This game, fortunately a win, highlighted all of my doubts about this team. At the end of thday, having a deep bench doesn't matter because those guys aren't going to get minutes. And the starters, late in close games, are going to struggle to score and struggle to get stops.
Around the All-Star break, Jaylen Brown commented something to the effect of he knew he was sacrificing by being in Boston because he could have a bigger role elsewhere. Really? What is he looking for, exactly. His usage rate is 31.5, which is goods for 12th in the league. Yes, he's behind Tatum (8th), but he is also ahead of Steph (14th). And he gets to rack up all those possessions on a team with a star player who has a ton of gravity, which helps him. He's also 12th in the league in points per game.
My point is not to paint Brown as some kind of malcontent, really. It is just that, while we talk about the egos on this team all being controlled and everyone working together in a team first way, it is not entirely true. And the cracks show up late in close games when the offense becomes "my turn, your turn" and a team that can defend well at the first point of attack gets the stop.
The other problem that they have in late game situations is that I think that appeasing the egos on the team requires that Malcolm Brogdon's role be reduced to "spot up shooter." That's OK in one sense - Brogdon is a very good spot up shooter - but he's also the guy on the team with the best combination of ballahandling, creation of offense (for himself and others), and avoidance of turnovers.
So last night, with 1:41 left, Halliburton is fouled and hits the pair to tie the game at 125. On the next Celtic possession, Tatum drives, misses a tough layup, and Brown follows but misses. The Celtics get a stop, but Tatum throws the ball away. The Celtics get another stop (Halliburton missed three), and Brown throws the ball away. My turn, your turn, Brogdon doesn't get a turn, and the Celtics do not get a shot over the final 1:17 of regulation in a tie game. Halliburton misses another three to send it to OT. This win came because Halliburton missed 2 late threes, leading to OT. How often is he going to do that? During this, Brogdon's role is indistinguishable from what Romeo Langford's would have been if he was still here.
At the same time as Brogdon is the most skilled offensive player and likely the best late game option for running the offense, he's also by far the weakest defender among our guards. If he's not going to have the ball in his hands, then arguably Mazzulla should play Derrick White who is the better defensive player.
The one good thing about the game is this: in the OT, they let Smart run the offense. And because Indiana's D was keyed to Tatum and Brown, Smart was able to score the first 7 points of the OT for the Celtics (actually, 7 of the first 8 with Tatum hitting a technical FT) and loosen things up for the others. When the defense leaves something open, the Celtics have to put the egos aside and take it.
