Tatum and Brown combined 60 of the points and 20 of the team’s 36 field goals. They had little help. Daniel Theis scored 11 points from 12 shots. Newcomer Payton Pritchard, making his first NBA debut, followed his 20-point game on Thursday with 2 points on Friday.
Grant Williams scored 1 point in 25 minutes and did not attempt a shot.
It is a luxury to have two of the top 20 players in the league, especially when they are 24 (brown) and 22 (Tatum), respectively, but they will be exhausted at this rate. Games keep coming and support is simply not there. Kemba Walker has been in crisis since returning to the team and the supporting cast is too inconsistent.
When asked if he will have to pay attention to his level of fatigue and endurance, Brown said: “I don’t even have a comment on this one. I think we have to do the best we can to help our team win. No excuses. “
In other words, Brown is saying, “Ask us for help, Danny!” The Celtics can wait another six weeks to use their $ 28.5 million trade exception, but until then Tatum and Brown may need worker compensation. The Celtics have become a two-player team because Walker is unable to score as before and the others are very erratic.
Theis, who improved as a 3-point shooter, tried to tie the game in the end with an open 3-point attempt – for a reason. He had lost the previous three. In the next play, Detroit rookie Saddiq Bey played his seventh 3-point basket, becoming the first rookie in league history to hit at least seven 3-point points in a game without losing.
It is even more annoying because Bey was chosen five choices after Aaron Nesmith in the draft. Nesmith has contributed little so far. Bey is the shooting range that the Celtics would like to have now. And while this is short-term thinking – Nesmith can become a capable player and a big contributor – for this year’s Celtics, it is significant.
The Celtics needed production from both newbies and, although Pritchard has exceeded expectations, Nesmith is still a developing player. With a lack of support, either Tatum or Brown – or both – will start to break.
It’s no surprise that Brown is dealing with a tendonitis in his knee that made him miss two games on his recent trip. Tatum played 41 minutes in the second game in a row, and the Celtics played again on Sunday afternoon.
Brown appeared to have participated in a UFC fight with Jon Jones after the game, his mask covering his swollen nose as much as protecting him from the virus.
“I don’t know how many times I hit the floor, but I might as well have mopped the floor, man,” said Brown. “Detroit was a physical team. I think this point is a little bit ridiculous. I don’t want to comment on that too much because I’m not going to be fined, but I was hit hard in the face and nothing. “
The physical price is already apparent, and if Ainge wants to save his team for the playoffs and beyond, the Celtics need to acquire a third marker. The Celtics, in addition to Tatum and Brown, hit 16 to 39 shots, 4 to 16 from the 3-point line to 42 points.
It is unfair to depend on Pritchard to be the third top scorer, with Walker losing his knee rest. Semi Ojeleye scored 9 points before leaving with knee problems. Brown and Tatum will be happy with most kicks – they love to kick and score – but defenses will disrespect others if they fail to hit or create open kicks.
Ainge needs to move the phones even further to find a player who can impact this team as quickly as possible. Waiting patiently has not taken the Celtics much over the years. They waited for an agreement that never happened to unload that “treasure chest” of recruitment picks and eventually had to use most of them.
The result is an inconsistent team that wins in LA against the Clippers, beat the Raptors twice as often as the Bucks and the Heat, but lose to a team with one of the worst NBA records on a night when the Pistons were riddled with injuries in the attack court.
“There is a lot of unknown because we are inconsistent,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens. “If we were more consistent as a team, we would be much better known. I think we are capable, but there is a big difference between being consistent and capable in this league. Consistent wins at the end of the day and has a chance to play for things, but we are not there yet. “
Time is running out for this team. The Celtics need help from Tatum and Brown, or these guys will get tired of trying to carry the team on their backs.
Gary Washburn can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @GwashburnGlobe.