The Boston Celtics won their 11th straight at home and are now sitting at the three seed of the East with a two game margin. Jae Crowder led all scorers with 22 points, dishing out four assists and making two steals. Isaiah Thomas had another solid game with 18 points and nine assists and Avery Bradley, in addition to his block on the final possession, added 18 points as the Celtics beat the Jazz 100-95. Here are some things that we learned from that game.
- Jordan Mickey can play some real minutes
This was perhaps the first time that Jordan Mickey played some real minutes when it really mattered. Celtics were down by 11 when the rookie checked in and he managed to make a statement about his abilities and the role he can play in the team. Rookies like Mickey have to take advantage of these small opportunities and Jordan certainly did exactly that.
Jordan Mickey is known as a player with incredible defensive potential. His wingspan (7’3”) and his quick hands can make him a defensive factor for the Celtics. In seven minutes of playing time Mickey had 3 points, 3 rebounds and 2 blocks. This may not seem impressive but he also had a plus seven in Box plus/minus and sparkled the Celtics to cut Utah’s early lead in the 2nd quarter.
On top of blocking a couple of shots, Mickey also did a great job on team defense and that is a very promising sign for the future. Last night’s performance might give him more playing time in the upcoming games and he has to keep learning how to become more and more effective while he is on the floor.
2. Celtics miss Kelly Olynyk
It’s quite obvious that Kelly Olynyk is a big part of Boston’s success so far this season. His great shooting from three point line (41.3 percent) has helped Celtics to space the floor and find lots of driving lanes to the basket for Isaiah Thomas (mostly) and their other guards. In the game against Utah, Olynyk could have been very useful for Brad Stevens with his shooting ability. Rudy Gobert’s presence near the basket made it much tougher for guys like Isaiah to go to the rim.
With a guy like Kelly in the lineup, Gobert would have no choice but to come out to the perimeter to contest his shots. Jared Sullinger tried to move Gobert out of the basket several times, but he is not as consistent as Kelly. Coach Stevens keeps making adjustments in his frontcourt rotation due to Olynyk’s absence and it’s quite sure that he is looking forward to his comeback.
3. Evan Turner leads the second unit
Brad Stevens is using Evan Turner in a much more suitable role for him this year and that is one of the reasons that Turner is so improved compared to last season.
Turner has accepted his role coming off the bench and he can now lead Boston’s second unit. The Celtics bench is one of the best in the league and Evan Turner is a big reason why. He’s got 10 points per game, 4.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists (2nd behind Isaiah Thomas). Evan can be a great game changer as he has the ability to score in consecutive possessions.
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His main contribution though is the way he distributes the ball. Turner keeps the ball moving, goes to the places he is more comfortable with and won’t take shots that he can’t consistently make. He will take advantage of his size as a guard and post up smaller defenders and he will also move the ball and make the extra pass when necessary. This is all coach Stevens wants from him and as long as he keeps doing it, he will continue be an important part of the Celtics’ rotation.