Boston Celtics that impacted win: Tristan Thompson
Coach Brad Stevens went back to the double-big starting lineup in lieu of injuries, giving Tristan Thompson another chance. He made the most of it, scoring 13 points and grabbing eight rebounds in 25 minutes of playing time.
It was his best offensive showing in a Boston Celtics uniform, shooting a perfect 5-of-5 from the field.
His favorite move in the 2020-21 season has been his one-dribble pull-up hook shot from about eight feet out. Against the Warriors, it was falling, with multiple possessions ending in Thompson 1-on-1 isolations in the paint against a smaller defender. He was more aggressive in the paint as well, going to the line six times.
He presents no threat from outside the paint, but if the offense spaces the floor for him to get a favorable matchup in the paint, he can do damage. Unfortunately in C’s green that hasn’t been the case so far, only averaging 5.9 points while shooting 44 percent from the field, both considerably down from his days in Cleveland.
However, this game was a bit of a throwback for shamrocks fans in all aspects, with Thompson even grabbing three of Boston’s 12 offensive rebounds, which was perhaps the main factor in the team’s victory.
On defense, he’s usually assigned with guarding a perimeter-centric player in the double-big lineups. On Tuesday, he got burned a couple of times by the Warriors’ wings, as his feet got caught up under him.
In previous years, Thompson was regarded as one of the best switching big men in the league, helping the Cavs become successful for the greater part of the last decade.
Boston would like that Tristan Thompson back on defense, but his offensive game was extremely impactful against Golden State.