The Boston Celtics visited the brand-new Intuit Dome for the first time ever on Wednesday night as they took on the LA Clippers. Well, they took on the shell of the Clippers. James Harden, Kawhi Leonard, Ivica Zubac, Norman Powell, and so many more were out for LA. Meanwhile, Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Al Horford did not suit up for Boston.
That left a skeleton-squad Clippers lineup to go up against Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Unfortunately for the Celtics, Derrick Jones Jr. and Kevin Porter Jr. decided to play like superstars. That, plus some lackluster Celtics defense, made this game close. In the end, the Celtics earned a 117-113 overtime win.
Here are three studs and three duds from the game.
Stud - Sam Hauser
This is the Sam Hauser that helped the Celtics win a championship last season. Boston missed him dearly, but it finally seems as though he’s finding his rhythm.
A lingering back issue has been bothering Hauser for most of the season, but the shots are finally falling, and he was on fire against the Clippers.
From the very start of the game, Hauser’s three-ball was on fire on Wednesday night. It felt like whenever he threw up a shot from deep, it beelined for the bottom of the net.
Considering how poor the Celtics’ defensive pressure was at times, they needed Hauser’s scoring boost.
Dud - Defensive pressure
Speaking of, that will be the first dud of the night. For as hot as the Clippers were in general, the Celtics also did a very poor job of pressuring ball-handlers.
The first quarter saw the Clippers get wide-open middy after wide-open middy. And for the most part, that’s the type of shot Boston wants to give up, but they can’t let LA get wherever they want.
There has to be a balance between giving up mathematically-sound shots and actually applying some pressure. The Celtics failed to do that for long stretches of Wednesday night.
LA was able to get downhill consistently on Wednesday. The Celtics just didn’t contain the Clippers well enough.
Stud - Derrick White
It wasn't the most efficient performance, but Derrick White came up big in big spots for the Celtics. Right when Boston needed some clutch plays, White was there, but as he usually is.
White nailed some important shots in the fourth qarter and overtime as the Celtics were getting back into this game (and trying to close things out). Plus, his defensive efforts were crucial in leading the Celtics' back into a place where they could get ahead.
Boston would love to get the super-efficient version of White back, but he was still important on Wednesday night.
Dud - Sloppiness
The Celtics had two turnovers on inbound passes on Wednesday night. One is bad, but two is a product of sheer laziness.
For a team as banged up as the Clippers were on Wednesday, hustle plays are some of the only ways to score. And Boston coughing the ball up multiple times under their own rim is terrible.
Add in some defensive possessions with a lack of focus and general mistakes on both ends, and this was far from the Celtics’ cleanest game.
Stud - Jaden Springer
Sometimes, a few minutes can go a long way. When Jaden Springer came in the game late in the third quarter, the Celtics weren't where they needed to be defensively. In the last four minutes of the third, he nabbed three steals.
From there, Boston's defense seemed to lock in. Joe Mazzulla rewarded Springer's efforts with fourth quarter minutes, and what did he do? Got another steal.
Springer completely changed the tone of this game for the Celtics on the defensive side of the ball. The Celtics even stuck him on Porter Jr., who was red-hot for the Clippers all night long.
Despite virtually not having played all season, Springer came in and helped the Celtics win this game.
Dud - Late-game execution
For the second time in three games, the Celtisc completely failed to execute when it mattered. It happened against the Atlanta Hawks, and it happened again on Wednesday night.
The last few minutes of regulation were a complete disaster. Boston turned the ball over multiple times, failed to protect the rim on drives, and let the Clippers force overtime.
Boston just can't get their act together to close out games.