Three issues from Celtics-Thunder – CelticsBlog

Video games formally imply nothing. Now that the Boston Celtics have clinched one of the best report within the league, they fairly actually don’t have anything tangible to play for. Their win over the Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder on Wednesday night time could genuinely be the final snippet of actual Celtics basketball till the playoffs.

Joe Mazzulla gained’t allow them to get utterly unhinged, and everybody on the staff likes to play, so resting is unlikely, however issues might get bizarre.

Regardless, let’s have a look at a number of enjoyable issues from Celtics-Thunder, and hope that there’s extra enjoyable in retailer over the ultimate six common season video games.

Picture by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

1. The Porzingis funnel

When the Celtics shut down Zion Williamson, they funneled him into Kristaps Porzingis, who swallowed him up.

That plan appears to be changing into a development.

Payton Pritchard places a physique on Lu Dort simply lengthy sufficient to inch him right into a big-bodied Porzingis ready within the paint. By the point he will get to his spot to make a cross, Jayson Tatum has already rotated over.

Porzingis is wanting increasingly deadly on protection because the season goes on. That’s unhealthy information for Boston’s potential playoff opponents.

Picture by Brian Babineau/NBAE by way of Getty Photographs

2. Porzingis tip passes

This Porzingis tip cross to Derrick White rocked.

And he nearly did it once more with this “tip” cross back-and-forth with Al Horford.

(Okay, the second wasn’t precisely a tip, however it was a fast cross! The purpose is, Porzingis’ fast/tip passes had been cool, they had been each within the nook, they usually occurred inside a pair possessions of one another.)

Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports activities

3. Sam Hauser mid-range

The three-point puppet. The long-distance director. The behind-the-arc murderer.

The… mid-range grasp?

Again-to-back possessions, back-to-back fading middys for Sam Hauser. This man’s bag could also be deeper than we thought. He does extra than simply shoot threes!