Celtics Start Big and Finish Small in Win over Nets

BOSTON — The Celtics just kept firing.

Falling to 2-of-12 from three in the fourth quarter when Jayson Tatum clipped the front of the rim on a potential game-winning pull up, Boston put up two more to begin overtime. Al Horford, with miles of space in the corner, finally sunk one and gave the Celtics a lead they’d never look back from. Boston beat the Nets, 108-104 in overtime, despite poor shooting that persisted following an 0-for-3 Xavier Tillman Sr. start.

Joe Mazzulla shifted away from the Al Horford and Neemias Queta combination that carried them through the prior two games with Jaylen Brown out. Luke Kornet (hamstring) sat as well on Friday, forcing Boston to stagger Queta and Horford with Tillman Sr. bridging them at the four. That didn’t work out, and while Mazzulla said last month that the Celtics weren’t searching for lineups, we have them, more experimentation came with more injuries since.

Tillman Sr. did not play after his 5:52 to begin the game, Sam Hauser ramped up to 35 minutes, Jordan Walsh filled in for 10 more and Payton Pritchard closed the game in a three-guard lineup. That last group outscored Brooklyn, 14-10, in overtime.

“I think our offense is still adapting,” Mazzulla said. “We’re probably playing more double big these first three games than we did a lot of time last year. It’s the personnel we have … our defensive system is a little bit tricky when it comes to the double-big lineups … the pace at which we’re playing with is fine. As long as we continue to work toward our defense.”

Despite prioritizing spacing and shooting, the Celtics have almost entirely played double-big either to start games or into their second units. Horford’s shooting allows for it in most, but Tillman Sr. and Luke Kornet initially struggled together early this year before Tillman Sr. joined Horford, the Nets ignoring him and daring him to shoot. While trusting Walsh early and often this season, defenses have mostly treated him the same as he’s started 2-of-12 from deep.

The Celtics also want offensive rebounding on the floor as they ramp up their three-point attempts, leading to more available misses, especially as their efficiency from deep dipped to 31% over the past six games. Brooklyn dominated the offensive glass while Boston played smaller, grabbing 12 to the Celtics’ four. That led to a 100-90 shot advantage that probably should’ve secured a win for the Nets if they didn’t fall to 41% from the field and 26.3% from three.

“One of the reasons we were really good last year was these are the type of games that (we won),” Mazzulla said. “When you’re down three rotation players, you have to find ways to win. No one cares that we have guys out. It doesn’t matter. Everyone in the locker room has to know that. We have an expectation to win no matter who’s on the floor, so when s***’s not going your way, you just gotta figure it out … we had about 18 of those last year.”

Boston did, after going down by 14 points during Tillman’s stint, Queta entered for a +10 closing stretch in the first quarter. Hauser played 11 winning minutes in the second, helping spread the floor for Derrick White and Tatum to play a two-man game that Tatum utilized to break free for corner three looks. That Hauser could play for as long as he did is a positive sign after he missed time with nagging back pain. He told reporters on Friday morning that he’s feeling great despite the ailment impacting him sporadically. Without Hauser, Boston’s limited wing depth effectively forced the Celtics to play double-big at all times.

Even Queta and Horford, a positive combination, clogged the lane for the Celtics against the Warriors in their loss on Wednesday. Golden State comfortably shifted away from Horford, which the Nets tried to do on Friday as well, but with Hauser and Horford burying the decisive threes in the fourth quarter and overtime, the Celtics found just enough shooting to beat Brooklyn 14-10 on threes during their worst injury and shooting night of the season.

The three-guard lineup will become one to watch if those ongoing ailments linger. Pritchard poured in 20 points in 33 minutes on Friday, including six in overtime playing with White and Jrue Holiday. Those three outscored the Nets by five points per 100 possessions in their minutes together after posting a +25.0 net rating in nine minutes at Atlanta on Monday. For the season, they’re -7.2 per 100 in 50 minutes.

“I like all our lineups,” Mazzulla said when asked what he liked about that look earlier this week.