With Defense Established, Celtics To Now Shift Focus To Offense

If you hang your hat on defense, the offense will work itself out. That’s been a major theme in messaging from Celtics coaches and players so far this season.

It’s cliché, but kind of how things played out for Boston between two halves against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Monday. And now that the team has lived up to their own defensive standards of late, hopefully, those shots will start falling like they did in a 98-92 win.

“It felt like the intensity was better on both sides of the ball and second half,” head coach Ime Udoka said after the victory. “And to hold a team to 92 after 91 the other night, although we didn’t get the win, feels great defensively. But the offense is really what pushed us in the second half.”

Boston trailed Cleveland 39-37 at the break after failing to drop more than 20 points in either of the first two quarters. Their shooting was scarce and 3-point attempts were abysmal. But the Celtics were relentless on defense, and that pace translated to the other side of the ball in the second half.

The Celtics outscored the Cavaliers 28-25 in the third before a 33-28 advantage in the fourth frame helped close it out.

The resolve Boston showed was encouraging, but with the defense straightened out, Boston now must focus on a 43.8 field goal percentage and 36.8 3-point percentage.

“Defense has been a constant for the most part,” Udoka added. “First 10 games we really felt like we got to where we needed to be. Still can grow in that area, but offensively is kind of the focus now to shift and see how we can score more than 98 because we’re holding teams under 100.”