It is too early to say that the Boston Celtics found out, but it looked like a different team in recent games.
With the 116-86 victory over Charlotte Hornets on Sunday, the C’s won two consecutive convincing victories. Sure, they came against the humble Houston Rockets and a short-handed Hornets team, but there are a lot of good points to take from Boston’s recent performance.
Highlights: C’s dominate Hornets for second straight win
Here are three observations about the Celtics’ win, which brings them back to 0.500 (25-25) this season.
Evan Fournier is exactly what the Celtics needed
Fournier’s abysmal debut at the Celtics seems like a distant memory right now. After scoring just six points in his first two games with Boston, the former Orlando Magic found its rhythm.
In Sunday’s win, Fournier picked up where he left off on Friday, when he lost 23 points out of seven out of 3 points. He continued his fierce stretch going 4 to 5 beyond the arc and extending his 3s streak to 10.
Fournier finished with 17 points and six assists, the best of the team, off the bench, giving the Celtics the extra score and presence they needed so much this season. That’s why Danny Ainge used TPE to bring him to Boston, and is starting to pay dividends.
Romeo Langford brings defensive boost in limited minutes
Brad Stevens said ahead of Sunday’s game that he doesn’t expect much from Langford in the coming weeks, as he manages to put his legs under him. Perhaps he should have set his expectations a little higher.
Langford made the most of his limited minutes on his season debut, particularly impressing with his defensive effort. In 12 minutes, the 21-year-old scored three points, a rebound, an assist, a steal and a block.
At the beginning of the second half, Langford left his mark by hitting a 3 and blocking a shot on the other side of the court. See below:
Not bad for a guy with “gelatinous legs”.
If Langford can stay on the court, he can give a good boost as a guard who can bring in a valuable defense from the bank.
Robert Williams’ good streak continues
Time Lord is becoming a staple in these Celtics observation pieces because it is impossible to ignore his presence whenever he is on the court. On Friday, we watched as Williams played the best game of his young career against the Rockets. He was also excellent on Sunday.
In his third start to the season, Williams scored 16 points and eight rebounds, with two steals, two assists and a block. In his last two games, Williams has 16 of 18 on the field with 36 points.
The Celtics are a better team with Time Lord on the court, and their consistency can be a big differentiator for Boston, which seems to be turning the season around and reaching the playoffs.