It was anticipated that some of the younger players at the Boston Celtics would have a great opportunity to enter this season.
It was hard to imagine, after all, that they would be through this shorthand all year long.
Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, as the Celtics were without their defensive identity in Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown, there were plenty of opportunities for the guys who were usually at the end of the Boston bench to make an impact.
And they have.
Sure, it was Jayson Tatum’s 34 points or maybe a clutch that stole Kemba Walker on the piece that led the Celtics to a narrow 119-115 victory. But this game was also earned by Carsen Edwards, Semi Oeieye and Grant Williams.
In his best offensive performance ever for the Celtics, Edwards had 16 points, four rebounds and two assists as he shot 3-out-5 from the depths and pulled a 3-point foul in the tight end.
“Seeing the first shot come in is always a good feeling, and I feel like I’m trying to learn to get into a rhythm in other ways,” Edwards said after the game. ‘By stopping, trying to get a setback or something like that. But seeing a shot go in helps a lot. So, stay just as consistent, man. It was a good game for me, it was good to play and I just want to build on that. ‘
Celtics head coach Brad Stevens can appreciate that the second guard on Friday is ready to help immediately.
‘I think especially Carsen, last year it was just hard to get minutes in that team. We were so deep on the wing and so interchangeable with that group that even when there were minutes available, you did not want to play small, you wanted to play more versatile, ”said Stevens. ‘But he just stayed that way, he had a really good few months and I thought his opportunity came up in a game a few weeks ago. And even if he plays, he does not go down, he just stays ready. So you thought he would play a role tonight, but we do not win without him. He changed the complexion of the game. It’s really encouraging. ”
Oeieye had five points off the bench with four rebounds and an assist. Most important, however, was his defensive assignment at the end of the game.
Oeieye, who was pushed in late, guarded Kawhi Leonard while the NBA superstar missed a few late jumpers that would have affected the outcome the other way around.
“Semi was there, do it,” Stevens said. “He does not get much attention for what he does. It’s not the easiest role in the world to be left with 32 seconds left and Kawhi Leonard is waiting 1-on-1 and in a week he’s at the end of the game on LeBron (James) and at the end of the match Kawhi. . This is how teams work, right? We do not all have to wear a hood, but everyone has to do their job well. ”
As for Grant Williams, who in any case usually gets more playing time than Edwards and Oeljeye, he has still shown steady improvement – especially shooting on the three-point range – of late.
He had 11 points with four rebounds, two assists, and shot 3-of-4 from deep against Los Angeles.
‘He started to get out of the gates a little slower, but has really increased lately … His skill has grown over the last 18 months and I think his ease. And I think there’s a clear difference in the last month of the first month of the season. ‘
Here are some other take-away from Boston’s victory over Los Angeles:
Walker was slower to acclimatize himself in the series after being away for a while to start the season. The minute restriction imposed on him also did not help him to get into a rhythm.
But the starting point guard was solid for the Celtics throughout the game and actually played a pretty excellent second half.
In addition to a season-high 24 points with four assists, a steal, a block and a rebound, Walker also stole with a clutch in the stretch, hitting a spring runner and nailing some game-assuring throws.
“He was great. He was really great all the time, “Stevens said of Walker. ‘I thought he was good on the ball, off the ball, even the shots he missed in the first half – he came in his place. Defensively I thought he really fought and got in there and tapped some balls and kept some balls alive in the rebound. But he is a competitor. I think guys like him sometimes see other guys out there, and they almost accept it as a bigger challenge. We saw it tonight. ‘
Payton Pritchard returned after two weeks with a sprained MCL in the line-up series for Boston, scoring eight points with two rebounds and two assists.
“To be honest, I thought he looked a little tentative,” Stevens said of the rookie’s return. “I had to tell him to shoot. The next time he touched the ball, he hacked one right in front of me. And he made it. So he’s a good listener, but I thought he looked shy in the first half and then thought he was good in the second half. ”
It’s becoming the season on which the “Hospital Celtics” will really live up to their nickname.
Daniel Theis was ruled out in the third quarter against the Clippers because the team announced he would miss the rest of the game with pain in his right knee.
“He complained a little bit about it,” Stevens said of Theis’ injury. ‘I got extra treatment before the game. Went back and warmed up again, said he was feeling well. I did not think he looked good the first time, and put him back in the second time. I definitely thought he was a stair, he does not feel well. And so it made sense to sit at rest. ‘
Stevens does not think the matter will be of concern, but because the team is on the road at the end of this cruel piece, the team takes no chances.
“I do not think it’s anything big,” Stevens admitted. “You know, he sat for the same thing a few times last year, but this piece is insane, so we just have to make sure we’re smart with all these guys.”
– There are two more games on the trip to Boston.
The Celtics travel next to Phoenix for a matinee against the Suns at Super Bowl Sunday at 1:00 p.m. ET. After that, they end the long time in Utah against the Jazz on Tuesday.
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