The game started and it was over: The borderline excitement from the newest evaluation group, starting Bobby Portis at center alongside Lauri Markkanen, overruled common sense about a group that hadn’t played much together.
Just seeing a group that on paper, seemed to be the best likely lineup against a team like the Celtics was a perfect opponent to judge its effectiveness.
However, the Celtics ripped that lineup to shreds in the first several minutes, and the grand opening became the grand closing at the first timeout.
Airspace?
None of it was available on the perimeter as Jaylen Brown suffocated entry passes and Al Horford used his veteran know-how and versatility to snuff out any cleverness Fred Hoiberg might have cooked up.