The Celtics therefore had to play this game without Jaylen Brown, injured in the shoulder. Nothing has changed though since the first quarter resembles a 3-point shooting contest. Both teams almost only use this weapon. It is the Wolves who arrive at the first corner with a slight lead (35-28). The defending champions reacted with an 8-0 run to start the second quarter. A few moments later, with a 12-2, they hit the nail on the head. It must be said that Joe Mazzulla's zone defense, used in sequence, works well (51-64).
After the break, Jayson Tatum heats up with 16 points in the third quarter. Naz Reid offers him an answer, Anthony Edwards being very shy (85-91).
It is therefore Donte DiVincenzo, with his winning shots, who allows the Wolves to come back. Opposite, Derrick White is excellent and also scores behind the arc, sometimes with the help of the board. Anthony Edwards finds himself with the equalizing ball at 3-points, but it is missed. Therefore, victory for the Celtics: 115-118.
WHAT TO REMEMBER
– A 3-pt flood. The term “rain” no longer seems appropriate for this style of match. Even TNT commentators Kevin Harlan and Stan Van Gundy pointed out – often with humor – the predominance of the winning shot in this meeting. Over the first three minutes, there were almost only 3-point shots attempted and 19 after just six minutes. At the end of the first quarter, we had already seen 31 attempts! The Celtics will finish with 57 shots attempted and the Wolves 39. The calculation is simple: 106 3-point shots. It's a lot…
– Jayson Tatum and Derrick White played the bosses. Jaylen Brown on the bench (not forgetting Kristaps Porzingis, also not there), the other players had to step up a notch. If they were present in the first period, Tatum and White especially shone in the second act. Everyone had their moment: the first scored 16 units in the third quarter, the second scored 13 in the last. In the end, they finished with 59 points (33 for the All-Star, 26 for the former Spurs) and it was they who made the difference.
– Anthony Edwards never entered the match… He sometimes tends to take a step back, to rotate before striking in the last quarter. But there, the rear didn't really weigh. Certainly, we saw a little more of him in the final moments, but with 15 points at 6/15 in the shoot including 2/9 at 3-pts, the Olympic gold medalist missed out on his shock against the champions 2024. He who recently scored his favorite shot of his career had another important shot: that of the equalizer to save his match, but he missed.
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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.
