Boston Celtics: 2 Cs who could benefit should Tatum or Brown miss time
By Mark Nilon
Boston Celtics player No. 1) Evan Fournier
Though perhaps not viewed as the trade deadline deal that would move the needle far enough, the acquisition of veteran sharpshooter, Evan Fournier, was actually a very smart, low-risk move for Danny Ainge and co. to make.
Like last season, the C’s bench has struggled mightily to put up points, and the thought of adding on a career 14.3 point per game scorer who was in the midst of a season where he was posting nearly 20 points a night on 39 percent shooting from deep for just two second-round picks and the expiring contract of Jeff Teague truly seemed like a steal.
Unfortunately, however, since his arrival, the wing has only managed to suit up for 10 total games due to health complications, specifically related to COVID-19.
Finally making his return after missing two straight weeks of action, Fournier struggled quite a bit, going 0-7 for just two points in game one and then 0-3 for zero in his follow-up game.
As time has progressed, so, too, has his on-court production, which has recently managed to translate into a 21 point, five rebound outing this past Sunday, with splits of 80 percent shooting from the floor and 71 percent shooting from deep.
Aside from lacking health playing its part, perhaps one of the biggest catalysts for the 28-year-old’s struggles has been his shift in role. On Orlando, Fournier was one of the top options on the team, and was receiving an average of 14.2 shot attempts per game.
Since joining the Boston Celtics, this number has dropped considerably to just 8.5, and the biggest reason for this is because of the bevy of scorers the team has in comparison to what the Magic rolled out.
Should either Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown miss time, this would certainly open up more opportunities for Evan Fournier to get more shots up which, based on his track record, can only lead to better scoring production.
Better nights should lead to a boost in confidence within Brad Stevens’ system for the veteran, which would likely help the team overall moving into the postseason.