5 takeaways as Evan Fournier Celtics’ hot shot helps break down Hornets

COMMENT

The Boston Celtics won an eyebrow victory on Sunday against the (albeit short-haired) Charlotte Hornets, who won 116-86.

Here’s what happened.

The big picture

The Celtics struggled early and in the first quarter looked like they were on their way to a well-known unlucky game.

Then the second unit, fueled by Evan Fournier and (perhaps) Romeo Langford, helped propel the Celtics to a 19-4 run that took control of the game. The Celtics never lagged behind in the second half and scored one of the most encouraging wins of their season.

Star of the game

Evan Fournier – 17 points, 5-for-9 shooting, 3-for-4 of three

Other Celtics had slightly better stat lines, but Fournier was a big part of the unit that changed the game and showed how important he can be an addition than what the Celtics look like after the playoffs. More about him (and the second unit) within a minute.

What it means

That’s hard to say. The second unit looks really stronger with Fournier on tow. Langford’s defense will give a big boost when he recovers, and Grant Williams played a few minutes at center. Most importantly, the Celtics looked like it for a while for the first time in a while. This team looked miserable for most of the season as they struggled to figure things out, but Sunday elicited some smiles.

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

Takeaways

1. The Celtics absolutely raised 3 points, and on Sunday they provided solid assistance. After a slow start, the Celtics finished 21-for-54 (38.9 percent) from deep. The piece where they looked like the worst version of themselves coincided with the piece where they missed all their trips.

The good news for the Celtics is that they hit a lot of shots behind the arc, and if they are a lot of shots, they are a good basketball team. The wait-and-see news is that a team that hasn’t always consistently made three-pointers has warmed up, and we’ll probably have to hold judgment until we see if they keep rolling.

All that said, the second unit looks so much better with Fournier. His presence keeps good players on the floor longer and adds a lot of points. Previously, setting up second-unit Jayson Tatum was necessary to be a superstar to have any chance. Now Tatum is not the only reliable presence, which means the Celtics can in fact win pieces during which they have been regularly powdered this season.

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

Williams has a tough test with the Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid – a test he has never really taken. If Thompson is not back (and it seems unlikely he will be), Stevens may have no choice but to allow Williams.

4. To temper expectations a bit: the Hornets were without LaMelo Ball and Gordon Hayward (and will be for the next four weeks) and never really looked competitive. Do not be surprised if they fall for a long period without two of their best players.

5. Good to see that the Celtics still appreciate Rozier, who was a very 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 exchange jerseys … but Marcus Smart swam in trying to steal Rozier’s

– John Karalis (@RedsArmy_John) 5 April 2021

Sunday’s game looked nice. Very few Celtics games have looked good this year. We’ll see if that continues.