Boston Celtics: The good, the bad, and the ugly from loss to Timberwolves
By Ryan Cinque
The Boston Celtics dropped their second game in a row with a brutal 108-103 loss against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The C’s did well to build a double-digit lead but surrendered it after a poor second-half performance. This happens far too often with this shamrocks squad and they just can’t seem to figure out how to fix things.
It certainly didn’t help that Jayson Tatum entered Health and Safety Protocols before tonight’s game but they should have had more than enough firepower to beat an equally shorthanded, if not even more so Timberwolves team.
The Wolves were without all five of their starters and had absolutely no business beating the Boston Celtics Monday night.
Throughout the outing, there was some good, some bad, and lots of ugly as the C’s find themselves with more questions than answers following the loss:
The good: Al Horford & Grant Williams return to action with strong performances
Al Horford and Grant Williams missed the last few games after entering NBA’s Health and Safety Protocols. Both players have been huge positives for the Boston Celtics this season and their absence has been noticeable.
Horford played a great all-around game by scoring 16 points, grabbing nine boards, and dishing out six assists. The big man adds another dimension to this offense with his playmaking ability and provides great leadership when he’s on and off the floor.
The C’s center shot 50 percent from deep on eight attempts. When he’s shooting well from beyond the arc Boston should be virtually unbeatable. For a team that loves isolation scoring, having a big man that can stretch the floor should open the court for players like Jaylen Brown to operate efficiently, but unfortunately they were not able to capitalize on this.
Grant Williams proved once again that he has developed into a legitimate 3-point threat. He scored 15 points in his return and finished with three of his five attempts from beyond the arc falling.
It wasn’t that long ago when Williams missed his first 25 3-point attempts for his career, but now he is shooting a phenomenal 45.3 percent on 3.4 attempts per game.
Horford’s all-around play and William’s stellar long-range shooting is going to be crucial for the Celtics moving forward if they are to turn their season around.