The Celtics Finally Snap Their Losing Streak And They Do It In Spectacular Fashion
See what can happen when you win and play well? You can think all kinds of things. Look winning cures all, that is no secret, so it was great to see the Celtics FINALLY win their 20th game of the season and break their awful skid. Last night was probably the first time we’ve seen the Celtics team of old since about Dec 23rd against CHA. With the way the game started, then turned, then was willed back was beautiful to watch. Let’s waste no time, and jump right in.
The Good
– It felt great to get a quality win against a quality team, at home. Given the Celtics struggles at the TD Garden (9-10 entering this game), I’ll admit I was fairly shocked to see them open as a 2.5 point favorite. Once the game started, it was a disaster. Down a quick 8-0 in just over 2 minutes had everyone’s head in their hands. But that timeout. It wasn’t a no brainer, as any person who knows a thing about basketball calls timeout there. It was about whatever the hell Boy Wonder Brad Stevens said in that damn huddle. The second the Celtics stepped back onto the court, the game was different. What started as a bucket by Jae Crowder turned into a 26-6 run over the next 8 minutes. What a run that was.
– What sucks when Isaiah Thomas goes into a slump, is that you know he is capable of so much more. Over the last three games, we are seeing how the other half lives. Isaiah has been a monster. 9-18 (4-6 from deep) 28 points 4 rebounds 3 assists last night, and he LOOKS like the Isaiah of old. We saw that swagger that makes Isaiah so dangerous as a scorer, because when he’s feeling it, he just pulls up from wherever and splashes
We got another level though. We got a level where his swagger is at such a high that he forgets about his 4 turnovers and makes plays like this
– From an offense standpoint, the Celtics did a wonderful job cutting without the basketball, really carving up the Pacers defense. Right at the start of the second quarter, Jonas Jerebko did a wonderful job making aggressive cuts toward the basket, and while he couldn’t hit the layups because he sucks, at least he got to the free throw line. It showed me that the Celts had pretty good spacing and weren’t just standing around on offense. Which when they do, they struggle.
– I’m not sure at what point Jae Crowder will start getting national recognition for this year’s Most Improved Player, but what we are seeing from him is absolutely beautiful. He is growing before our eyes. The biggest question for him was could he play this way consistently. I think it’s safe to say the answer to that question is yes. 11-15 (3-6 from deep) 25 points 2 rebounds 2 steals. His scoring was consistent in both halfs, he shot the ball with confidence, and he wasn’t afraid to put his head down and take it to the rim. He and Isaiah were by far our best players, and I’m happy to see a guy who clearly cares so much, play well.
– Let’s talk about the defense. Holding Insiana to 40% shooting certainly isn’t terrible. The Celtics did a great job defending the 3, something that often plagues them, holding the Pacers to just 16.7% (5-31) which was huge. I was really impressed with how the Celts were able to contain Paul George in that first half. PG13 is a top 10 player in this league, and he was basically a non factor in the first 24 minutes. The best part was this defensive effort came from everyone who stepped foot on the court. A complete effort if you will (defensive ratings below).
– Ok let’s get to the fun part. Where this game turned. For me, it started with 1:47 seconds left in the fourth quarter, Celtics down 94-91 and the game in balance. Out of nowhere, Amir Johnson gets hissecond steal of the night, goes coast to coast for the easy dunk, now it’s 94-93.
10 seconds later, Marcus Smart makes a great defensive play with his only steal of the night for another coast to coast bucket, 94-95.
And if that wasn’t crazy enough for you, 30 seconds later, we got the icing on the cake. You guessed it, another steal and coast to coast bucket, this time via Jae Crowder
What an outrageous way to win a basketball game. How can you expect an NBA team to be that sloppy basically 4 straight possessions to lose a game? When does that happen? The Celtics literally ripped this win from the Pacers, and I think it was a great way for everyone to let out their frustration a little bit. Just what the doctor ordered.
The Bad
– Slow start to the first quarter, slow start to the third quarter. Not exactly a recipe for success. I thought the Celtics came out flat again in the 3rd, and I guess shooting 36% in the quarter doesn’t help. The had an opportunity to come into the second half, go on a run, and truly put this game away early. They chose the opposite route, PG13 got hot, and all the sudden we had a dog fight.
– I really didn’t like Marcus Smart’s 26ft 3PA down 90-88 with about 3:30ish left. He hadn’t made one from deep all night, he’s clearly struggling, and with the Celts desperately trying to get back ahead, this was not the shot to do it. He made some nice plays don’t get me wrong, but this was not his finest moment.
– As a whole our bench was pretty useless. Olynyk did wake up a little bit, but between Smart/Jerebko/Turner, there was just no production. What on God’s green earth does RJ Hunter have to do to get minutes? What did he do that showed the coaches he deserved less minutes? Weird stuff.
– Thank god the Celts pulled it out, because if they lost another game while missing 6 FTs I don’t know what I would have done with myself. Something tells me this will always and forever be a problem with this team.
– I know he’s never been to compared to some of the greatest passers of all time, but Avery Bradley really struggled passing the ball last night. He’s had a rough time since returning from his calf injury, especially shooting from deep. He hasn’t hit one in 2016 (0-12). Last night he missed some BUNNY looks from 3, so I dunno what to tell ya, he’s got the yips.
The Ugly
– Well, for the third straight game, the Celtics blew a double digit lead. This is starting to feel way too much like the 2013 Celtics for my liking.
– The Celts made a huge mistake wearing these awful silver uniforms instead of some sort of classic 50s throwback to match the Hickory High jerseys. There’s a reason why the traditional Celtics home whites are the best uniform in sports, maybe try wearing it.
I think we can all agree we are happy to see that losing streak end. Things were getting a little tense around here mostly because they were losing winnable games. As we look forward to the next handful of games, things certainly do not get much easier, so the Celtics needed to get back on track.
If they play the way they did last night, this upcoming stretch should be a good test. The Celts have been wildly inconsistent this year, so it wouldn’t surprise me if they won 7 out of their next 10, or if they went on another losing streak.
All I know is I’m riding this Celtics high for at least a few more days, and I suggest you do the same. We’ve earned it.
20 down 27 to go.