Boston Celtics: 3 bench players to turn season in right direction

Boston Celtics bench player 3) Evan Fournier

It’s unfortunate that Evan Fournier had to enter health and safety protocols directly after joining the Celtics, which has caused him to miss the past four games. However, when he was available to play, he showed everyone why he was a worthy trade acquisition, hitting ten of eleven threes over a two-game period.

Fournier acts as a capable ball-handler and shotmaker off the bench, something that the team has struggled with throughout the year. By trading for the Frenchman, Fournier will ideally be let loose on the second unit, able to create shots for both himself and others with ease.

He even has the opportunity to close games in certain matchups, depending on how everyone in the starting lineup has performed.

Relying on Tatum or Brown to run the second unit has made coach Brad Stevens have to stagger the two more often than not, leading to worse overall offensive units. By adding Fournier to the team, Boston now has another offensive playmaker that they can trust, giving the team more flexibility in their bench lineups.

In his 26 games in Orlando this year, he averaged a career-high 19.7 points on 39 percent shooting from three and 46 percent from the field. No other bench player for the Celtics could come anywhere close to replicating those numbers, showing how valuable Fournier is if they want to have a chance to do damage in the playoffs.

These three players have transformed the bench into a suddenly reputable unit. This all goes without mentioning rookie point guard Payton Pritchard, who has been as reliable as they come.

Are the Boston Celtics on a winning trajectory once again?

Perhaps only time will tell.