Tonight, the preseason rolls on for the Boston Celtics as they take on the Orlando Magic. Here are three things to look out for in tonight’s contest.
The Boston Celtics passed their first test of the preseason with a 107-106 victory over the Charlotte Hornets this past Sunday. Tonight, the Orlando Magic represent the second tune-up game for Brad Stevens and Co. Here are three takeaways ahead of tonight’s exhibition down in the sunshine state…
1. Brad Stevens must continue finding the right fit at center
The preseason opener saw inspired play from up and down the roster, but as has been a common theme (and a common worry) this offseason, the center position is a weak area. Robert Williams, Enes Kanter, Vincent Poirier and Tacko Fall (who played in garbage minutes and isn’t likely to play in anything else) all slotted in at the five spot against Charlotte.
Kanter was up to his usual tricks in a reserve role. He scored 11 points and was good for an egregious error on the defensive end, as per his reputation. While there are no real complaints given his expectations, Kanter proved to be an offensive dynamo with defensive deficiencies to prevalent to start. Stevens might have found the perfect role for him spelling the starters and joining Marcus Smart to form the best two-man reserve-unit spark-plug in the entire league.
As for Poirier and Williams, a combined two points scored between the two of them in game one shows that the 2019-20 Boston Celtics will have little in the way of post-scoring from the pivot position outside of Kanter. The duo seemed afraid of making a mistake on the offensive end but at least proved steady on the defensive end. That said, Boston will likely have to outscore opponents to win games this season, so scoring from the center spot will be a must moving forward.
2. The rookies must continue their aggression
Heading into the 2019-20 season, it was a possibility this Boston Celtics team was going to be a sloppier on-court product because of the sheer number of rookies on the roster. Danny Ainge had three top picks in the first 35 selections of the 2019 NBA Draft, bringing in a pair of guards in Carsen Edwards and Romeo Langford and a combo big-man in Grant Williams.
The early returns (for Edwards and Williams at least) were promising. Williams scored five points and grabbed nine rebounds, while Edwards put up an 11-spot off of a sprinkling of 3-pointers.
Romeo Langford, on the other hand, will likely make his debut tonight in Orlando.
The rookies are an integral part of the rotation this year, and will likely be the difference between a first-round flameout and a deep playoff run. With the likes of Brad Wanamaker and Semi Ojeleye capable of filling niche roles only, the trajectory of their youth will be an important story to monitor.
3. Continued harmony amongst the stars
There was a sense of calmness and togetherness during game one of the preseason for the Boston Celtics. Gone was the tension of last year and in was the cohesion of 2019-20. In their bout against Charlotte, the ball seemed to constantly be moving — which was not something seen too often last season.
While Kemba Walker, Gordon Hayward and Jaylen Brown all saw their fair share of shot attempts, it was apparent they were more than happy to share the wealth, which was apparent right from the get-go as the first points scored came off a lob pass from Hayward to Robert Williams.
Not to mention, throughout the contest all seemed intent on continuously feeding the hot-hand which, in this outing, was Jayson Tatum who finished with 20 points on 57% shooting from the field.
Though it’s only the preseason, seeing Boston’s star players more than willing to share the ball is a welcoming sight to see. Lets hope this dynamic continues during tonight’s game against the Orlando Magic.