Finally! Although it’s only been one game, the Celtics are back to winning. That heartbreaking one-point loss was the kick they needed to come back to the Staples Center and take care of business. They were able to top the Clippers 113-102, leaving a lot of Celtics fans breathing a bit easier.
Contributions from Everyone
When I say this was a good game for almost everyone on the team, I mean it. But hey, if you don’t believe me just look at the stats:
- Kyrie Irving- 20 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast
- Jayson Tatum- 18 pts, 6 reb, 3 ast
- Aron Baynes- 12 pts, 6-8 FG, 6 reb
- Marcus Morris- 15 pts, 2 reb, 2 ast
- Bench- 39 pts,17 reb, 10 ast
Jaylen Brown had a rough shooting night, but he was able to contribute in other ways. It was an important win for the Cs, especially since they were missing Horford and Smart. To be honest, going into this match-up without those two had me worried. But once again this team has proven to be resilient.
How Did the Celtics Win This Game?
Now, if you look at the team stats, it could cause a bit of confusion. The Celtics lost the rebound battle, points in the paint, points off turnovers; just to name a few. But, they made up for it by winning in:
- 3-PT %: they were 14-40 from behind the arc while the Clippers were 5-21. I swear LA only began hitting them when it didn’t matter anymore.
- FT %: after only getting ten free throws against the Lakers, they were more aggressive and forced twenty-two attempts against the Clippers. Oh yeah, and they only missed one, while the Clips were 27-39.
- Steal: ten steals to the Clips’ six. Not a huge difference but it gave the Cs more possessions.
- Turnovers: I know I already said they lost the battle of points off turnovers. But if you notice, the Cs had thirteen turnovers and only gave up sixteen points off of them. That’s pretty good. But overall the Clippers turned the ball over more, which gave the Cs more possessions.
The Road Ahead
The Celtics have two more games on this road trip before heading home. Next, they head to the Bay to face the Golden State Warriors. This is a top team in the west that they’ve already beaten in Boston, holding them well under 100 points. After, they head to Denver to take on the Nuggets, another team they’ve already beaten at home. The Warriors have the best record in the league, but the way they lost to Houston has everyone shook. The Nuggets are only one game over .500 and are 2-3 in their last five. Can the Cs dig deep enough to take another win from both teams?
Tune in for ABC’s Saturday Primetime to watch the Boston take on Golden State. And don’t forget to watch them play the Nuggets on NBATV on Monday!
