⋅ Oh, now I understand why the Clippers gave up Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and five first-round picks for Paul George. Okay, maybe that’s a little extreme. Maybe it’s a lot extreme. Not to mention the Clippers gave up even more than that – Danilo Gallinari and a few pick trades also went to the Thunder. This may be the most lopsided exchange in NBA history that didn’t culminate with Red Auerbach smiling and taking a drag on a cigar.
But…George’s stellar performance as a Celtic, including a quiet, masterful 36-point game against one of his former teams on Tuesday night, was a necessary reminder that this is an extremely accomplished NBA player whose abilities were overlooked by most Celtics fans following the trade that sent Brown to the 76ers.
It puzzles me that George – a nine-time All-Star, six-time All-NBA and four-time All-Defense – was underrated here given that Celtics fans are smart (at least the ones who don’t call sports radio) and his performance was one of the main reasons the 76ers bounced the Celtics in last season’s playoffs.
The 76ers didn’t play a “Welcome, Paul” tribute video in the arena Tuesday night, but George didn’t need one. He turned the game into his own highlight while pulling off the trick of playing a completely selfless brand of basketball at the same time. He shot 14 of 22, including 6 of 11 from 3-point range. Fourteen of his points came after the 76ers rallied to tie the score at 79 in the third quarter.
And he did it – and does it, game after game – by playing decisively. The stagnation and my-turn stuff is all but gone in the Celtics offense. The ball moves more often. George is a floor shooter who can still slide to the hoop at 36 years old, and he has the innate ability to recognize what the Celtics need at any given moment and provide it. His skill set is different, but his basketball awareness reminds me of Jrue Holiday, and there are few compliments higher than that.
Oh, and don’t forget: Brad Stevens also got two first-round picks in that deal you hated. Yes, you. Don’t make me dig up the receipts.
⋅ Brown should have to trade his harp for a sad trombone after this performance. Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics team knew exactly how Brown was going to approach this game – like a combination of William Wallace in “Braveheart”, Maximus in “Gladiator” and Ken yelling “Revenge!” at the end of a “A Fish Called Wanda”. And they knew exactly what to do to ruin his “I’ll show you” plans.
The Celtics defense double-teamed Brown virtually every time he caught the ball and attacked his dribble, knowing he would try to beat the double-team himself rather than making a quick pass to open up an opportunity for a teammate. He ended up making several short, reluctant passes with those double teams, contributing to a disjointed offense. Words to Mark: Prepare for this team of mismatched stars to start complaining about Nick Nurse if there’s a losing streak coming.
Mazzulla and Co. also took advantage of their tunnel vision for Jayson Tatum on the defensive end, taking advantage of the fact that he wouldn’t be in the assist-side defender position, or particularly interested in being one. For him, the match was a head-to-head match.
Brown scored just 13 points, turned the ball over four times, struggled with foul trouble and was minus-27. It was very much in character for Mazzulla to note before the game, when Brian Scalabrine asked him if he would face Brown, that it was also Anfernee Simons’ first game against the Celtics since being traded. Simons actually outscored Brown, 17-13.
⋅ About every 8 and a half years, Tatum will dunk over LeBron James’ head: Tatum played an admirably mature game, putting up 21 points, 6 rebounds and 4 assists in 32 minutes while ignoring Brown’s personal antics.
But Tatum had a flashback to his NBA youth, hammering a third-quarter dunk over James that immediately brought to mind his late dunk in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals during his rookie season. (That’s the first thing I always think of when I remember that game. Second? Terry Rozier goes 0 for 10 from three. Huh.)
Tatum says he still doesn’t feel like he did before his Achilles injury, which should scare the rest of the league. He’s a master of his own seriousness on the field, a complete player who recognizes how even his subtle decisions can positively affect his teammates.
This is something that some of the other accomplished players we know well here have yet to learn. And we’re not talking about Paul George.
Chad Finn can be contacted at chad.finn@globe.com.
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