Memphis and its exciting young star, Ja Morant, have excelled at draining the value from the top-6-protected pick the Celtics have the rights to this June.
But at least the Celtics could do their part to bring home an unprotected 2021 first round selection with Wednesday night’s 119-95 win over the young Grizzlies, following up a 32-point win over the Lakers on Monday with a 24-point roll.
Before straining his right groin late in the third quarter, and spending the rest of the game on the bench with a large ice wrap on his leg, Jayson Tatum had made up for the ankle-related absence of Jaylen Brown with a 23-point, seven-rebound, 9-for-18 performance. Daniel Theis tied a career high with 3-for-3 3-point shooting as the crux of his 14 points, and the likes of Gordon Hayward, Kemba Walker and Marcus Smart were allowed to take care of the rest with low double-figure nights.
But once again it was Tatum scoring at another explosive clip, who rose above everyone else on the floor. And as the third-year forward continues to reach the basket more, and not settle for the pull-up mid-range shots that defined a too-large part of his game last season, he continues to rise as a player.
“Each game presents a different opportunity. He’s extremely focused at getting to the rim, as he should be,” said Brad Stevens. “And then it’s about the rim reads. Not always gonna be there. If you don’t draw a foul or make a layup, those rim reads can turn into points on the other end. He’s gotten good at playing off two feet, at finishing, at making the right read on kick-outs.
“All those things that are the next step once you get there all the time. This is all a process, and he grows by the minute. He just does so many things that are ridiculously good. When he improves in an area it happens quickly.”
The Celtics also continued to swing the ball to great effect, last night with 32 assists on 45 baskets. Two nights earlier against the Lakers they were just as good, with 31 assists on 52 hoops.
“You can feel the last two games the way the ball is whipping around,” said Stevens. “That’s who we have to be. There are going to be moments when, and certainly we’re going some matchups at times we can take advantage of, but at the end of the day, for us to be the best version of ourselves, its got to be a group effort on both ends. Complementing each other, accentuating each other’s strengths. I’ve been encouraged by that the last two games.”
Hayward, who was one of four Celtics with four or more assists Wednesday night, agreed about the ball movement. But the biggest difference he senses in what is now a two-game winning streak is the defensive pressure the Celtics have brought to bear.
Morant would only hit once, for a two-point night, and old friend Jae Crowder wouldn’t do much better with a three-point, 1-for-8 performance. But with the Celtics igniting for another big night from downtown, this time with 43.8% (14-for-32) shooting, the night was decided early.
“I think (ball movement) has been pretty good for the most part. When we’re moving from side to side, moving bodies, moving the ball, I think we’re pretty tough to guard,” said Hayward. “But more than anything, I think when we’re able to get stops and we can run in transition, that’s when we’re really, really lethal because we have so many guys that can bring it up. So you just get it and go and you don’t have to wait for one guy to bring it up. So I think when we were able to be as active as we’ve been defensively, get deflections where we don’t have to keep walking the ball up the court through a set defense, that’s when we’re pretty good.”
The sight of Tatum heading for the locker room with a strained right groin late in the third offered a sobering counterpoint to what the Celtics had just put on the board. After bowling over the Grizzlies with a 23-0 run in the last 6:23 of the second quarter, they threw another haymaker in the third with a 22-3 run that pushed Memphis back into a 30-plus deficit.
Tatum would not return, though he rejoined the bench with a large wrap on his left thigh, and the Celtics reserves took the floor with an enormous 99-63 lead.
Tatum’s accelerated play, though, has his teammates wanting even more.
“I’m trying to encourage him more to do so. You just gotta become that killer, which he is,” said Walker. “It’s so fun to watch him and Jaylen, man, it’s so fun to be a part of their growth. But Jayson, he’s just getting better and better each and every game. I’m just trying to have him embrace when it’s time to take those games. I always tell him, ‘Look, take over.’ Go against his wing, keep scoring. He’s gotta become that killer.
“It’s my teammates. It’s easy. It’s my brothers. I want to see them succeed. I want them to be at their best. I’ve had a pretty good career so far, but I’m also here to help and just really get guys to another level. that’s what I want to do. I want to be a part of things like that. Those two dudes, to be specific, are really special.”
