Road Warrior Celtics Out-"Pace" Streaky Jazz

Scott G Winterton, Deseret News
Both the Celtics and the Utah Jazz are kinda lower-middle-class when it comes to the matter of Pace of Play this season – the C’s rank No. 17, Utah No. 20, a tad above and a smidgen below 99 possessions per 48 minutes currently.

I bring this up only because Wednesday’s 114-103 Boston victory produced a mere 177 combined possessions, the most leisurely-paced game Brad’s boys have played this season. (Their Thanksgiving week home victory over Sacramento had produced 179 combined scoring opportunities.)

Did Jazz coach Quin Snyder commit a strategic blunder by not having his squad push the pace a little more against a short-handed team playing its second game in as many nights – especially in Q1?

During that opening 12 minutes, eight of Boston’s 22 possessions occupied 10 seconds or less of clock time, while just five lasted for 17 seconds or more. On the other hand, only five of Utah’s 23 possessions concluded within 10 seconds and a dozen endured for at least 17 seconds. In Q1, the average Utah possession lasted for 16.3 seconds, the average Boston possession four seconds less … the Jazz won the Time of Possession contest 6:15 – 4:32

Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
For the full 48, Utah possessed just under 23 minutes of clock time to the C’s 21:41.

And yes, for about a minute or so every quarter, the ball belongs to neither team!


Game 58 at Utah


Boston 114

FG: C’s – 45-84, .536
3FG: C’s – 11-26, .423
FT: C’s – 13-16, .813 [7 conversions]
TS%: C’s – .570
OR: C’s – 9 + 3 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: C’s – 35 + 2 (team) [minus 3 FT rebounds]
TO: C’s – 8 + 1 (team)
Poss: C’s – 88 {36 “Empty”}
PPP: C’s – 1.295
CV%: C’s – 52 / 88, .591
Stripes: C’s – 8 [4 conversion]
Adjusted CV%: C’s – 56 / 88, .636 {expected production, 112 points}


Utah 103

FG: Ut – 40-89, .449
3FG: Ut – 12-40, .300
FT: Ut – 11-15, .733 [5 conversions]
TS%: Ut – .488
OR: Ut – 13 + 2 (team) [minus 0 FT rebounds]
DR: Ut – 28 + 0 (team) [minus 1 FT rebound]
TO: Ut – 9 + 1 (team)
Poss: Ut – 89 {44 “Empty”}
PPP: Ut – 1.157
CV%: Ut – 45 / 89, .506
Stripes: Ut – 8 [4 conversions]
Adjusted CV%: Ut – 49 / 89, .551 {expected production, 98 points}


Note re Calculation & Notation:

The number of “possessions” is an accurate count, not a formula-based estimated value. For purposes of clarity, the bracketed digit following the FT% is the exact count of “conversions” represented by those FTA’s.

“Possessions” calculation: FGA’s + FT conversions + TO’s – OR’s (including Team OR’s) – FT OR’s

“Conversions” calculation: FG’s + FT conversions

“Stripes” calculation: 3FG’s – missed FTA’s

TS% = True Shooting Percentage

PPP = Points per Possession

CV% = Conversion Percentage


Abacus Revelation for the Road

Wednesday’s tilt concluded Boston’s eighth back-to-back of the season and evened their record in such games at 4-4, all the wins on the road.

The Celtics are undefeated when playing a tired-legged opponent, five of the seven victories occurring on their familiar parquet.
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