Boston Celtics Step Up for the Surging Thunder
The Boston Celtics overcame their injuries in an amazing way against the Thunder
The Boston Celtics just finished their most unlikely victory of the season. With Kyrie Irving, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Daniel Theis all sidelined, they took down one of the strongest and hottest teams in the league in the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The Celtics did it in the most dramatic fashion, with a six point comeback with under a minute left, capped off by Marcus Morris‘ game winning shot with one second left. Carmelo Anthony kept them alive by missing two late free throws, but the Celtics once again had their late game heroics.
Brad Stevens continues to bolster his coach of the year case, because this Celtics team has no business being able to keep up with top teams, and yet they keep getting the contributions they need from whoever is on the court.
One thing has remained consistent, however, and that is any time the Celtics play together as a unit, they are always going to be tough to beat. The Celtics had the balance they needed, and the weaker players avoided being too much of a liability.
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Morris stole the show, as a top scorer and hitting the game winning shot, but Jayson Tatum and Terry Rozier look like players ready to take on bigger roles, whenever it is needed. Greg Monroe is turning into one of the more important second unit pieces in the NBA, and when he and Shane Larkin both score in double digits, you know the second unit will be alright.
The odd part is the Celtics got nothing exceptional from Al Horford. His defense always makes a difference, and he continued to be the main facilitator with seven assists. That being said, he did not bring any additional boost that we do not expect on a nightly basis, and they still took down one of the strongest teams in the league
With Tatum getting a 20+ point double double, and Rozier contributing in all phases of the game, along with a bench that is somehow keeping it together, the Celtics are a more than capable team. The sustainability is a huge question, but this is not a group of players that is going to be pushed around, no matter how many injuries they are.
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There really is not much that can change in the standings, but this is a great time for these secondary players to grow. It is too hard to tell what the team will look like come playoff time, but we are learning how many different options Stevens still has at his disposal.