Can we Expect the Boston Celtics to be Better?
The Boston Celtics had a great game one, but should we expect them to get better as the playoffs go on?
The Boston Celtics took game one against the Milwaukee Bucks, in what was one of the most exciting games in the NBA this year. We were treated to players stepping up on both ends, and two of the most exciting back to back shots you will ever see.
Of course, it was not always pretty, and this game could have taken a lot of ugly turns into one of the worst games of the playoffs. The execution was often lacking, but both teams kept it interesting, and gave themselves a chance to win.
The Celtics, who have been living in clutch situations all season long, closed this one out despite some massive numbers from Giannis Antetokounmpo and Khris Middleton. The Celtics were able to do that thanks to a lot of special performances.
You can look at what Al Horford, Terry Rozier, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Marcus Morris did, and there is no way to be upset about their performances. They were not always at their best, but they delivered in the exact kind of way the Celtics need in these playoffs.
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When you look at the overall product, there is no doubt the Celtics will want to be better. the problem is that when you look at the performance they needed to get that overall result, it may be unfair to expect this team to improve that much.
When you look at Horford, the only thing you could ask from him is to take more shots. He was efficient no matter where he tried to score, and did not make any mistakes. He facilitated everything for those around him, but you see his eight total shots and think maybe he can start scoring over 30 points on a regular basis.
The problem is that won’t necessarily make the Celtics better. Horford understands this offense better than anyone else, and is the most important decision maker on the team. Horford does so many things that are more important than scoring, and if he decided to focus more on just scoring, then the rest of his game would suffer.
Both Tatum and Brown are in a similar situation. They are making it clear that they can be expected to score around 20 on a regular basis, while having a huge impact on defense. There is no doubt they have the talent to start shooting 25 times a games and taking over that number one role, but there are a lot of problems with that.
Keep in mind how young these guys are, and it may not be the best thing for them to try and do more as individuals. Tatum and Brown were able to play aggressive, while not getting in the way of their teammates. Even if that means they might disappear at times, it is what this current roster can trust the most.
Rozier had his efficiency problems, but that is who he is. Rozier is not going to go out there and command the offense which the kind of efficiency that Kyrie Irving can, but he did a masterful job of controlling things in this one, and he elevates all aspects of his game in the clutch.
Then you have Morris, who is the most finished product here. He looks like a player ready to lead the team in scoring and shot attempts off the bench, and that is already more than anyone expected out of him coming into this season.
The frustrating part is that the Celtics know they have to be better if they want to go on a serious playoff run. When you look at that first game, it is unrealistic to expect these young players to do more. They are already exceeding expectations and elevating their role in a way that was not supposed to happen this quickly,
That being said, there is still so much potential with those young players. Expecting more out of them could lead to some disastrous performances, but they Celtics need one of the three to break out and start scoring 30 on a regular basis, and they need the other ones to keep up what they have been doing.
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These players have improved all year long, so there is some reason for optimism. Unfortunately, there has to be some limit to how much more Brad Stevens can expect out of such young players, and how much better they can get will determine how far the Celtics can go in the playoffs.