NBA Game Notes: Celtics hang on and Heat work OT

Notes from BOS-MIN, IND-WAS, MIA-DAL, CLE-TOR, BKN-SAC

NBA Sundays are always a little weird when they overlap with the NFL season. Sometimes it feels like you are watching one thing while everyone else is watching something else. In case you were in the latter category, I’ve got you covered!

Here’s what I saw on Sunday around the NBA!

Minnesota Timberwolves - 105 at Boston Celtics - 107

• Yes, the Celtics nearly let a 19-point lead slip away. But if that’s what you are focused on, you’re missing the bigger picture. Boston is closing games out against good teams now. It’s hard to hold down a good team forever, especially one with a star like Anthony Edwards. But the Celtics made enough plays late to finish it off with a win.

• Post-ups in the NBA aren’t what they once were. Rarely does the center hit the block and you dump it inside and let him go to work. Now, it’s about finding mismatches. With two big wings, Boston excels at this.

  Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a terrific on-ball defender, but he’s giving up a lot of size to Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Part of Boston’s better late-game execution is attacking like this. First, Tatum scored on Alexander-Walker for the and-1. Then, on the next trip down the floor, Brown did the same. Both off post-ups with great space to work in:

• Neemias Queta has been a staple in Boston’s rotation this season. However, he struggled his few times out, especially on defense. With Luke Kornet out for this game, Joe Mazzulla turned to Xavier Tillman Sr. and the veteran big man delivered.

  If you only look at the box score, it won’t look like much from Tillman. If you watch the game, you’ll see him battling Julius Randle and making him work. Tillman also did good work with box outs on the defensive glass, and set good screen and kept the ball moving on offense. Nice night for a guy who hasn’t played much.

• It’s been a struggle so far in Rob Dillingham’s rookie season. He’s been unable to crack Chris Finch’s rotation. Dillingham only played on Sunday afternoon because Mike Conley was out, but the rookie point guard made the most of it.

  Here’s a complication of Dillingham hitting shots on his way to 14 points against the Celtics. He did nice work attacking mismatches in the halfcourt, making plays in transition (including a nice pullup three-pointer against the drop), and a good relocation spot-up after missing a shot at the rim. Rookie guards take a while to figure it out. Don’t give up on Dillingham yet. Way too early for that!

• Minnesota’s offense is still pretty clunky. There’s too much “your turn, my turn” with Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle to open games. Neither guy wants to eat up too much usage, but it’s leading to some weird possessions where the shot-clock runs down, and the Wolves chuck up a contested jumper.

• Another good shooting game from Donte DiVincenzo. That early-season slump might be just about over.

Washington Wizards - 103 at Indiana Pacers - 115

• Tyrese Haliburton still isn’t hitting shots like he did a year ago pre-injury, but this looked more like his game. The Pacers ran a bit more and Haliburton was keying things in the transition game.

• With a score-first (and second, third and fourth) guy like Bennedict Mathurin, you like to pick out plays where they read the floor to make a non-shooting play. Mathurin could take this shot, as it’s a great look for him. But this is good process by the young guard to find Pascal Siakam on the back cut for the layup:

• Really strong game from Moses Brown. Indiana needs someone to give them 10-15 minutes per game behind Myles Turner with Isaiah Jackson and James Wiseman out. Brown might be that guy.

• Alex Sarr is starting to figure things out. His shot is still really inconsistent, especially when he sticks to the arc too much. But these kinds of patient moves are becoming more common from Sarr. First, you get a nice cut from the corner as the defense shifts, then a nice spin into the jump-hook. The second shot is a good catch in the middle of the floor, into a one-dribble step-back. That one could be a killer shot for Sarr, given how tall and long he is.

• Credit to Washington for sticking to the plan. We were a bit critical that the shot share has trended too much towards the veterans, but the kids are still getting to play. This is a game the Wizards might have won, had they pushed the vets minutes up. But the goal is to develop the kids and the kids got their time.

• Related to the above: Kyshawn George got the start with Jordan Poole out. He had a really nice all-around game. He was billed as a shooter with athleticism coming in. That’s held true, but George has flashed more skills than just being an off-ball guy.

Dallas Mavericks - 118 at Miami Heat - 123 OT

• This is hardly news, but everything is easier for the Heat when Jimmy Butler is playing and looks like Jimmy Butler. He’s able to create a good shot on most trips, either for himself or a teammate. Butler also did a good job when he picked up Kyrie Irving late in overtime too.

• Alec Burks hasn’t played much this year. He went 10 days without playing before getting into the game for Miami last Monday. Then then Heat had five straight days off before playing Sunday, when Burks also played.

  The veteran guard was productive in both games, and probably earned himself more minutes the next time out. It’s a skill to be a good “stay ready” player and Burks is one of the best stay-ready guys in the NBA.

• We called it out earlier this season, but keep an eye on Pelle Larsson. The Heat don’t have a great on-ball guard defender on the roster. Larsson seems to be in the mix to play that role for Miami.

• The end of the game was pretty rough for Kyrie Irving. He had a few missed shots, a couple of bad reads for turnovers. What was really frustrating was that he couldn’t shake Pelle Larsson or Jimmy Butler on several trips when he was off-ball, and that results in bad shots for Dallas.

• Really nice game for Dereck Lively II. He seems to be finding the form he had last season during the Mavs Finals run.

• Dallas is doing some good stuff defensively. They are owning the shortcomings of their perimeter defenders by adopting a system that funnels everything to the interior. Both Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford are doing well as rim protectors.