How Malcolm Brogdon adds a new dimension to the Celtics: Film breakdown

April 11, 2024

The Greek island of Santorini frightened me in all the best ways.

That probably isn’t what you were expecting to read here. I promise I will get to the relevant stuff: initial takeaways from Malcolm Brogdon’s preseason action.

But in case you were wondering why I missed the start of training camp, when the Celtics were enveloped in drama, it’s because I was honeymooning in Greece. Of all the spots we visited, Santorini’s beauty touched me the most, but it wasn’t the easiest place for me to relax. With my drastic fear of heights, spending three days on the edge of a cliff left me constantly anxious, though also filled with awe at the unmatched views of crystal clear water, beautiful volcanoes and a perfect sunset. Being petrified has never been more worthwhile.

Was late September the worst time ever to leave the Celtics beat? Pretty close to it. We picked our wedding date so we could go on the trip earlier in the month, almost always an NBA dead time. But two of my best friends scheduled their own weddings on the two weekends after mine, delaying our trip right into the start of training camp. When we booked all of the flights and hotels, I didn’t know the Celtics would be dealing with a scandal at the same time as our vacation. I missed even more than I thought I would.

That’s why I needed to catch up on the Celtics’ exhibition performances by watching all of the games on Synergy Sports this week. If there’s one thing more magical than preseason basketball, it’s preseason basketball on a small computer screen when you know the outcome of all the games. I wrote down several brilliant notes, such as “Sam Hauser can shoot real good.”

Still, I’m not sure anything else from the preseason matters more than the way Brogdon fits. On paper, he should mesh well with the rest of the Celtics roster. He can handle the ball or play off of someone else. He can guard a number of positions. He can make plays off the bounce and knock down shots for an offense that occasionally went dry at the least opportune times last season.

But basketball isn’t played on paper. Brogdon’s preseason minutes have given the first clues of how adding him will impact the Celtics on the court. Here are some takeaways after breaking down film of his first two games. (Brogdon sat out Boston’s third preseason contest).

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1. His playmaking should really help

Over 48 minutes so far, Brogdon has racked up 18 assists. He won’t keep up that pace during the regular season, but it’s already clear how his passing should help the Celtics’ offense.

Brogdon has made the simple passes, but isn’t just collecting easy assists. He’s creating offense off the bounce, then reading the defense properly. He has already connected on seven assists to Hauser alone, setting up the deadly shooter with all sorts of easy attempts. Here’s an end-of-quarter possession where the Celtics didn’t even need to run a set. Brogdon drove by his own man, drew several Raptors defenders and nailed Hauser with what amounted to a 3-point layup for him:

Brogdon grew used to controlling an offense by himself in Indiana. He has far more talent around him on the Celtics.

“It’s a new adjustment, of course, but, for me, I embrace it, man,” Brogdon said. “I took on a lot of load in Indiana. I enjoyed it. But this is a new role, a new team, a new level of team, to be honest, that’s competing for a championship. So we’re gonna have more ball handlers, more guys that have more skills and more strengths. So I enjoy playing with them. They make the game easier for me.”

Brogdon has also made the game easier for others, especially Hauser.

2. The Celtics now have a lot of shooting in their second unit

Grant Williams and Payton Pritchard each shot better than 40 percent on 3-pointers last season. Dating back to the beginning of his college career, Hauser has never shot worse than that in a campaign. With Brogdon joining that bench crew, Boston’s bench is loaded with knockdown shooters. Brogdon didn’t make 3s consistently last season, but owns a career 37.6-percent mark from that distance and could be even better than that in his new role. Over three seasons in Milwaukee, where he was more of a supporting player than primary ballhandler, he never shot worse than 38.5 percent on 3-point attempts and twice cleared 40 percent. Even the centers, including Blake Griffin and Luke Kornet, will let it fly.

Though preseason stats can’t always be trusted, the Celtics have launched 3-pointers so far at an extreme rate. Through three exhibition games, they have led the league in both 3-point attempts (47.7 per game) and makes (19 per game). It’s a far cry from the beginning of last season, when the Celtics weren’t sure where they’d find second-unit shooting. They know now the answer is just about everywhere, especially if Hauser grabs a regular season role. Eventually, Derrick White and his 31.2-percent 3-point shooting will also come off the bench, but he’ll be the only second-unit guard or forward who hasn’t hit long-range shots at a high level.

Though nothing about the rotation can be certain after a few preseason games, I wonder if the Celtics will always stagger Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. With Brogdon in the second unit, the team’s offense could actually be able to survive a few minutes without the two stars. I don’t expect interim coach Joe Mazzulla to always rest Tatum and Brown at the same time, but it could be an idea for the coaching staff to consider from time to time. That could be one way to give Brogdon more reps running the pick-and-roll. In Indiana, he showed he can thrive when used that way.

3. The Celtics’ small lineups should be stronger

Robert Williams III is hurt. Luke Kornet hasn’t played yet in the preseason. The Celtics haven’t been able to show off their desired frontcourt rotation yet. They will be bigger once Williams returns. Still, especially when they’re shorthanded, they could turn to more small lineups this season.

Brogdon should make those more potent.

Here, the outlet went to Brogdon even though Tatum and Marcus Smart were also in the game. Without rushing the ball up the court, Brogdon took advantage of the semi-transition opportunity. With Tatum and Hauser spaced in the corners, the Raptors are in trouble if they give any help. Brogdon seemed to notice he was essentially in a 1-on-1 drill. Even with an athletic, capable defender in O.G. Anunoby on him, Brogdon attacked and showed off his physicality, capping off a quick possession with a left-handed finish.

Brogdon’s scoring should give the Celtics’ small lineups a new element. He could land next to Smart, Tatum, Brown and Al Horford in the closing unit, but will also give Mazzulla opportunities to load up bench lineups with capable guards. Brogdon knows how to play off others and how to set them up.

During the preseason opener, the Celtics even used a lineup with Tatum at center. They aren’t likely to go that small often (or maybe ever) once the regular season arrives, but could lean more into that style, especially while Williams is injured. The trick to playing small is continuing to defend at a high level. The Celtics will need to prove they can still play elite defense without a lot of size on the court, but that’s a reasonable hope with such a tough group of guards and wings.

4. Brogdon’s transition play has been promising

The Pacers weren’t built to excel on the fast break during Brogdon’s time there, but he has gotten out and running during the preseason, just like Mazzulla wants. With the caveat that defenses will be far more locked in once the real games start, Brogdon has looked capable of helping the Celtics pick up their pace. He can grab a rebound and start the break. He can fill the lane and make smart decisions. He can set up his teammates for showtime:

Brogdon could have gone in for a layup of his own there. Instead, he waited to set up Tatum. That type of play can go a long way for a new guy in the locker room. Unselfishness always plays well with teammates. The Celtics showed more of it late last season, but still need to be sharper on the break.

They simply weren’t good in transition last season, ranking 27th in points added per 100 possessions in such sequences, according to Cleaning the Glass. That’s an obvious reason why Mazzulla has pushed the team to ramp up the pace throughout the preseason. Adding an intelligent guard like Brogdon should help even if he hasn’t been a transition demon in the past.

5. Will there be a learning curve?

The real games won’t start until next week. Brogdon has only made five of his 15 shot attempts through two preseason appearances, and is just two for nine on 3-point attempts.

“I feel like, right now, I haven’t made a lot or some of my open shots that I usually make,” Brogdon said. “But that’s all due to rhythm, new team. So those are the ones you’re gonna see me knock down, as well as continuing to get guys open and play my game.”

If Brogdon keeps getting the same shots, he’s likely going to make them at a much higher clip in the near future. He has taken mostly clean looks other than this tough stepback 3-pointer:

This type of play will be one the Celtics run in key situations late in quarters. Most of the time, they will want to hit Tatum whenever a point guard switches onto him. Here, Tatum spaced out to allow Brogdon room to work on Mason Plumlee. The process isn’t great. The result isn’t either: Brogdon badly misses the difficult 3.

He could need time to begin maximizing sets when he’s in screening actions with Tatum or Brown. It’s been a while since Brogdon played with any perimeter player at their level.

“Now you’re just continuing to make the right play,” Brogdon said. “Keep the game simple. I think, a lot of the time, when you make a transition to a new team, which I’ve done before, you tend to overthink it, you overthink the game. And, for me, keep the game simple and it’ll evolve from there.”

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(Photo: Brian Fluharty / USA Today)

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