Getty LeBron James #23 and Brandon Ingram #14, Los Angeles Lakers
After the Boston Celtics defeated the New Orleans Pelicans on November 18, Brandon Ingram was asked why they were so difficult to guard on the offensive end. Ingram praised the Celtics for how well they work on both ends as unit because of their continuity.
“Them being connected, you can tell they’ve been playing with each other for a long time. In their offense, you can see guys moving when they’re in isos and how the offense is just fluid. On the defensive end, they’re pretty connected, so just a really good team.”
Ingram also pointed out what the Celtics have accomplished and who they weren’t playing with when they played against the Pelicans.
“This team was just in the finals,” Ingram said. “Of course, it was without Marcus Smart tonight.”
The Celtics were also without Robert Williams III and Danilo Gallinari, but they’ve been out since the start of the season.
Ingram played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 2016 to 2019 before being traded to the Pelicans for Anthony Davis. Ingram made the all-star team in 2020.
Jaylen Brown Sounds Off on Turnover Issues
Jaylen Brown, who was selected right after Ingram in the 2016 NBA Draft, delved into the Celtics’ turnover issues when they faced the Pelicans during his postgame press conference.
“Just being careless with the basketball, you know? We came out well, got to an early lead, and kind of took our foot off the gas a little bit,” Brown said. “And that’s something that we gotta, you know challenge ourselves throughout the year – to keep our foot on teams’ necks, don’t let up, don’t let them get back into the game. We were still able to win, but that’s something that we got to be better at and monitor.”
The Celtics turned the ball over 17 times against the Pelicans, and Brown himself was the main culprit of the issue, having been responsible for seven of the 17 turnovers. Brown is averaging a career-high 3.3 turnovers this season, which is also the highest among the players on the Celtics roster.
Brown Praises Derrick White for Aggressiveness
In his postgame interview with Abby Chin of NBC Sports Boston, Brown singled out White for being aggressive with the ball after the Celtics beat the Pelicans.
“I love when D-White’s aggressive,” Brown said. “It’s better for our team. He’s a really good player, and when he finds that aggressiveness, he makes the game easier for everybody else. D-White carried us tonight, and we got a win.”
“We played team basketball, made the right plays and let the game take care of itself”
@tvabby caught up with Jaylen Brown after the Celtics ninth straight game ☘️
White finished the game with 26 points on nine-for-12 shooting, including six-for-eight from three. He also led the team in plus/minus, posting a plus-21. White was the Celtics’ second-highest scorer behind only Brown.
On the season, White’s shooting percentages are improved compared to what he was putting up with the Celtics last season after being acquired at the NBA Trade Deadline. This season, White is shooting 47.1 percent from the field and 45.2 percent from three. Last season, he shot 40.9 percent from the field and 30.6 percent from three.
It did not get much better in the playoffs, as White shot 36.4 percent form the field and 31.3 percent from three.
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Ex-Lakers Star Sounds Off on Celtics Being ‘Connected’