Narrator: They pretty much did.
The second quarter and parts of the first were just terrible, the second half was more of a mixed bag. Tatum's game, too, was a mix of good and bad.
In the second quarter, they were beaten 36-20. They turned the ball over 8 times, and they shot 1-11 from three (vs. 7 for 10 from 2, but creating those shots required more work than the Celtics were willing to put in in the offensive end). KP only played 2 minutes in the second quarter because he piicked up his third foul, so that was a part of the problem.
In the third, they outscored Detriot 35-16. 13-20 shooting, just one turnover, while Detriot turned it over 5 times. Tatum and Porzingis were scoring, and Tatum was handing out dimes.
But then in the 4th, the Celtics let up again. Detroit dominated the 4th quarter on the boards. On Detroit missed shots, the Celtics managed only 10 rebounds vs Detroit's 8, nearly a 50/50 proposition.For their part, the Celtics had only one offensive rebound in the quarter. That continued into OT, when Detroit rebounded more of their own misses than the Celtics did, 3 to 2.
KP said this
after the game:
“As like a fan and even when you’re on the bench, it looks bad,” Porzingis admitted after the game. “You’re like, ‘come on, guys. Just grab the rebound. Like what the hell.’ But they play chaotic and just (Jalen) Duren is a great offensive rebounder, really like physical guy and a lot of those guys like (Kevin) Knox and they’re long and they get in there and they’re always like running in, so it’s not that easy to box them out and so, it had to be a team effort.
The Celtics are going to struggle against the energetic teams that force turnovers (as Detroit did in the 2nd quarter) and get offensive rebounds (as Detroit did in the 4th quarter).
Jayson Tatum had a terrible shooting game (11 of 31 and 2 of 11 from three) but he managed 10 assists and 5 steals, so the good and bad aspcts of his game were on full display.
They relied on KP in the second half. After a 12 minute, 6 point firs thalf marred by foul trouble, KP shot 10-14 in the second half and OT, scoring 29 points. (Tatum, by comparison, shot 6-17 in the second half and OT).
And they relied on Derrick White in the 4th quarter and OT. White had a rough first half: 1-5 for 2 points, 2 rebounds, 2 turnovers but was much better in the second and OT, scoring 21 points including 10 in the OT, on 8-10 shooting from the field, plus 5 assists and 2 blocks.
It was a good win in some ways, especially without JB (recovering from Lebron's knee to the back), but it also showed that they have more work to do.
I wonder if Brown will be back for the Raptors tonight. And I wonder if any other Celtics besides Horford will be out. This will be a tough one.