Shane Larkin continues to produce for the Boston Celtics

Shane Larkin has become a valuable piece of the Celtics puzzle.

Players with $1.5 million salaries aren’t supposed to produce like this in the postseason.

If you put the point totals of Shane Larkin and Eric Bledsoe side-by-side following Game 2, you wouldn’t see much of a difference. The only things that Bledsoe had on Larkin on the offensive end of the floor on Tuesday night were one assist, one offensive rebound and a $14.5 million contract.

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It was evident that if the Boston Celtics were to overcome the absence of Kyrie Irving and Marcus Smart to wrestle control of this first-round series from the Milwaukee Bucks, some unsung heroes would have to step up. Larkin has certainly played that part.

In 21 minutes of action, Larkin went 5-for-8 from the field en route to 11 critical points while racking up three assists as well. The performance was essential for a bench unit that consisted of just three players who received more than 15 minutes in the game.

The emergence of Larkin in Game 2 could serve as a surprise for many but certainly not for Boston head coach Brad Stevens. When the Celtics were ravaged by injuries in March, Larkin was paramount in helping his team overcome adversity and rattle off win streaks of three and six games.

In 23.5 minutes per night, Larkin averaged 7.7 points, 3.1 assists and 2.9 rebounds in the midst of shooting 48 percent from long range over 10 appearances. In a 100-99 victory over the Thunder on March 20 which kicked the six-game surge in motion, Larkin recorded 13 points and four rebounds in 25 minutes while making five of his nine shots from the field.

https://twitter.com/NBA/status/985595588254273537

This showing came four nights after he put up 10 points on 2-of-3 three-point shooting in just 19 minutes in a 92-83 Celtics win over the Magic and three nights before he piled up nine points, seven assists and four rebounds in a 105-100 road triumph over the Portland Trail Blazers, the third seed in the Western Conference playoffs. The former University of Miami Hurricane also scored 10 points, grabbed nine rebounds and compiled four assists in a 97-94 win over the Utah Jazz on March 28.

These outings gave Stevens the confidence to throw Larkin into the fire once the postseason rolled around, and the 5’11”, 175-pounder has obliged. His work in Game 2 began early, as he got on the board at the end of the first quarter after blowing past the ancient Jason Terry with a jab-step and left-handed drive before earning a goaltending call on fellow ACC product John Henson.

At the start of the second quarter, Larkin made Henson pay for a lack of defensive communication. After dribbling off a Greg Monroe screen, Larkin drew both Henson and Bledsoe at the top of the key. With Henson out of position, Larkin used his discreet court vision to find Monroe streaking down the lane for an easy finish.

The following quarter saw Larkin make Henson look foolish once again. In a Steve Nash-esque maneuver, Larkin dribbled down the lane before dragging Henson out to the baseline. He then crossed to his left, leaving Henson in the dust before completing the play with a reverse layup, using the rim to protect him from the trailing shot-blocker.

At the end of the third quarter, Larkin’s speed evaporated the Bucks’ defense. Terry tried to pick him up 35 feet from the basket, a disastrous decision in hindsight. Larkin crossed over through his legs and glided to the rim at ease as neither Henson nor Malcolm Brogdon slid into the lane to provide defensive help. On Boston’s final possession with 3.5 seconds left, Larkin caught the ball in the backcourt before racing upcourt, crossing up Terry, and getting to his spot on the right elbow for a buzzer-beating pull-up three-pointer to give the Celtics a 15-point lead heading into the fourth quarter.

Shane Larkin is in the buzzer-beater business pic.twitter.com/SvQhcUomsu
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) April 18, 2018

Next: Three storylines to follow heading into game 3

Larkin’s production in Game 2 was a monumental boost for the Celtics, a team that would like to see these outputs continue until Smart returns to the lineup.