cast stepped up in a well-rounded team win on Super Bowl Sunday.

Derrick White paced Boston with 23 points and dished out a game-high ten assists. He was the only player on either side to reach double-digits in the latter category.Β 

He was terrific orchestrating the pick-and-roll, getting downhill to make plays for himself and his teammates. And defensively, he limited Morant and Desmond Bane's effectiveness coming off screens, making Bane feel invisible at times in a game where he registered 18 points.

The hosts also got 20 points from Sam Hauser, who knocked down 7/12 shots, including 6/11 threes.

Sunday also saw the rare occurrence of Al Horford matching Jayson Tatum's point production, with each scoring 16.

Tatum's impact is often measured by how many points he scores. However, he had a strong all-around performance against the Grizzlies. The four-time All-Star grabbed seven rebounds and played excellent defensively, reflected in his two blocks and two steals.

As for Horford, he, too, was outstanding at both ends of the court. He dished out five assists, grabbed nine boards, created a numbers advantage with his screens that helped put points on the board, and whether he was staying in front of Morant off a switch or flying out to contest a three, he made his presence felt on defense.

And when the Celtics play with considerable energy, like they did on Sunday, they attack the gaps from the perimeter and play inside-out basketball, consistently creating high-quality shots.

Against the Grizzlies, the hosts assisted on 28/39 field goals, helping them capitalize on 21/51 (41.2 percent of their threes.

And while the visitors scored 60 points in the paint, an area Boston struggled to finish from, turned 11 turnovers into 17 points, and produced 14 on fast-break opportunities, the Celtics stifled them in the half court for much of the day.

That's best captured by Boston limiting Memphis to 12/34 (35.3) percent from beyond the arc. When one team has that decisive an edge from the three-point line, it bodes well for getting into the win column.

Now, a deep dive into what stood out in each quarter as the Celtics propelled themselves into the winner's circle with a 119-109 victory over the Grizzlies.

Boston's Bench Provides Needed Boost in Low-Scoring First Frame

Sam Hauser got the scoring started for the Celtics on Super Bowl Sunday. First, he did so off a basket cut, producing a layup off a feed from Robert Williams on a well-executed set on Boston's opening possession. Then, Hauser drilled a three from 27 feet on the right wing.

But the hosts saw several shots go in and out in the first frame, including missed layups from Jayson Tatum and Derrick White and a missed three by Hauser.

However, Boston got a boost from its second unit, which outscored the Grizzlies' bench 11-4 in the first 12 minutes.

That included five points from Mike Muscala on 2/4 shooting. Like in his debut, the player nicknamed "Moose" buried his first shot, as Payton Pritchard sent a skip pass to him in the right corner for a three that cut Memphis' lead to 26-20.

His second make came on a play where the defense ran him off the three-point line, but he calmly stepped into a mid-range jumper.Β 

Being able to produce productive plays against hard closeouts is of critical importance. It didn't get brought up much after acquiring Muscala, but the veteran, best known for his shooting, can do so.

Pritchard provided the Celtics' other six points off the pine, stepping into a pull-up three on the right wing, then relocating for a triple from the corner on the right side of the floor, narrowing the gap to 28-26.

The score stayed there at the end of the opening period.

Hauser's eight points led Boston.

Tatum manufactured five and also denied Ja Morant at the rim.

Dillon Brooks, who went 2/4 from beyond the arc and 3/6 from the field, matched Hauser with a quarter-high eight points.

But the story for the Grizzlies offensively was their relentless rim attack. Memphis generated an 18-6 advantage in points in the paint, working the ball into Jaren Jackson Jr. in the low post and driving off pick-and-rolls.

The latter included Morant trying to put Luke Kornet on a poster, resulting in two points at the free-throw line. Morant chipped in five points in the first frame.

Ball Movement and Stifling Half-Court Defense Keys to Celtics' Dominant Second Quarter

Robert Williams subbed out at the 8:05 mark in the first quarter and did not return until the start of the second frame. The Timelord didn't make much of an impact in the first half, but he did throw down a thunderous alley-oop from Derrick White, who blew by Xavier Tillman after the former Michigan State Spartan gambled for a steal, paving the way for a lob to Williams for two of the latter's four points in the first 24 minutes.

Speaking of White, coming off a career performance in Boston's win over the Hornets, he was fantastic in the second period.

After a scoreless first quarter, White led all participants with 11 points in the second frame. He was the only player who reached double figures. He went 4/7 from the field, including 2/4 from beyond the arc.

White worked in tandem with Al Horford for one of his two layups, then attacked in transition, seeking out contact from Tillman on an old-school three-point play. The latter extended the Celtics' lead to 46-39 with 4:07 left in the first half.

But White's impact is never confined to his scoring, and that certainly wasn't the case Sunday. He dished out five assists in the game's initial 24 minutes, including five in the second frame.

Boston's ball movement as a team was excellent in the first half, too. That's an ingredient always included when the Celtics play with considerable energy as they did in the initial 24 minutes.

The hosts assisted on 16/21 field goals. Al Horford had four of those, doing an excellent job going from screener to facilitator, including finding teammates off the dribble, like a drive-and-kick to White for a three from the right slot.

Boston's ball movement and energy helped the hosts shoot 52.5 percent from the field, including 12/24 from beyond the arc.

But while the Celtics' half-court defense was stifling, limiting Memphis to 20 points in the second quarter and 48 in the first half, Boston committed eight turnovers in the first 24 minutes, resulting in 14 points off giveaways for the visitors, helping them produce 30 in the paint.

While Morant paced the Grizzlies with nine points, three Celtics reached double-figures. Tatum led everyone with 13, while White and Hauser scored 11 as Boston carried a 61-48 advantage into the third quarter.

Boston Struggles Around the Rim; Ja Morant Propels Grizzlies in Third Frame

With Memphis clawing its way back, a take-foul on Hauser against Luke Kennard helped the visitors' cause.

Kennard made the free throw. And with the Grizzlies retaining possession, Morant drew a foul on Horford on a reverse layup attempt after the latter did well to stay in front of him. He went 1/2 at the line, cutting the deficit to 68-67 with five minutes to play in the period.

That free throw was the start of Morant scoring seven-straight points for Memphis, relentlessly attacking the rim, including showing off a deft touch on a floater, one of the arrows Morant keeps in his quiver.

Morant, the only player to score in double-figures in the third quarter, led all participants with 11 in the frame.

He also delivered a dime diagonally down the floor to Brandon Clarke, who beat Muscala downcourt on a fly route, hauled in Morant's touchdown pass, and finished a layup through contact. However, Clarke missed the free throw, keeping the score at 75-74 Celtics with 2:40 left in the quarter.

Grant Williams finding Muscala for a floater off a cut and a tip-in by Kornet, cleaning up a Tatum missed floater, helped Boston take an 82-81 edge into the final 12 minutes.

Muscala's demonstrating other ways to score beyond his shooting, staying active without the ball, and producing points when run off the three-point line, is a nice complement to what he does best.

Tatum went 0/3 from the field in the period, generating all three of his points at the free-throw line.

That's a reflection of Boston getting outscored 33-21 in a quarter where they struggled from around the basket. Tatum had four misses in and around the restricted area, while Robert Williams had two.

MEM vs BOS on 02_12_2023

Celtics Outperform Grizzlies on Both Ends in the Final Frame

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored the first six points of the fourth quarter for Memphis, but with 9:10 remaining, he committed an offensive foul, his fifth personal. That forced him to the pine with the Grizzlies trailing 88-87.

With the visitors' rim protector on the bench, White attacked the basket, driving into Kennard to create contact and finishing off the glass. When he tacked on the free throw, it extended Boston's lead to 91-87 with 9:01 left.

As the two sides continued trading blows, Memphis got hit with a gut punch as Jackson fouled out, courtesy of a hustle play by Grant Williams, pursuing and coming up with the rebound on a Tatum missed three.

That earned Williams a trip to the free-throw line and Jackson the rest of the night off. Jackson's 15 points at the time tied for the second-most on the Grizzlies. He led the visitors with seven rebounds.

Williams made both free throws, putting the Celtics ahead double-digits, 104-94, with 4:16 to go.

The hosts following time down the floor, on a play featuring beautiful ball movement by Boston, Tatum, utilizing a Grant Williams screen and Kennard not being on the same page as Brooks, broke to the basket, then found Robert Williams cutting from the baseline. The latter dished a kick-out pass to Al Horford for a corner three from the opposite side of the floor. That put the hosts ahead 107-97 with 3:41 to go.

A put-back dunk by the Timelord, after White beat Brooks off the dribble, drawing Williams' defender, Santi Aldama, to him, gave the Celtics a 109-100 advantage with 2:43 left, helping them close out a 119-109 win on Super Bowl Sunday.

Boston outscored Memphis 37-28 in the fourth quarter.

Up Next

The Celtics travel to Milwaukee to play the Bucks on Tuesday. The game tips off at 7:30 pm EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and afterward. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Danny Green's Reportedly Made a Decision About Where He'll Sign

The Latest on the Health Front for the Celtics Ahead of Hosting the Grizzlies

Front Runner Emerges for Potential Celtics Buyout Acquisition

Mike Muscala on Celtics Debut: 'a Blessing, it was Fun'

Derrick White Discusses His Career Night and Matching a Celtics Franchise Record

Brad Stevens Discusses What Mike Muscala Brings to the Celtics

Celtics Reportedly 'Engaged' with Several Potential Buyout Candidates

1:1 with Paul Pierce on What the Celtics-Lakers Rivalry Means to Him; Jayson Tatum's Growth, His Evaluation of Boston's Season, and More

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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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