The Boston Celtics wracked up yet another preseason victory. Like the two that came before it, a different aspect of Mazzulla Ball showed itself against the Charlotte Hornets, but not in the way in which one would expect. The most well-known aspect of Mazzulla Ball is the three-point battle, which Boston still values quite highly, but last night showed it's not the deciding factor it once was.
In a game in which the Celtics won by 21, the Hornets won the three-point battle 16-11. In fact, in the third quarter specifically, Charlotte made six threes to Boston's two. When the quarter began, the Celtics were up by 10. By the quarter's end, the Hornets had shaved only two points off their lead.
...Huh?
How did Boston survive what felt like a three-point barrage? In the past, if opponents beat them from three, it was a tough problem to overcome. It's why the Celtics emphasized a bunch of three-point shooting over the last few years. Again, they still value that and will still attempt threes at a high rate this season, but losing that battle isn't the death blow it used to be for Mazzulla teams.
I need to stop beating around the bush. Why did this happen? Because the Celtics badly won the turnover battle, forcing 29, to the Hornets' 11. Charlotte gave up 27 points off turnovers to Boston's 12.
Not only winning the turnover battle but obliterating it undoubtedly played a role in why Charlotte's above-average shooting night from distance didn't put so much as a dent in their game.
It gets even more impressive
This went beyond the fact that the Celtics were forcing turnovers like their lives depended on it. The Hornets also out-rebounded them 43-40, which seems odd because previous Boston preseason outings have demonstrated how much they want to win the battle on the glass.
However, the points in the paint difference was also badly lopsided, as Boston beat Charlotte to a pulp in that category, scoring 56 to the Hornets' 20. So yes, the Hornets beat the Celtics shooting from the perimeter, but numbers like these suggest that it didn't matter. In fact, they conclude that Boston played the way they want to play.
It all-around confirms that this Boston is matchup-proof. Everyone will say "Preseason means nothing!" all they want, but because the Celtics yet again won a game pretty handily even when certain battles that they typically win (or try to) go against them all suggest how matchup-proof they will be this season. If they had made their threes, this would have been a 30-point or more drubbing.
So while the Celtics are sure to keep shooting threes, nights like last night show they are immune to when the tables are turned, a great change of pace from the last few years.
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