The Future is Bright in Boston

Yes, I know they were playing the New York Knicks and yes, I know the Knicks aren’t exactly what you would call “good.”

Still, this game gave the Celtics faithful a glimpse of the near future. Needless to say, the C’s look to be in good hands.

I won’t lie, going into the game I completely expected the Celtics to blow out the Knicks. However, I anticipated this win to be on the backs of Al Horford and Kyrie Irving.

Irving once again struggled to convert consistently on his shot, but was still able to add 20 points and 7 assists to the team’s effort. Horford was what he’s always been — the glue that makes the Celtics stick. He gave the C’s 13 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists, but Boston needed another boost.

Enter Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. The duo formerly known as 7/11 (still mad at Tatum for changing his number) were phenomenal Tuesday night.

The game opened with Brown starting off hot. In the first quarter alone, Brown put up 11 points for the green-and-white. He played well on both ends of the court and even matched up with Kristaps Porzingis at times.

While Brown posted a solid first quarter, Tatum had the highlight play. Following a missed jumper from Aron Baynes, he elevated over both Tim Hardaway Jr. and Porzingis for a put-back jam.

Tatum then went on to dominate the second quarter. He racked up 10 points in the quarter alone which put him at 16 going into halftime.

Following the break, Brown and Tatum played more of a conservative style of basketbal. Overall the two combined for 45 points (Brown with 23, Tatum with 22), while shooting 58% from both the field and 3-point range.

As I said earlier, I understand this game was against a below-average team. However, I believe that Tatum and Brown proved they will be future stars in the NBA. Tatum’s poise and developed skill-set mixed with Brown’s athleticism and oozing potential makes for a promising future in Beantown

The best part about this is that there’s even more to be excited about going forward.

First of all, we have yet to get a good look at slim Marcus Smart or Marcus Morris this season. With Smart’s defensive ability and (hopefully) improved offense, the Celtics may have one of the best 3-and-D players in the NBA. In Morris, the Celtics have an extremely versatile scorer and defender who can thrive coming off the bench, or as a starter.

Terry Rozier has also impressed thus far in the season. So far he’s averaging 12.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists per game, while knocking down 43% of his shots from long range. Rozier displays a high-motor throughout the game and plays mistake-free basketball.

Next: Boston Celtics Need a Confidence Boost Against the Knicks

All of this and I have not even mentioned the star small forward we signed this offseason. Once Gordon Hayward makes his long-awaited return to the Celtics, he will be joining a far more mature team. If Hayward is able to return to his previous level of play, it’s possible the Celtics could have as many as 4 All Star caliber players in their starting lineup.

With a such a surplus of talent, Celtics fans should be more than excited for the future.