Despite missing Derrick White and Sam Hauser on Monday night against the Houston Rockets, the Boston Celtics put up a strong fight. They were consistently challenged by the Rockets’ younger, more athletic squad but managed to tie the game at 112, thanks to Jayson Tatum’s impressive drive to the basket against Amen Thompson, one of the league’s top defenders. However, a crucial defensive mistake on the next possession allowed Thompson to score the game-winning basket.
The Celtics attempted to adjust their defensive assignments on the fly, with Jaylen Brown covering Thompson and Luke Kornet shifting to guard Jalen Green in the corner. Fred VanVleet capitalized on the confusion by quickly passing to Thompson, who then managed to beat Brown to the basket after the late defensive switch. The second-year forward for the Rockets, who had a career-high night, took full advantage of the situation.
After the game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla took responsibility for the defensive mix-up, admitting he was at fault for calling the matchup switch too late, as reported by Jay King of The Athletic.
The initial decision to have Kornet defend Thompson made sense, as Thompson isn’t much of a perimeter threat, allowing Kornet to focus on guarding the drive. However, with the ball going to Thompson, the Celtics tried to anticipate a switch, but overthinking the situation resulted in two critical points for Houston, ultimately sealing the game.
Though a two-point loss to the Rockets isn’t disastrous, the Celtics have been struggling lately, with a 5-5 record in their last 10 games and losses to teams like the Lakers, Hawks, Raptors, and Kings. This recent slump has raised concerns among fans, but with their full roster soon returning, the Celtics have time to course-correct. However, they need to avoid getting complacent, as every team is gunning for them.
