The Boston Celtics are officially out of the schneid.
After going without a win on a three-game trip and dropping to ninth place in the Eastern Conference, C recovered in a necessary 118-112 victory over the Indiana Pacers.
For the first time in a while, the Celtics competed with energy. Kemba Walker was at his best and although Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had tough nights in the attack, the team managed to win. The bank certainly played an important role in its ability to do this.
Highlights: Kemba leads Celtics in 118-112 victory over Pacers
Here are our thoughts on this and more on our three instant reactions to the Celtics’ victory over the Pacers.
1. The Celtics found the perfect bench rotation.
Perfect is always a relative term. Could the Celtics have a better bank? Certainly.
But with what they have, did they find the perfect match? It sure seems so.
Against the Pacers, the Celtics bench made an excellent effort throughout the competition. Jeff Teague looked rejuvenated on his way to a 14 point game. He drove aggressively to the edge and tied for the time-high in free-throw attempts with eight.
Payton Pritchard made good effort shots and hit some critical kicks, especially in the first half, to help the C’s keep pace with Indiana.
Most impressive of all, Robert Williams continued to play at a high level. Williams provided unlimited energy and made many moves close to the edge on both sides of the ball. He ended the game with 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and a steal and cemented his position as the team’s best center.
These three played an important role in the victory for the C’s and should continue to play big minutes off the bench. And once Marcus Smart can return, this four-person bench rotation won’t look bad.
That said, this bench group has yet to prove that it can continue to bring in this type of energy every night as the season progresses. So while this has been a great performance, it is still a little early to call it the perfect bank rotation.
Verdict: slight overreaction
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2. Kemba Walker needs to sit, back to back.
Since returning from a knee injury that prevented him from playing in the first 11 games of the season, Walker has not been consistent. But one thing he always did well was playing after skipping the last few consecutive matches.
With the extra day of rest at his disposal, Walker seemed more refreshed on the court. And the numbers prove it. Incredibly, in four consecutive games after being out of a back-to-back, Walker recorded a high season on points.
And in five games coming out of a load management day this season, Walker averages 24.6 points per game. In all other games combined, he averages 12.8 points per game.
Needless to say, Walker’s effort helped lead the Celtics to victory against the Pacers, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown fought hard. As long as he is playing well in consecutive games, the C’s must continue to sit on him – unless they find themselves in a mandatory win scenario.
Verdict: It’s not an overreaction
3. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s shooting fights are of concern
Tatum and Brown have not played the ball well in recent games. In fact, this can be an understatement.
Against Pacers, Tatum and Brown for 9 of 30 of the field and combined for just 24 points. They also fought the Hawks and, combined, are shooting only 28.8% of the pitch in those two games.
So this begs the question: are Tatum and Brown’s recent struggles a concern? In a word, no. The Celtics shouldn’t worry too much.
All players go through crises. This includes rising stars like Tatum and Brown. What’s more important is that the two played with more energy against the Pacers and managed to hit some clutch kicks to keep Boston in a round-trip relationship with Indiana.
If this continues in the long run, Cs should be concerned. But, for now, these are just some complicated games. There is no need to press the panic button yet.
Verdict: Overreaction