Jaden Springer helps save Celtics in OT win over Clippers: 7 takeaways

Boston had a commanding lead within the remaining minute of regulation and additional time, however was capable of maintain on to win.

Jayson Tatum had 24 factors, eight assists, and 7 rebounds within the Celtics’ additional time win over the Clippers. (AP Picture/Mark J. Terrill)

The Celtics almost blew a gimme on Wednesday, however they pulled themselves collectively in additional time and defeated a short-handed Clippers workforce 117-113.

Listed here are the takeaways.

Jaden Springer utterly modified the sport.

The Celtics had been getting cooked within the third quarter when Joe Mazzulla made a shock transfer, sending little-used guard Jaden Springer in after a timeout to attempt to decelerate Kevin Porter Jr.

Previous to Springer’s entrance, Porter was doing no matter he wished in opposition to the Celtics. After scoring 11 factors within the first half, Porter began attending to the rim at will in the beginning of the interval. As soon as he obtained snug, he began firing up jumpers, and the whole lot he launched dropped by way of. Porter is a harmful scorer, and the Celtics had been in peril of getting crushed by a bench participant infused with confidence by the absence of James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Norm Powell and the remainder of the Clippers’ common rotation.

Then, at 4:18 remaining within the third quarter, Springer was thrown in to do one thing about it, and the sport modified completely. Over the course of 12 minutes, Springer racked up 4 steals. On the fourth, a annoyed Porter dedicated a foul, and he didn’t rating once more till additional time, when he obtained matched up with Jaylen Brown (who struggled on Porter within the third quarter as effectively).

Springer isn’t an awesome offensive participant, however after making himself indispensable to Wednesday’s sport by utterly shutting off the Clippers’ offense, he additionally hit a pair of 3-pointers, together with a vital one with 34 seconds remaining in additional time when the Celtics had been faltering for the second time (we’ll go over the primary falter in excruciating element right here shortly).

With out Jaden Springer, the Celtics in all probability wouldn’t have gained Wednesday’s sport. If anybody is prone to be dealt earlier than the commerce deadline, Springer is a first-rate candidate, however his affect in opposition to the Clippers was exhausting to quantify.

The Celtics let one other late lead get away from them.

The Celtics really want to nip this ugly development within the bud as quickly as doable: After taking a six-point lead with 1:03 remaining, they proceeded to fritter it away, permitting the Clippers to pressure additional time.

How did the lead get away from them?

The fourth quarter and additional time had been a extremely robust stretch for Brown. After Terance Mann scored a fast layup with a minute remaining, Brown missed a pull-up late within the shot clock. The Clippers couldn’t rating on the opposite finish, however Brown turned it over again with an offensive foul.

That offensive foul was slightly controversial – Brown actually wrapped up his defender, however Joe Mazzulla (and the remainder of the Celtics) claimed vociferously that he tried to name a timeout.

Faint audio and video proof present that Mazzulla might have had some extent.

Nonetheless, the Clippers had the ball and slightly life. Amir Coffey scored a fast driving two, and the Celtics immediately wanted to make free throws to ice the sport.

After all, they wanted to get free throws earlier than they may ice the sport, they usually failed to take action: The Celtics inbounded to Brown, who obtained trapped and caught. He tried to move the ball out of the double-team, however Derrick Jones Jr. learn the play completely and intercepted the move. Jones ran the size of the ground and scored to tie the sport. The Celtics didn’t get a shot off, sending the sport to additional time.

The Celtics seemed appropriately offended at themselves for letting their six-point lead slide, they usually leaped out to a 112-105 lead with three triples to begin the interval – one every by Derrick White, Jayson Tatum, and Brown. The Clippers trimmed that lead as effectively, however Springer’s 3-pointer and a late layup by Neemias Queta lastly slammed the door, and Tatum slammed the ball into the ground because the buzzer sounded.

Placing groups away is necessary for lots of causes – primarily, after all, as a result of it’s necessary to win video games, but additionally due to nights like Wednesday when the Celtics put utterly pointless strain on themselves in opposition to a workforce that introduced Derrick Jones Jr. when introducing their beginning lineup.

Jaylen Brown rolled his ankle within the second quarter.

After the sport, Brown informed reporters that he has been coping with numerous illnesses, and that he rolled his ankle within the second quarter, which threw him off (and presumably slowed him down defensively) the remainder of the best way. He completed with 25 factors on 8-for-15 capturing, though his 5 pricey turnovers marred his stat line.

With a really busy schedule forward, Brown may be absent from Thursday’s sport.

Derrick White obtained the primary technical of his profession.

You learn that proper: Within the 12,888 minutes White has performed in his profession, he had but to obtain a technical earlier than Wednesday.

The technical, predictably, was not for arguing with a referee. It got here on a late drive by Jones.

The technical was initially reviewed for a flagrant foul, however the officers decided that the primary foul was really on Brown. Consequently, White’s follow-through – which smacked Jones within the face – was a technical, not a flagrant.

White completed with 20 factors, six rebounds and 4 assists. He was 4-for-12 from three, however he saved capturing by way of early woes, which proved necessary within the fourth quarter and additional time when he knocked down three necessary triples. White was 4-for-7 within the fourth quarter and scored 10 factors.

The Good and Dangerous of Neemias Queta.

Queta confirmed each what he brings and takes away when he’s on the ground.

First, the dangerous: The Clippers focused him repeatedly within the pick-and-roll and on switches, they usually obtained numerous beauty consequently. Queta’s defensive positioning nonetheless seems to be problematic, and the Clippers took benefit of him going too excessive on screens repeatedly.

The great, nonetheless: Queta seems to be higher and higher on the offensive finish. He scored 11 factors on 5-for-7 capturing in 22 minutes and drew reward from Brian Scalabrine on the NBC Sports activities Boston broadcast for getting out of screens rapidly and diving to the basket, which created straightforward offense. On the Celtics’ remaining possession of the sport, needing any basket to clinch the win, Queta made himself accessible within the dunker’s spot for Derrick White, pump faked to ship two Clippers defenders flying, then calmly scored a reverse layup.

Sam Hauser continued to rise.

Hauser shot 5-for-7 from 3-point vary, ending with 15 factors, 4 rebounds, and a steal. After a colder-than-usual stretch to begin the season, Hauser is capturing 40.7 p.c from three in his final 5 video games and seems to be regaining his kind.

Three video games in 4 nights.

After letting Wednesday’s sport slip into additional time, the Celtics have a showdown in opposition to the Lakers on Thursday at 10 p.m. They face the Mavericks in a Finals rematch on Saturday at 5:30 p.m.