Inevitably, the year could only end with a victory for the Celtics, irresistible from January, NBA finalists in June and league leaders since October. Obviously, Jayson Tatum (29 points, 11 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (29 points, 7 rebounds) have also said goodbye to 2022 by doing what they have done best throughout these last twelve months. That is to say, to dominate.
Despite Kawhi Leonard (26 points, 8 rebounds) and Paul George (24 points, 6 assists), the Clippers therefore had to lay down their arms in front of all the mastery displayed by the current best team in the country, at the top of their game when they have to pull off the right action in attack and/or tighten the screw in defense in hot moments. As noted in the fourth quarter of this game, won with forceps by the men of Damon Stoudamire (Joe Mazzulla remains embarrassed in the eye).
With this success, Boston wins for the fourth consecutive time, while Los Angeles sees his series of two rank victories (already) come to an end.
WHAT YOU MUST REMEMBER
— The Tatum/Brown duo stronger than the Leonard/George duo. If some still doubted it, nothing better than this duel against the Clippers to convince themselves that Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown form the best tandem in the league. Opposed to Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, certainly productive but generally irregular, they hovered over this match, to total 58 points at two. Admittedly very clumsy at 3-pts (3/19 cumulatively…), they compensated by being very aggressive at mid-distance and towards the circle. Taking turns perfectly throughout the game, and especially without stepping on each other, to lead Boston to victory.
— Boston went to experience. Against a team yet led by Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, it’s hard to say that the Celtics were able to make the difference like old veterans. And yet. Jostled in this third quarter during which their attack died out, they put the blue heater in the fourth, so as to hurt these Clippers. Carried by a super Jaylen Brown, aggressive and brilliant leader of a whole group, the C’s caused the loss of ball and the faults that were necessary, pushing Los Angeles to thwart precisely having to play too perfectly. And then sanctioning offensively.
TOPS/FLOPS
✅ The Smart/White pair. If the Williams, Grant and Robert, did a nice job inside in support of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, this was also the case, and even more so, of Marcus Smart (17 points, 9 assists) and Derrick White (15 points). Suffocating defensively in the first curtain and sometimes in the second blade, the two Celtics backs also made the difference offensively, punishing when necessary at 3-pts and going for their points near the circle, when they were not managing and to set up the Celtic attack. The contribution of backcourt des C’s will therefore have been essential today.
✅ Kawhi Leonard. Even if he was not always flawless in this part, stepping aside when his team needed him in the second and last quarters, “The Klaw” was still the best Clipper of the night. Besides Paul George, if Norman Powell (19 points) and Ivica Zubac (13 points, 11 rebounds) showed good streaks, they were not more influential than Leonard. In the first quarter, it was he who allowed Los Angeles to hold the shock against Jayson Tatum and the Boston collective. Then, in the third quarter, it was again he who revived LA, with three half-time entry baskets.
⛔ Luke Kennard. We could have chosen Nicolas Batum or Terance Mann, but it would be quite unfair on our part, given that the Frenchman quickly injured his ankle, without being able to be himself afterwards (over 8 minutes), and that the winger only played 5 minutes. Instead, we therefore prefer to retain the strange performance of the Californian rear who, in 17 minutes, did not attempt a single shot and finished with a zero point in scoring. Rather rare for a shooter of his caliber and the proof that the Clippers did not know how to put him in the right mood, while the award-winning attempts were numerous in this match.
THE FOLLOWING
Boston (26-10) : trip to Denver, in the night from Sunday to Monday (02:00).
Los Angeles (21-16) : trip to Indianapolis, Saturday evening (9 p.m.).
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