1. Jayson Tatum is Unbelievable
In his eleventh recreation again from a torn Achilles, Jayson Tatum dropped a season-high 32 factors with 8 assists, 5 rebounds and 0 turnovers on 12-23 capturing from the sphere and 5-10 from three. He additionally scored his 14,000th profession NBA Level on this recreation, turning into the youngest participant in Celtics historical past to achieve this mark, passing Paul Pierce.
Tatum scored or assisted on the primary 10 factors of the sport for the Celtics, setting the tone for what was going to be an enormous evening.
He didn’t cease there, ending with 20 factors within the first half. Choosing aside an elite Hornets protection with an arial assault from past the arc. Any considerations of his bounce needs to be put apart with the he was in a position to get them off over some fairly nice Charlotte contests.
The second half noticed Tatum proceed to hit some ridiculous photographs coming from the midrange and driving to the basket. He went again to the previous dependable to ice the sport for the Celtics, hitting a 3 between the eyes of Miles Bridges to punctuate an unbelievable efficiency.
This recreation was the closest he has regarded to the previous Jayson Tatum. From the explosiveness, the playmaking, and the three level capturing, this was an throughout nice recreation. Tatum is averaging 20.9 factors, 9.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.1 steals in 31.0 minutes per recreation since his return which doesn’t even sound actual. He actually has lived as much as the nickname as The Anomaly.
2. Hospital Celtics Supremacy
One thing I didn’t point out about Jayson Tatum’s unbelievable efficiency was that he did it with each Jaylen Brown and Derrick White out with harm. Brown missed his second straight recreation with Left Achilles Tendinitis and White was out with a Proper Knee Contusion.
The Hornets going into this recreation had been the perfect staff within the NBA because the begin of the New 12 months with a report of 28-13. In a more moderen pattern dimension, Charlotte was 7-3 of their most up-to-date 10 video games earlier than going through Boston, with wins over the Miami Warmth, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks, three groups who’ve a greater report than them within the Jap Convention. Charlotte additionally dominated Boston of their most up-to-date matchup, beating the Celtics 118-89 on March 4th in TD Backyard.
The Celtics had been searching for revenge and even with out two of their starters, they had been in a position to dominate the Hornets for just about the complete recreation, successful 114-99 in Charlotte. Boston is now 8-1 in video games with Jaylen Brown out this 12 months, exhibiting how unbelievable they’re relating to overcoming adversity.
3. Payton Pritchard Encore
Within the Celtics win over the Atlanta Hawks on Friday, Payton Pritchard had certainly one of his greatest video games of the season, main Boston with 36 factors and seven rebounds on 12-23 capturing. He adopted up this efficiency with one other massive recreation in opposition to the Hornets, ending with 28 factors, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists on 10-18 capturing. He got here up big on this recreation when Tatum went to the bench as the first scorer on the ground for the Celtics and Boston didn’t skip a beat.
Pritchard did most of his scoring from past the arc in opposition to Atlanta, ending with 6 three pointers in that recreation. He solely had 2 threes in opposition to Charlotte however did most of his harm within the paint and within the midrange.
It didn’t matter who the Hornets threw at him, Pritchard was going to get inside on his defender and stand up over them to make the basket. It was giving me shades of prime Steve Nash again in his MVP days with the Phoenix Suns together with his capacity to attain over anyone.
4. Eurobasket Neemias Queta Returned
This summer season, Neemias Queta represented Portugal in Eurobasket and was basically the primary choice for them. In these video games, he was a power inside with an array of again to the basket strikes and play ending that had been in a position to work in worldwide competitors.
With the Celtics he isn’t essentially replied upon relating to his capacity to create offense however we noticed a glimpse of that Eurobasket Queta on this recreation when he completed with 17 factors and eight rebounds on 8-13 capturing. That is actually spectacular contemplating Charlotte have some actually good defensive massive males in Moussa Diabate and Ryan Kalkbrenner.
Queta was nice as a play finisher on this recreation in opposition to the Hornets, getting arrange for lots of nice alternatives beneath the basket. There have been occasions this season the place he has had a tough time relating to catching these passes, generally trying misplaced and simply not placing the ball up. That was the alternative on this recreation, stepping up massive time with the Celtics lacking two of their high scorers.
5. Sneaky Good Baylor Scheierman Sport
One man who received an enormous time alternative with Brown and White out was Baylor Scheierman and he performed an important recreation. In 28 minutes off the bench he completed with 14 factors and three assists on 4-11 capturing from the sphere and 3-7 from three. He may need solely made 4 photographs however all of them got here in a number of the most ridiculous methods attainable.
Whether or not it was a floater that touched the sky with the shot clock working down or hitting pull up threes from 30+ ft, Baylor Scheierman hit some massive photographs for the Celtics once they wanted them most in some instances. He performed some big minutes for Boston on this recreation and his capacity to make a constructive impression on the sport was massive when it got here to stabilizing the rotations.
Anytime Ron Harper Jr will get an opportunity to play massive minutes for the Celtics it at all times looks like he makes a big effect. He did that in opposition to the Hornets the place he solely performed 14 minutes however had 7 factors, 3 rebounds, 1 help, 1 block, and 1 steal on 3-3 capturing and a +10. Harper Jr left the sport halfway via the second quarter with an ankle sprain however earlier than that it regarded like he was going to have one other massive recreation.
Total although I simply get pleasure from watching Ron Harper Jr get an opportunity to play with the Celtics rotation. Grinding his manner via Maine and having the ability to make a legit impression in sparse minutes isn’t one thing a number of NBA gamers can do. I can be very pleased if he finally ends up with a regular contract with Boston so he can play within the playoffs as a result of he has earned it.
7. Jordan Walsh Received the Begin
For the primary time since January 1st, Jordan Walsh was within the beginning lineup for the Boston Celtics. It regarded like he was rewarded for his efficiency in opposition to the Atlanta Hawks the place he performed 27 minutes off the bench and had 5 factors and three blocks. Towards Charlotte, he had one other stable recreation, ending with 3 factors, 7 rebounds, 2 assists and 1 steal in 34 minutes and a +14.
Though he shot 1-7, his impression was felt essentially the most together with his protection on LaMelo Ball. Walsh made Ball work for all the pieces on offense, being an enormous half in him ending with solely 19 factors on 7-19 capturing and 4 turnovers. His fixed stress compelled LaMelo into some powerful photographs and made him miss some fairly good trying three level makes an attempt.
With Brown being out day-to-day, I hope we proceed to get to see Jordan Walsh get minutes and get to see him play his hounding protection.
An enormous purpose as to why the Celtics had been in a position to win this recreation regardless of the expertise disparity was their capacity to shoot the lights out in opposition to the Hornets. Boston completed capturing 42-83 (51%) from the sphere and 14-34 (41%) from three level vary. In distinction, the Celtics held the Hornets to 36-83 capturing from the sphere (43%) and 12-43 (28%) from past the arc.
Charlotte’s poor capturing evening might be defined by the face they had been on the second half of a again to again however that discredits the good protection that Boston performed. They held Kon Knueppel and LaMelo Ball to a mixed 12-32 capturing, slowing down the primary cogs within the Hornets excessive powered offensive machine.
9. Gained the Turnover Battle
Boston’s protection is simplest once they can generate turnovers whereas limiting them on offense. On this recreation, the Celtics compelled 11 turnovers on the Hornets whereas solely permitting 5. Boston completed with 6 steals and 11 factors off of the turnovers they generated from Charlotte.
They had been tremendous aggressive within the passing lanes, placing stress on the Hornets’ ball handlers to power their steals. A really spectacular efficiency in opposition to a high 5 staff in offensive ranking this season.
10. Greatest “Hole 12 months” Ever?
Firstly of the season it regarded like this season for the Boston Celtics was purported to be what they name a “hole 12 months.” Some individuals noticed the losses the staff had plus Jayson Tatum coming again late within the season and simply anticipated the Celtics to take the 12 months off. Nicely, if 50 wins for the fifth straight season and clinching a playoff spot because the second seed within the Jap Convention is taken into account a “hole 12 months,” this needs to be the perfect one in NBA historical past proper?
I predicted Boston to complete with round 45 wins this 12 months and a high 4 seed within the East however I don’t understand how many individuals even thought they had been going to complete that prime after the 0-3 begin to the season. It truly is a testomony to the tradition that Boston has cultivated to have the ability to at all times be aggressive regardless of the roster. There actually is nothing higher than being a fan of the Boston Celtics.
