The Boston Celtics are officially off plan.
After winning on a three-game drive away and falling to ninth place in the Eastern Conference, the Cs bounced back in a much-needed 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 despite Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown having offensively difficult nights, the team was able to win. The bank has certainly played a major role in their ability to do so.
Highlights: Kemba leads Celtics to a 118-112 victory over Pacers
Here’s our thoughts on it and more in our three immediate overreactions of the Celtics’ victory over the Pacers.
1. The Celtics have found the perfect bankruptcy.
Perfect is always a relative term. Can the Celtics have a better bench? Definitely.
But have they found the perfect combination with what they have? It sure feels like it.
Against the Pacers, the Celtics bench put in an excellent effort during the game. Jeff Teague looks rejuvenated on his way to a 14-point outing. He drove aggressively to the edge and equalized with eight for a team height.
Payton Pritchard made some good efforts and hit critical shots especially in the first half to keep the Cs up with Indiana.
Most impressive of all, Robert Williams continued to play at a high level. Williams delivered unlimited energy and made many plays near the edge on both sides of the ball. He finished the game with 14 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, three blocks, and a steal and confirmed his place as the best center in the team.
These three played a big part in the victory for the Cs and they would continue to play big minutes off the bench. And once Marcus Smart can return, this four-man bankruptcy will not look bad at all.
That said, this banking group has yet to prove that they can continue to bring this kind of energy every night. While it was certainly an amazing achievement, it’s a little too early to call it definitely the perfect bankruptcy.
Verdict: Slight overreaction
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2. Kemba Walker must sit back.
Since returning from a knee injury that kept him out of the first 11 games of the season, Walker has not been consistent. But one thing he did well throughout was to play after skipping the last point of rugby games.
With the extra rest day at his disposal, Walker looked fresher on the track. And the numbers support that. Incredibly, in four consecutive games, after putting out a rugby match, Walker recorded a season high.
And in five games that take place on a load management day this season, Walker scores an average of 24.6 points per game. In all other matches combined, he averaged 12.8 points per game.
Needless to say, Walker’s effort helped turn the Celtics into a win over the Pacers, while Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown struggled greatly. As long as he plays it well while playing rugby, the C should keep him sitting unless they find themselves in an essential scenario.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
3. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s shootouts are alarming
Tatum and Brown have not shot the ball well lately. In fact, it may be an understatement.
Against the Pacers, Tatum and Brown 9-of-30 off the field and combined for just 24 points. They also struggled against the Falcons and together they shoot just 28.8 percent off the field in the two games.
So the question is, is Tatum and Brown’s recent fight a source of concern? In a word, no. The Celtics should not be too worried.
All players go through setbacks. These include budding stars like Tatum and Brown. More importantly, the two played with better energy against the Pacers and were able to hit tackles to keep Boston in a back-and-forth relationship with Indiana.
If it takes longer, the Cs should be concerned. But for now, these are just some rocky games. It is not yet necessary to press the panic button.
Verdict: Overreaction