Inside The Celtics

The Top 5 Plays from Tuesday's Celtics-Thunder Game

Boston's defense fueling its offense is a common theme in the breakdown of the top plays from Tuesday's Celtics-Thunder game.

Bobby Krivitsky

Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports
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Boston's turning stops into points at the rim and a no-look dish by Marcus Smart headline the breakdown of the top five plays from Tuesday's Celtics-Thunder game.

Jaylen Brown Plows His Way to Two Points

That's how you attack a set defense!

Marcus Smart goes at Aaron Wiggins and gets him to retreat. He then picks off Jalen Williams as he pitches the ball to Jaylen Brown. A poor, off-balance recovery by Williams makes it easy for Brown to go middle, and he's strong with the ball, splitting Williams and Wiggins, then demonstrating the soft touch necessary to finish this floater through contact.

Marcus Smart's Put-Back Slam

Boston quickly gets the ball up the floor in transition. After Smart doesn't get the outlet pass from Al Horford, he fans out to the three-point line. Derrick White's already in the same-side corner, taking Luguentz Dort with him.

Jalen Williams comes to help Josh Giddey against a driving Jayson Tatum, leaving Smart unaccounted for, so he crashes the glass, elevating over Dort for the put-back slam.

Jayson Tatum's Two-Handed Flush

Jalen Williams tries to put Luke Kornet on a poster, but the seven-footer thwarts his attempt. Tatum pushes the pace, then swoops into the low post after dishing to Malcolm Brogdon. With Tre Mann shading Tatum to the latter's left shoulder, Tatum attacks quickly, going baseline for a two-handed jam.

Marcus Smart's No-Look Dish to Jaylen Brown

Smart's drive draws the eyes of every Thunder defender; Dort and Jalen Williams have their back to Tatum and Brown. After making eye contact with Brown, Smart's hanging in the air gets Jaylin Williams to recede to Horford in the right corner. Brown cuts into that newly created opening, Smart drops a bounce pass beyond Dort's reach, and the former gets two points at the cylinder.

Boston's Defense Fuels Its Offense

Kenrich Williams face cuts Al Horford, giving Jalen Williams an option that might lead to two points at the rim. But with space between Brown and White as the former retreats, the latter Williams tries to step through for his own shot. Now, the former Williams is in the way. The result is a turnover.

Brown orbits Horford, and when the former gets the ball, Wiggins and Kenrich Williams switch. But the latter's in a poor position to prevent Brown from getting downhill. And with Giddey helping with his hips open, Brown takes advantage, slicing through for a layup.

Further Reading

Here's What Stood Out in the Celtics' Loss vs. the Thunder: Turnovers and a Lack of Defensive Resistance Leads to a Blowout

There may not be a Better Time to Buy Jayson Tatum's MVP Odds Than Right Now

This Stat Shows Just How Impressive the Celtics' Red-Hot Start to Season Has Been

Teams Showing Interest in Celtics Guard Payton Pritchard (Report)

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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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