After their authoritarian victory on the Warriors floor, the Celtics had a second success in a row – a first since the beginning of January – this time having had much more difficulty (113-117).
Despite the absences of Jrue Holiday, Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis, Joe Mazzulla's men presented themselves as favorites for this meeting, where the opposite camp was decimated: Kawhi Leonard, James Harden, Norman Powell, Ivica Zubac, Nicolas Batum , and Kris Dunn were all missing!
A hotly contested match, however, took place between two teams who will never have more than three possessions in advance. Almost tied at the break (59-60), the Clippers put a defensive boost in a third quarter where, on the other side of the field, Kevin Porter Jr. equalized at the finish.
After a shot from Amir Coffey at the start of the fourth quarter, the locals took a six-point lead (89-83). This is where the visitors were going to take out the barbed wire. With Jaden Springer leading the defensive pack, the Clippers would experience five good minutes without scoring. Five minutes of offensive poverty, marked by several “airballs” and sequences where the attacker impales himself while dribbling on the defense.
Jaylen Brown trapped: extension
On the Celtics side, Derrick White then rose in temperature to give his team a five-point lead 5 minutes from the end (91-96). Buried the Clippers? No, because Amir Coffey, Terance Mann and Derrick Jones Jr. continued their efforts to respond to Jayson Tatum. Trailing by only 2 points a few seconds from the end, the locals had the good idea to take two Jaylen Brown without making a direct foul.
Result: an interception and a finish from Jones on the counterattack to send the two teams into overtime. In the five additional minutes of play, the Celtics relied on their weapon of choice: the winning shot, White then Tatum both punished, then Brown, less present in “money time”, did the same.
Manhandled again, the locals still found a way to get back together. After a 2+1 action from Coffey near the circle, to respond to Jaden Springer who had not yet converted a 3-point basket… this season, Los Angeles found itself two points behind (113-115). Neemias Queta finally had the last word under the circle.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– The Celtics anything but serene. Winning so narrowly, in overtime, against a team so weak in front is not very glorious for Joe Mazzulla and his gang. Symbol of this non-serenity displayed in this match, the gesticulations of the coach precisely in the last moments, to obtain his time-out several times. There is no question for the coach of seeing his team trapped in a two-hander, as was the case for Jaylen Brown before overtime.
– Derrick Jones Jr.'s big night Between Amir Coffey (24 points) and Kevin Porter Jr. (26), there was no shortage of unexpected faces on the Clippers side. The prize of the evening goes to Derrick Jones Jr. who sets a new career record (29 points) after being brilliant behind the arc and in his attacks in the circle.
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How to read the stats? Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; O = offensive rebound; D=defensive rebound; T = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; +/- = Point differential when the player is on the field; Pts = Points; Eval: player evaluation calculated from positive actions – negative actions.
