5 topics as Evan Fournier’s hot shot helps the Celtics demolish the Hornets

COMMENT

The Boston Celtics won a surprising victory against (admittedly short-handed) Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, winning a 116-86 victory.

Here’s what happened.

The big picture

The Celtics struggled at the start and looked in the first quarter that they were on their way to an ill-fated family game.

Then, the second unit, triggered by Evan Fournier and (perhaps) Romeo Langford, helped propel the Celtics in a 19-4 run that took control of the game. The Celtics missed nothing in the second half and ended with one of the most encouraging wins of the season.

Game star

Evan Fournier – 17 points, shot from 5 to 9, 3 to 4 out of three

Other Celtics had slightly better stats lines, but Fournier was a big part of the game-changing unit and showed how important it could be as the Celtics seek to build towards the playoffs. More about him (and the second unit) in a minute.

What it means

It’s hard to say. The second unit really looks stronger with Fournier in tow. Langford’s defense will be a huge boost as he recovers, and Grant Williams played a few good minutes in the center. Perhaps most importantly, the Celtics seemed to be enjoying themselves for the first time in a long time. This team spent most of the season looking miserable as they struggled to figure things out, but Sunday brought on some real smiles.

There are some factors that affect the good vibes a little bit, and we’ll get into them, but the Celtics found some reasons for optimism in a season that has offered few so far.

Apprenticeship

1. The Celtics were picking up 3 points and on Sunday they helped a lot. After a slow start, the Celtics finished 21 out of 54 (38.9 percent) from the bottom. The stretch in which they looked like the worst version of themselves coincided with the stretch in which they lost all triples.

The good news for the Celtics is that they hit a lot of shots behind the hoop and, when they make a lot of shots, they are a good basketball team. The wait-and-see news is that a team that hasn’t consistently scored 3 points has consistently gotten hot, and we should probably reserve the judgment until we see if they continue to roll.

2. That said, the second unit looks much better with Fournier. His presence keeps good players on the ground longer and adds a ton of scoring punch. Previously, the second unit lineups needed Jayson Tatum to be a superstar in order to stand a chance. Now, Tatum is not the only reliable presence, which means that the Celtics can really win stretches during which it has been sprayed frequently this season.

3. Robert Williams continued to shine, finishing with 16 points on the 7 of 9 and eight rebounds. At this point, it seems impossible for Brad Stevens to consider putting Tristan Thompson back on the starting lineup when he returns – Williams’ impact was obvious. Before Sunday’s game, Williams’ net rating in the last five was +15.8.

Williams has an imminent difficult test with the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid – a test he has never done. If Thompson is not back (and it seems unlikely that he will), Stevens may have no choice but to let Williams take him.

4. Moderating expectations a little: Hornets didn’t have LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward (and will stay for the next four weeks) and it never looked competitive. Don’t be surprised if they fall for a long time without two of your best players.

5. It’s nice to see that the Celtics still appreciate Rozier, who was a really fun personality in Boston (with the exception of the 2018-19 season, but it’s hard to blame him for that).

Terry Rozier and Robert Williams are exchanging t-shirts … but Marcus Smart launched himself to try to steal Rozier’s shirt

– John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@RedsArmy_John) April 5, 2021

Sunday’s game looked like fun. Very few Celtics games looked fun this year. We’ll see if it continues.