Boston Celtics: Analyzing the C’s play against other top title contenders

Title Contender No. 3) Los Angeles Clippers

Season Series: Split 1-1

Core-Five Per Game Averages:

• Kemba Walker — 16.0 points, 4.5 assists, 9.0 rebounds, 27 FG%, 37 3FG%
• Jayson Tatum — 34.5 points, 2.0 assists, 7.5 rebounds, 55 FG%, 50 3FG%
• Jaylen Brown — 9.0 points, 1.0 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 21 FG%, 13 3FG%
• Gordon Hayward — 21.0 points, 4.0 assists, 13.0 rebounds, 29 FG%, 38 3FG%
• Marcus Smart — 23.0 points, 5.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds, 43 FG%, 24 3FG%

In both outings between the Boston Celtics and Los Angeles Clippers during the 2019-20 campaign, the game’s fate was decided in overtime, with their final matchup (February 13th) going all the way into double OT.

Who could forget either one of these fine/ hard-fought matchups?

From the ankle-breaking crossover Jayson Tatum put on Paul George to hit the tying trey and sent the game into overtime, or the jaw-dropping steal & out of bounds save by Marcus Smart in the closing seconds of their November 20th bout to the absolute offensive extravaganza Boston put together (led by Tatum’s 39 points and Smart’s 31) in their February faceoff, these matchups were seemingly filled to the brim with highlight plays.

Their early-season matchup was deemed by many — including some of us at the Houdini — as the “game of the year” to that point, with our very own Andrew Dilorio going as far as deeming it proof that this year’s Celtics were legitimate title contenders.

Frankly, had a few more shots gone their way back on that fateful November night — shot 39 percent from the floor and a putrid 28 percent from deep in comparison to LA’s 42 percent shooting from the field and 38 percent shooting from deep — the shamrocks could have easily squeaked out a win against the completely stacked Clippers and, assuming they also won their second outing as well, would hold the lead at two games to none on the season series and likely be coming into the bubble with a little more respect to their name.

However, we cannot live in hypotheticals; in reality, both teams split their matchups at one game apiece.

Still, it is reassuring for C’s fans to think that Boston’s margin of victory (141-133) was in fact greater than the Clippers’ (107-104) and, thus, were closer to winning the season series than LA was… and they’re still ranked two spots behind.