Aggressiveness on offense: Jayson Tatum and Malcolm Brogdon difference in Boston Celtics win over Bulls

Following the days that have been filled with the drama surrounding their former head coach, Ime Udoka, the Boston Celtics now turn their eyes to the future. The Celtics managed to hold off the Bulls at TD Garden to achieve revenge from the previous matchup in Chicago on Friday night, improving its record to 5-3.

Joe Mazzulla has led this promising Cs team, improving their defense from the first few games of the season, and emphasizing the need to stay poised in late-game situations. One of the concepts that stood out in Boston’s win to get back on track was its ability to get downhill and finish around the basket.

Malcolm Brogdon once again put together a dazzling display off the bench, shooting 9 for 10 from the field, and scoring 25 points without netting a shot from behind the arc. Jayson Tatum was the catalyst to success, scoring an astounding 36 points, and combining with Brogdon to shoot 29 free throws on the night, more than the entire Bulls team managed to create. Tatum’s 20 attempts from the charity stripe were the most in a single game in his career, surpassing his previous mark of 17 which he accomplished twice in two games where he scored over 50 points.

After Boston pulled away at the end of the fourth quarter, Tatum spoke on Brogdon and his importance to the team, stating:

"“He’s been terrific for us…Just that veteran presence off the bench that is a starter on most teams in the league, and that’s sacrificing for the better of the team. It goes a long way, and he impacts the game in every way when he comes in. We needed it all tonight to get the win.”"

The Boston Celtics find different ways to score against Chicago

This season, Boston ranks tied for seventh in the league in free throw attempts per game with the Milwaukee Bucks. In contrast, in the previous campaign, the Boston Celtics were 24th in the NBA in that category, averaging just over 20 attempts from the line per game. While the resilience on the 3-point shot continues, the presence of Malcolm Brogdon in the second unit, and the evolution of Jayson Tatum give Boston a different way to attack the opposition at the most efficient rate compared to last season. There were many instances last season where many questioned why Tatum settled for that jump shot when the path to the basket was clear as day.

This season, Tatum knows where the seams are in the middle of the defense, and attacks them with one mission on his mind. The former Duke forward goes straight through contact and with the combination of Brogdon’s ability to penetrate a half-court defense, the opposition does not receive a break on the defensive end all game. The Boston Celtics’ attitude to get inside in the second quarter led to a 37-point quarter, giving them the fourth most points accumulated in a single quarter through eight games.

There is still plenty of room for improvement, and at the end of the day, Boston is going to shoot a whole lot more 3-pointers than the average NBA team. This Bulls’ win demonstrates another way for the Celtics to win ball games. If Boston is shooting just 29% from beyond the arc, there are plenty of players not including Tatum and Brogdon on this roster that can get to the bucket when the Celtics need it the most. On Friday at the Garden, Boston achieved 39 shots from the free throw line, more than any game in the regular season when Ime Udoka was in charge. It helps when the Celtics are second in the NBA in free throw percentage, but getting to the line more frequently not only allows this talented shooting team to put up points, it wears down a defense and forces the opposition to play off a little bit on the perimeter, giving Tatum and the rest of the team space to shot over the top.

Against a physical Chicago team, this is the way the Boston Celtics have to play on the offensive end. The Bulls want to force Boston into tough perimeter shots, but if players like Tatum are able to dictate the physicality on both ends of the floor, it makes Chicago extremely frustrated when it sees players dressed in green and white lining up to take free throws. The next eight games are against teams that Boston is going to see for the first time this season, and with this eye-opening revenge-driven game against the Bulls in the win column, this Boston Celtics team is ready to show off their improving defense, and their aggressive, and downhill style in both transition and in the half-court.