It might be time to rethink the Celtics end-of-game pecking order

It’s no secret that the Celtics’ offense struggles down the stretch of games. In fact, you’re probably tired of hearing about (and witnessing) their end of game woes by now. Despite having the best offensive rating in the 2022-2023 playoffs, Boston’s offensive rating falls to the 4th highest in the final quarter, and their turnover percentage drops to the 5th worst of all playoff teams in the final frame.

I probably didn’t have to find those stats for you though, because it’s easy to see with your own eyes. While the C’s run fast, forceful, and purposeful offense in the first three quarters, they tend to stall out towards the end of games. It leads to turnovers, bad shots, and even no shot in some scenarios (we saw this with Malcolm Brogdon’s throw away in Game 1 and the final play in Game 4).

The clutch-time deficiencies are starting to look more like a pattern than a fluke at this point, which means it’s probably time for Joe Mazzulla to throw some wrinkles into the offense.

Time for a change?

Jaylen Brown has been better than Jayson Tatum in these playoffs. Plain and simple. No caveats, no excuses – he’s just been better. Jaylen’s averaging 25.5 points on 55% shooting from the field and 47% shooting from three. He’s basically shooting it into the ocean at this point. Tatum, on the other hand, has struggled to find a groove. Yes, he’s averaging 26 points a game, but he’s doing it on 46% shooting and 34% from deep.

However, when it comes down to late game offense, Brown often finds himself hanging out off the ball and spotting up in the corners. That’s because no matter how he’s played for the first 36 minutes of the game, it is just assumed that Jayson Tatum should be the go-to guy in the final quarter.

While Brown ranks second in usage rate for the Celtics during the playoffs, he ranks fourth in fourth quarter usage rate. In this series against the Sixers, Brown ranks sixth in fourth quarter usage rate.

Now, it should be noted that I fully understand why Tatum has traditionally been the go-to guy. Quite frankly, I normally trust Tatum with the ball in his hands a bit more than Brown; Jayson is a better passer, and he tends to play at a slower speed, which results in fewer turnovers and more controlled play. Jaylen can often be caught dribbling into crowds and moving too fast for his own good.

But, believe it or not, Brown’s “out-of-control” moves to the hoop are pretty darn effective. His incredible…