Boston Celtics: C’s help themselves in 2020 NBA Draft in Memphis win
The Boston Celtics sent the Memphis Grizzlies out of a playoff position with a 122-107 triumph Wednesday night and improved their future assets in the process.
The Portland Trailblazers–winners of a spectacular 134-131 nailbiter against the Dallas Mavericks–, as well as the now 7-0-in-the-bubble Phoenix Suns, have the Boston Celtics to thank for their victory against the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. Without that, neither team would be in such a prime position to enter the playoff picture.
The Trailblazers now sit in sole possession of the #8 seed. Phoenix is tied with Memphis for the second play-in game slot, but the Grizzlies own the tiebreaker via a 3-1 season series played before the season was suspended.
Memphis’ slide only stands to benefit the C’s, and they just helped their own cause in a major way. Jayson Tatum‘s 29 points, coupled with Kemba Walker and Gordon Hayward‘s combined 38 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists led the way for the C’s in what was a coast-to-coast victory.
The Grizzlies being out of the playoffs and in the lottery benefits the Boston Celtics–so long as Memphis doesn’t miraculously spring into the top six picks. In defeating them, the C’s covered the Houdini’s main points about how important it was to be victorious Tuesday night.
Boston is now on a four-game winning streak in the Lake Buena Vista bubble in Walt Disney World’s Wide World of Sports campus. Through three scrimmages and the first three games, it seemed that the C’s lacked an edge about them and they perhaps had issues adjusting to fan-less games.
Now it seems as though the C’s talent has evened itself out. With a Washington Wizards team with little to play for on the schedule for Thursday, the regular season figures to end on a whimper. Brad Stevens is likely to sit most of his starters and rotation players.
That said, the bubble was already a success, and the momentum is positive as the team heads for a first-round matchup with a Philadelphia 76ers team missing Ben Simmons.