Tag Archives: Boston Celtics

Celts’ Only Constant is Inconsistency

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If you click on over to SBR, and read a Heritage Sports review, you will see why recreational and professional sports bettors always include Heritage as one of their top options when betting sports. But the oddsmakers at Heritage, and other top-notch online books, must be shaking their collective heads when trying to identify an acceptable line on the Boston Celtics. This is a team as enigmatic and mercurial as any in the NBA and Celtics’ fans are feeling the same frustration as those trying to bet with them, or against them.

We see glimmers of hope but then, in a flash, frustration and confusion come to the fore yet again, as it did on Saturday night in Chicago. Boston’s last several games have been a microcosm of the entire season. Talented club with a bona fide superstar, and a few others waiting to blossom, reels off 10 wins in 11 games. After yet another victory, they return home to take on both LA entries within two nights of each other, where the oddsmakers are hanging the Green as double-digit favorites in both contests, and Boston proceeds to lose not one but both. Then, like flicking a light switch, the same team that just laid an egg in consecutive games to inferior opponents travels to Philadelphia to beat one of the preeminent Eastern Conference powers and follows that up with a sound victory over the Pistons.

And despite losing a 98-97 heartbreaker to the Milwaukee Bucks in the following game, we can forgive that road loss against the team with the best record in basketball. But for the luvva gawd what we can’t forgive, or understand, is losing the next game to a team like the Bulls, as 10-point road favorites mind you, contending for the No. 1 pick in the draft by virtue of owning one of the worst records in the league! And to add insult to injury, the Bulls were playing the second leg of back-to-back games, yet the Celtics still bowed 126-116.

Championship caliber teams very rarely fall to the dregs and although they may not cover the number, losing outright is an aberration – a one-off, if that. Even very good teams routinely pad their records against sub .500 clubs like the Bulls, Lakers, Magic, Heat, Suns, et al. Well, not your local entry because Boston has lost to all of those teams which is why their 61.7 winning percentage is good enough to assure them the No. 5 spot in the East but well below preseason expectations. To borrow a term from Kevin Garnett, where’s the grit and balls? Where is the team from last year that took LeBron’s Cavaliers to seven games without Kyrie and Hayward?

Maybe “team” is the operative word. After Saturday night’s loss to the Bulls, Marcus Smart summoned a ray of optimism followed by an expression of the same angst and frustration Celtics’ fans are feeling. “Yeah, we’re good. We’re still in a good position. We’ve got a lot of basketball left. We lost here last year. We got blown out here last year (108-85 in December 2017), and in the end of the season, we were still fighting for everything we wanted to fight for. We still were in the last game of the conference finals. So, this is not the end of the world, but it is embarrassing. It’s embarrassing. Just our effort is embarrassing. How we played is embarrassing.”

When pressed further Smart had this to say, “It’s all simple. It’s just effort. Just effort. That’s definitely it. It’s plain and simple. Just effort…You know, we’ve got all the talent in the world, but you know… I don’t even know what to say. Like, really, I have no words.”

And neither do we.

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Positives of Gordon Hayward on Celtics second unit

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In a docu-series released by The Athletic called “The Return”, Boston Celtics forward Gordon Hayward exclaimed:

“I won’t be the same player… I’ll be a different player. I think something of that magnitude changes you as a player. Does that mean that I’m not going to be able to get to the same level or better than I was? Absolutely not.”

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(Waltham, MA, 11/02/17) Gordon Hayward leaves after talking with reporters about his leg injury at the Celtics practice facility. Thursday, November 2, 2017. Staff photo by John Wilcox.

Being just over a year removed from a devastating foot and ankle injury, a slow start was expected for Hayward. Though, not many expected the former All-Star to have a career-low .390 field goal percentage while averaging just ten points per game.

Hayward’s struggles have mirrored Boston’s, as the Celtics are ranked 24 of 30 in points per game (105.6) and offensive rating (105.8). They rank even worse in team shooting percentage (42.8 percent) at 28 of 30.

Clearly, a shake-up is needed, and Hayward is well aware of it. The forward told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that he is willing to come off the bench. Specifically, Hayward stated:

“For me, I’m happy to be on the court, No. 1 more than anything and, No. 2, whatever I can do to help us win’’.

Before Celtic fans panic about their highest paid player coming off the bench, let us look at the positives that will come from the situation.

More shot attempts for Hayward

When asked about his slow start, Hayward answered:

“Sometimes it gets frustrating, but for me, I’ve played in the league long enough to know you just have to put in the work in practice and shoot with confidence, shoot your way out of it.”

Unfortunately, Hayward hasn’t been allowed to “shoot his way out of it” due to the Celtics’ abundance of scoring options. Boston has seven players averaging at least 8.5 field goal attempts per game, with Hayward being second to last among them at 9.5. This is a far cry from the 15 field-goal attempts per game Hayward saw in his final seasons in Utah.

A move to the bench will create a situation where Hayward is a primary scoring option, allowing him to attempt more field goals, and shoot out of his slump.

A veteran scorer on Celtics second unit

Boston’s second unit is struggling offensively. Only Marcus Morris (0.2) has a positive offensive box plus/minus in the group. The Celtic’s need to swap Jaylen Brown, who is struggling offensively, with Hayward, which would allow Boston to add a veteran scorer to their second unit without mortgaging their defense.

Celtics

Via Sporting News

Boston is desperate for a spark

The Celtics have to change things up offensively. They need Hayward taking more shots in order to escape his “funk”, as well as need their offensive efficiency to improve as a whole.

Hayward coming off the bench is just the spark Boston needs. Having an All-Star caliber presence off will give the Celtics a massive advantage over teams that lack depth. There will be no possessions off for Boston’s opposition when Hayward enters the game for Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown.

Celtics stun Suns in OT: 116-109

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The Celtics stole a win in Phoenix last night. Boston trailed 32-13 after the first quarter, though managed to overcome a 22-point deficit to edge out the Suns. Leading the way was Kyrie Irving, who scored 18 of his season-high 39 points in the fourth quarter and over-time.

Celtics

Boston Celtics guard Kyrie Irving (11) backs down Phoenix Suns guard Isaiah Canaan (0) during the second half Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, in Phoenix. The Celtics won 116-109 in overtime. (AP Photo/Matt York)

Here are three takeaways from the Celtics first win of their current road trip.

Celtics atrocious shooting performance

The Celtics shot a mere 32 percent through three-quarters of Thursday night’s game. The only starters to score in double figures were Irving and Jaylen Brown, who shot a combined 46 percent and scored 56 points. Boston’s other three starters combined to shoot 32 percent and score just 19 points.

The bench struggled as well, shooting 29 percent not including Marcus Morris’ 7-13 shooting. It was a miracle Boston was able to edge Phoenix in this overtime thriller.

Resilient Comeback

The Celtics trailed 90-73 at the seven-minute mark in the fourth quarter. Led by Kyrie Irving’s 18 in the fourth quarter and over-time periods, Boston would out score Phoenix 43-19 down the stretch.

Clutch shots from Irving, Brown and Morris were key to overcoming such a massive deficit. Specifically, Irving’s 3-point shot with 35 seconds left to bring the game within three points was essential. From there, Irving stole the ball from Phoenix’s Devin Booker, and passed to Jaylen Brown for a lay-up to bring the deficit to one. After two free throws by Phoenix, Marcus Morris hit a massive game tying 3-pointer to force overtime.

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Boston Celtics forward Marcus Morris (13) hits a game tying 3-point shot against the Phoenix Suns on November 8, 2018. (Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Boston converted on their first six possessions in overtime, giving them a 114-109 lead with less than 2:00 remaining. The game would end 116-109 after Jayson Tatum made both of his free throws.

Free throw attempts

Boston finally attacked the basket, drawing a plethora of fouls in the process. They attempted 31 free throws, whereas Phoenix took just 19. The Celtics are undefeated in games with at least 14 free throw attempts, so it is imperative they continue to get to the line.

Their next test will come in Utah against the Jazz on Friday, November 9 at 9:30 PM ET.

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Three Takeaways: Pacers 102, Celtics 101

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The Celtics suffered a heartbreaking one-point loss at the hands of Victor Oladipo and the Indiana Pacers. Boston had control of the game throughout, though lost the lead with 3.4 seconds remaining in the fourth after an Oladipo 3-pointer.

Despite the loss, the Celtics showed signs of promise. Marcus Morris lead the way with a season high 23-points in 33 minutes off the bench. Morris was one of the five Celtics to score in double figures, as well as one of seven to have at least six-rebounds. The team is playing unselfish basketball, though needs more time to gel.

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Via USA Today

Here are three takeaways from the Celtics third loss of the season.

Live by the three, die by the three

Boston continued their barrage from beyond the arc. After attempting 55 3-pointers against Milwaukee, they hoisted up another 46 in Indiana.

The 3-point shot has taken reign, and Brad Stevens and the Celtics have made a major impact. The NBA has seen an increase in 3-point attempts per game in consecutive seasons since 2011-12.

Since 2014-15, the Celtics have averaged more 3-point attempts than the league average. Withholding tonight’s performance, Boston ranks fourth in the NBA in 3-point attempts per game with 36.3. Though, they currently rank 21 in in three-point percentage at 34.8 percent, which is a far cry from their 2017 rank of sixth at 37.0 percent.

The Celtics will have better shooting nights, and worse. Their 41.3 percent mark was not the reason they lost tonight, though it will take more than that to beat the Indiana Pacers at the Fieldhouse.

Lack of free throw attempts

Due to the Celtics settling for the 3-point shot, they failed to draw many fouls in the paint. Boston ended the game with nine free throws compared to Indiana’s 25. It is fair to say the discrepancy in free throws allowed the Pacers to keep the game close.

Boston is 0-3 in game this season with 10 or less free-throw attempts. They will have to do a better job of drawing fouls otherwise they will continue to play close games.

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Via NBA.com

Celtics in Foul Trouble

Boston committed 12 personal fouls in the first half and finished the game with 20. Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Aron Baynes each had three at half time. Specifically, Gordon Hayward played just 11 minutes in the first half due his foul trouble. His presence on defense was missed, as Indiana outscored Boston 27-17 in the second quarter.

Hayward will need to avoid foul trouble, as his impact on the defensive side of floor is integral. His defensive versatility is incredible, as Stevens has matched him up with guards and forwards alike. We’ve seen him matchup with face-up forwards like Blake Griffin and Thad Young, as well as crafty guards like Corey Joseph. If Hayward is in foul trouble, the Celtics will be in defensive trouble.

Their next test will come in Denver against the Nuggets on Monday, November 5 at 9:00 PM ET.

Celtics Rookie First Round Pick Robert Williams Assigned to G-League

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Robert Williams III, the Celtics first round rookie out of Texas A&M, has been assigned to the NBA G-League by the Boston Celtics to play for the Maine Red Claws. The Celtics franchise G-League affiliate tips off Friday night, November 2nd, 2018, against the Westchester Knicks. He is expected to start right away.

Williams was selected with the 27th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft. In two seasons at Texas A&M, he averaged 11.1 points and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Has he been performing badly?

Not in the slightest. Robert Williams has actually impressed thus far in his action. He threw down a thunderous dunk 0:05 seconds into his game against the Detroit Pistons on October 27th, and then recorded 3 blocks.

The assignment isn’t because Williams hasn’t been playing well. Rather, it’s because they have no minutes for him to play. Aron Baynes, Marcus Morris and Al Horford have gotten the overwhelming majority of the minutes at the five position. That’s not including Daniel Theis, currently injured, who has been getting a lot of minutes too.

I’m sure this was a decision made by Brad Stevens. Stevens see’s the big play material and potential written all over Williams, and would rather him be playing minutes against lesser talent then playing no minutes at all.

Is this a good move?

Hell, yeah! The Celtics have plenty of depth this season and are currently healthy. Plus, they can call up Robert Williams and then send him back whenever they want. This move allows Williams to play, continue to refine his game and keep him ready for NBA action.

So far, the Celtics had only played him in eleven and a half minutes over four games. I’m certain that Williams will return to the team at some point this season. With extra experience, he should play very well upon his return.

In the meantime, someone please make sure that Maine has a roof high enough to keep Williams from bumping his head on the rafters during his launch for a dunk.

Celtics Edge Pistons 108-105: Three Takeaways

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Tuesday night’s action was a welcome sight to sore eyes in Boston. The wait for Kyrie Irving, the Celtics star point guard, to score a lot of points and shake the monkey off of his back is finally over.

Irving scored 31, his highest point total of the season thus far, and added 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal to his game totals as well. Irving, with a freshly shaven head, seems to have moved on from his horrid start to the season that saw him averaging just 14 points per game through the first six games, and a stretch where he eclipsed 20 points just twice, an scored a career low, 3 points in 23 minutes, against the Pistons on October 27th.

Let’s jump into this game and see what we can takeaway from it.

Kyrie looked like his old self again

Photo courtesy of @BCelticNews

Kyrie Irving started this season with an Afro. It was a new look for Kyrie, and he didn’t perform well. Hours before the game, he posted on Instagram that he had shaved the Afro away to his more traditional look.

Kyrie has really struggled this season to get going, and it must have been really frustrating for him. To finally shake (er, rather, shave) the monkey off of his back and have a solid game must feel great, and hopefully he can continue with that.

His shot chart looked better too, as you can observe for yourself down below. The most encouraging thing that we saw from Kyrie last night is he had his step back. Check out the video I attached that’s blowing up #NBATwitter.

Kyrie Irving’s shot chart 10/30/2018 Vs Detriot. Courtesy of basketballreference.com

What’s going on with Kyrie?

Kyrie’s game has always been his ability to score at the basket, and then come back down the court and knock down a pull up three. He’s always been an offensive weapon more than anything else.

Yesterday, he struggled in his usual game, the mid range. As you can see, he missed everything from the high post. Still, despite that, Kyrie looked smooth on the court. We’ve wanted to see that for a while now, where Kyrie can just settle into his game. He did so, and in a beautiful fashion.

Another crazy stat: Kyrie scored the same amount of points alone in the third quarter than the entire Pistons team scored (13). This speaks volumes on the defense that the Celtics are capable of playing.

Seeing Kyrie shoot 10 of 16 from the floor (4 of 7 from behind the line) is extremely encouraging as a Celtics fan. With his struggles from the floor all season, we all love that he has gotten back into things with a special game in a crunch-time moment.

The Celtics have had an answer for Blake Griffin

Photo courtesty @celticsblog

When the Celtics beat the Pistons on Saturday Night, 109-89, they held Blake Griffin to just 7 points. Not so much the case in this game, as Griffin led his team with a bruising 24 points and 15 rebounds.

Griffin had been pretty effective from beyond the three point line so far this year before his couple of games against the Celtics. Going into last nights game, he was 15 of 27 on the season from that range, getting basically any shot he wanted.

Griffin had never been that kind of a player, until last year, when he started taking more three’s. He still wasn’t a great three point shooter, but apparently it’s something he’s working very diligently at adding to his arsenal. This season, he’s been shooting lights out.

Part of the equation for Blake so far this year is no one has known how to defend him.  They can’t cover him like an above ground pool cover pump. He’s hitting three’s and driving to the basket. If you try to defend his three point shot, he drives around you to get the uncontested lay-up. What do you do as a defender?

The Celtics switched to Zone Defense.

The Celtics spent a lot of their time last night in a 3-2 zone. They know that Detroit really doesn’t have any serious perimeter shooting threats, and decided that they could place their four and five defending the low post. Because Jaylen Brown is an over-sized guard who can play forward, he could contest Griffin on any three he might try to take. If Griffin tried to drive around him, he would run into Jayson Tatum or Al Horford on the low post.

The Celtics are the first team so far this year who had an answer for Griffin, and held him to his two lowest point totals this season. In Griffin’s 3rd quarter shift, Detroit was -15 on the floor.  It’s truly special that Boston held him to 31 points in two games.

 Aron Baynes is a better player this year

Photo courtesy of @BostonSportsBSJ

We really weren’t sure what to expect from Aron Baynes this season. Last season, he was certainly a valuable defender, but I certainly didn’t expect to see the offensive output that Baynes has added to the bench.

To put into perspective, Baynes averaged 6 points per game last season. He was a board guy, took a three once every 3 games, and only hit 14.3% from that range.

This season, he’s hitting 40% from that range, and is averaging 8 points per game. I don’t think there is a game he hasn’t hit a 3 point shot in yet this season. He’s on fire from deep.

Baynes has been missed the last couple of games as he dealt with a hamstring injury. When Daniel Theis went down injured, Baynes was brought back to the active roster.

What a welcome addition, too. He scored 9 last night, 2nd most off the bench, and grabbed 5 boards, shooting 3 of 5 from the floor. Good to have you back on the court, Aron.

Overall…

Despite this ball game being a good bit closer than any of us wanted to see, the Celtics got the win, extended their win streak to 3, and get ready for an All Saints Day match-up with the Milwaukee Bucks on TNT, Thursday, November 1st. It should be a good one folks. Stay tuned.

Why Marcus Morris is Starting the Season Hotter Than Ever

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In the Boston Sports Extra Podcast – Celtics Edition, we always sign out the show with a hot take. It’s one of our favorite parts of the show. We get to make an off the wall prediction that, at the time, sounds crazy. Without that segment, I think our Celtics Edition episodes would not ever be complete.

A few episodes back, Travis and I both predicted that a Boston Celtics bench player would win 6th Man of the Year, but we both had two different players winning the award. He believes Terry Rozier has a fantastic chance, which is completely understandable. Rozier is the rising star on this bench, who seems to be getting better every night he steps out onto the court. He’s one hell of a scorer, and comes up with some crazy good defense despite his small frame.

I predicted Marcus Morris.

Travis must have thought I was crazy. Y’all probably did too. Marcus Morris is 29 years old this year, being thrust into a bench role for really the first time in his NBA career. Normally, being moved from starter to bench would be demoralizing to a player. After all, he’s started games everywhere he has went.

However, as a Boston Celtic, it’s a little bit different. Morris has responded with a resounding yes, becoming a better bench player then anyone could have anticipated him becoming.

How did Morris come to respond to this “adversity” so positively?

Understand that it wasn’t really a demotion

But was this really a demotion to the bench? Was this really adversity that Marcus Morris was dealing with?

Not exactly.

When Morris was traded to Boston last season, for Avery Bradley, Morris knew he was entering a situation where probably wouldn’t be starting. Hell, the Celtics already had a powerful forward lineup. Jaylen Brown was still considered a small forward, they had just signed Gordon Hayward and drafted Jayson Tatum. When Hayward went down in the opening game, Boston had to readjust their roster a good bit to make the rotations work. Morris benefited from the extra minutes.

He ended up appearing in 54 games, starting 21 of them, while averaging 26.8 minutes per game.

Now that Gordon Hayward has returned, Morris has taken more of a back seat, and he’s been more then willing to do so. Being on a team worthy of winning a championship will do that to people.

What skills has Marcus Morris brought to Boston?

Let’s face the facts. Morris is good enough to be a starter almost anywhere else across the league. He has a nasty three point shot, and brings good intensity and leadership on defense. Morris isn’t a little guy either, being every bit of 6’9″ and 235 pounds.

It seems that every time the opposition starts a good run and gains momentum, Morris comes down the court on a pull-up three and sinks it through the bottom of the net. He’s cold all the time, never letting the heat of the situation effect his play.

The even crazier fact? Morris is averaging slightly more points per game then Kyrie Irving is this season. Morris is banging home 14.3 points per game, along with his 7.2 rebounds and filthy 48.1% from behind the three point line through the first six games of the season. Best stat – he’s playing just 24.5 minutes per game, several minutes against other teams starters while playing extra minutes for Gordon Hayward.

What went off for Marcus Morris?

Remember how I mentioned above that the fact of the matter is Marcus Morris could go start almost anywhere else in the league? Let’s re-enforce this fact for a minute.

Would you start him in Houston with the Rockets? Carmelo Anthony and James Ennis is starting there right now at the forward spots.

What about with the Philadelphia 76ers? Robert Covington and Dario Saric start over there right now.

The Los Angeles Lakers? LeBron James and Brandon Ingram are starting there right now.

I don’t know about y’all, but I would start Marcus Morris over all of those guys… Except for LeBron, of course. Point is that Morris really could go start anywhere else in the league, even for championship-caliber rosters.

I’m fairly certain that Morris knows this himself. When he comes off of the bench, he’s taking on bench talent. Not everyone in the NBA has a loaded bench like Boston does, y’all. I know that’s hard to remember.

So when Morris comes off of the bench, he’s the best forward on the court. It allows him to dominate at a level that he never has before. That’s why this season is starting so hot for Morris.

What to expect the rest of the season

My expectations say that you shouldn’t expect him to slow down. Once Gordon Hayward get’s back to his thirty minutes per game, Morris won’t be playing hardly any time against opposing teams starters. Possibly, just maybe, Morris will produce even more in that role.

If I were Morris, I would be very excited about my role with this team. Morris is the difference maker on this team this season, and relies on him more then people realize. The team will rise and fall with him.

That’s the true definition of a 6th Man in the NBA.

Theis

Celtics Daniel Theis Out Indefinitely

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Boston Celtics big-man Daniel Theis is out indefinitely with a tear in his right plantar fasciitis. He suffered the injury against the Detroit Pistons on October 27. The German missed the remaining 15 games of the 2017-18 season with a torn meniscus.

In his 68 career games, Theis is averaging five points and four rebounds in 15 minutes per game. In his most recent games against Detroit, Theis recorded season highs in minutes (19:19), points (17), rebounds (8) and plus/minus (20).

Others role players will be forced to step up with the 26-year-old out indefinitely.

Although the word “indefinitely” is daunting, Brad Stevens exclaims that “the indefinite timeline sounds worse than the timeline we’ve been given”. He adds that “they think it will be a pretty quick recovery.”

Theis is expected to address the media on Tuesday, October 30.

Impact to Celtics Rotation

Aron Baynes

Teammate Aron Baynes commented on the injury stating:

“It’s unfortunate what happened to Daniel… He was starting to come along. But it’s one of those things, we dealt with a few circumstances like that last season. It’s next man up. I’m doing everything I can every single day to try to get right and be able to contribute to the team again. So as soon as they give me the clearance I’ll be ready.”

Theis

Via WKYC.com

Baynes has missed three consecutive games with a hamstring injury. With Theis on the shelf, Baynes will be integral for Boston. Per 36-minutes, he is averaging 18 points, 12 rebounds and 2 assists in his three games this season. “Freight Train” Baynes has a plus/minus of plus 21 in just 45 minutes of play, showing he has a major impact on the court.

Boston will need Baynes to perform while Theis is absent.

Robert Williams

Williams, who has appeared in two of the Celtics six games, will surely see an increase to his minutes due to the Theis injury.

The 21-year-old was selected by Boston with the 27th pick in the 2018 NBA draft. In his two seasons at Texas A&M, Williams averaged 11 points, 9 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 26 minutes per game. In 2017-18, Williams lead the SEC in an abundance of categories, including defensive rebounds (206), blocks (78), total rebounds per game (9.2), and box plus/minus (11.9).

Theis

Via Getty Images

Though Williams does not have the shooting prowess of either Theis or Baynes, he will bring the same defensive tenacity. We have not seen much of the rookie, but in eight minutes against Detroit, Williams recorded three blocks, two offensive rebounds, two points and an assist. With Theis out, we can expect more exciting performances like these from Williams in the near future.

Three Takeaways: Celtics 101, Thunder 95

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After a disastrous start, the Celtics pulled off a miraculous comeback after a 16-point deficit at half-time. Boston scored just 34-points in the first half, going 0/11 from the 3-point-line in the process. Luckily, they outscored the Thunder 40-23 in the 3rd quarter, giving Boston a 74-73 lead entering the fourth. They finished off the winless Oklahoma City Thunder with a 16-1 run in the final 4:22 minutes of the contest.

Here are three takeaways from the Celtics third win of the season.

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Marcus Morris (13) leaps into the arms of teammate Jayson Tatum as they celebrate Morris’ game-winning 3-point shot in the team’s NBA basketball game against the Oklahoma City Thunder in Boston, Tuesday, March 20, 2018. The Celtics won 100-99. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

A Tale of Two Halves

The Celtics played a horrific first half, shooting 0/11 from beyond the arc, though they would not be deterred. Boston shot 11/21 in the second half, with seven 3-pointers coming from Marcus Morris and Al Horford.

Marcus Morris is Key

The Tommy Award winner of the night had an incredible performance in Oklahoma City. In 30 minutes, Morris posted 21 points, 10 rebounds and one assist on 50 percent shooting. His game-high four 3-pointers were key, specifically a 25-footer to take a 98-95 lead with 28.7 seconds in the game. His five fourth-quarter free throws were also important to seal the deal. Boston will need similar performances out of Morris in the future.

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Marcus Morris, top right, puts up his game-winning 3-point shot over Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams (12) and forward Paul George in an NBA basketball game in Boston, Tuesday, March 20, 2018. The Celtics won 100-99. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)

Celtics are Back on Track

With this win, Boston is back above .500 at 3-2. Overcoming a 16-point half-time deficit is huge for the young team’s confidence. Their next test will come in Detroit versus the Pistons on Saturday, October 27 at 7:00 PM ET.

Celtics

Three Takeaways: Raptors 113, Celtics 101

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The Boston Celtics first road game of the season concluded in a disappointing 113-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Boston was losing 101-99 with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, though the game ended as the Raptors went on a 12-2 run. Toronto and Boston will face-off three more times during the regular season.

Here are three takeaways from the Celtics second game of the season.

Celtics

Via MLG Highlights Youtube

Celtics Second Half Woes

The first half was competitive, ending 53-49 in Boston’s favor. The second half was a different story. Toronto scored 64 points on 56% shooting and grabbed 32 of their total 49 rebounds. Boston kept it competitive down the stretch, though Toronto pulled away as they went on a 10-0 run with 2:30 left in fourth quarter.

Missed Layups

Missed layups and second chance opportunities played a major part in the outcome of tonight’s game. The Celtics missed twelve shots from within the restricted area and six others from inside the paint. Boston cannot afford to miss “high percentage” shots if they want to win close games.

Celtics

Via Sports Chat Place

Ball Movement

Despite the loss, the Celtics offense shows promise due to their selflessness and Brad Stevens’ play design. All five starters took double-digit shot attempts and scored in double figures. Though the Celtics shot just 40 percent, their ball movement and offensive scheme are encouraging. Even with so many mouths to feed, Stevens looks able to keep everyone happy.

Boston’s next game will be in New York against the Knicks on Saturday, October 20 at 7:30 PM ET.