The Boston Celtics have had a surprising presence this season. After a few team changes, they are comfortably atop the Eastern Conference. Behind an elite defense and the steady presence of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the team has slowly but surely taken control of the Eastern Conference crown.
However, the Celtics had a tough time against the Los Angeles Clippers. The Clippers have a very impressive group defensively. Their star power is undeniable, but their individual talent combined with a solid scheme makes them a formidable defensive unit. The Celtics scored 96 points, a testament to LA’s prowess on D. After the game, Tatum talked about the Clippers’ defense and why they’re struggling, according to Noah Dalzell.
Clippers (Celtics) defensive end Jayson Tatum: “They have really good guards. “It’s not clear who will attack… They are well coached and have good players.”When talking about the Clippers defense, the players that come to mind the most are Paul George and Kawhi Leonard. In some ways, the Clippers are a perfect fit for the Celtics. They are one of the few teams that can field two complete defensive players for their prized wing duo.
The original configuration hasn’t changed either. You could say James Harden is a liability, but his defense is really limited by his efforts. If so, he could be at least a mediocre defender. What’s even more devastating for the Celtics is that the best defense in the league collapsed against the Clippers.
The team without Kristaps Porzingis gave up 130 points. It’s definitely a show worth watching again to highlight the mistakes they made.Despite the loss, the Celtics remain three games ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks. How can Boston recover from this devastating housing loss?
