5 lessons like Kemba Walker and Robert Williams help the Celtics hold the Clippers

The Boston Celtics won their third straight game on Tuesday night, submitting the Los Angeles Clippers in a 117-112 penalty shootout.

Here’s what happened.

The big picture

The Celtics and Clippers exchanged blows for much of the competition, with Paul George (32 points, 12 out of 26 shots) and Kemba Walker (25 points, 6 out of 12 out of three) leading their respective teams in scoring. Boston gained some breathing space in the fourth period – building its lead to 11 – and the Celtics held the Clippers on the home stretch.

The Celtics beat the Clippers in both games this season.

“We didn’t play them at full strength in any of the games,” said Stevens. “You take this with a grain of salt, but they are really good and you better cross your T’s and mark your I’s to be in the game and have a chance. Our guys did a good job tonight to keep going. “

Game star

Rob Williams – 13 points (5 out of 8), eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks in 20 minutes.

Williams was not Boston’s top scorer, but he had an extraordinary impact in his 20 minutes, with a compact line of statistics. He made a great pass to Tatum at the end of the fourth period and pulled two huge rebounds in the final minute. The Celtics benefited greatly from its high-low pass, rim protection and vertical spacing, as has been the case for most of the season.

Stevens still doesn’t seem to trust him defensively entirely (which is not entirely unfair), but we seem to be saying the same thing here: Williams’ flashes of brilliance are increasingly revealing.

What it means

The Clippers were not at full strength, but a win is a win, especially on a night when Jayson Tatum looked like a shell of himself for much of the game. Boston is now guaranteed a record of 0.500 entering the All-Star range and can boost itself further with a victory over a shorthanded Raptors squad on Thursday.

With Marcus Smart’s comeback approaching, Boston appears to be recovering well from its devastating stretch.

Apprenticeship

1. The Clippers made things interesting in the final stretch, while Boston’s attack was staggering with a double-digit advantage. When Paul George jumped free in the corner with 10 seconds remaining and buried a triple, reducing the lead to two, a clearly exasperated Brad Stevens called for a timeout. The Clippers managed to force the ball to Daniel Theis, who is throwing 64 percent of the free-throw line this season.

Theis, however, hit both free throws and Paul George missed a difficult 3-point attempt, and Boston got the win.

2. Both teams appeared to be playing a relatively solid defense – the players were mostly engaged and in position. None of the teams, however, managed to stop. The Celtics took the Clippers out of pick-and-roll and had plenty of second-chance opportunities with a balanced score. The Clippers moved the ball and kept the Celtics in rotation, opening the corner with 3 points when Boston’s defense broke.

3. When Jayson Tatum is out, he tends to force shots in difficult competitions, trying to stay active. This is an easy trap to fall into, but it is not productive – most players and coaches agree that the best way to start is to attack the hoop or reach the free-throw line and let the heat build up with easy kicks.

This happened in the fourth half almost by accident – Tatum drove hard to the edge and scored a foul. He hit both free throws and, in the next possession, hit a 3-point corner that left the Celtics with nine. Two possessions later, he landed on a reverse tray that pushed the lead to 11.

Breaking a cold wave does not always have to be difficult. Tatum finished with 14 points in pitches out of 5 out of 16.

4. It is funny how perceptions can change in some photos taken. Walker had a good game – he scored six assists and four rebounds along with his 25 points – but his 3 out of 6 shots out of 12 won him.

Walker’s performance can be seen as further evidence of his health, and he seems significantly faster and more agile in recent weeks. But while Tuesday’s game was impressive, Sunday’s may have been a better representation of his improvements – Walker controlled the pace of the game until the final two minutes, when Tatum took over.

Both performances are encouraging, but the one on Tuesday perfectly exemplifies the NBA’s truism: “It’s a decisive league”. Against the Clippers, Walker had many marks.

5. Payton Pritchard found his range with four points out of 3, two of which were very deep. Jeff Teague launched a pair of timely buckets when the Celtics were struggling a little. Williams played well. The Boston bench got it right a little bit – crucial in a game when the stars were solid, but not at all remarkable.

“I think we are getting better playing with this group,” said Stevens. “I think Rob’s threat in the rim really helps with that. But these guys can’t just be spectators. They have to be aggressive, they have to be assertive, they cannot play passive. And I thought they supported a few games in a row. “