Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from C’s blowout win over Minnesota
The Boston Celtics collected yet another victory on Sunday night, defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves by a final score of 134-112. The C’s had another 20+ point lead at halftime, never letting the T-Wolves get back into it.
Coming into the game, this had the makings of a real test for Boston, as Minnesota had been the second-best team in the league record-wise since the All-Star break, boasting an impressive12-4 mark over this span.
However, after the first quarter, it was all Boston, sleepwalking their way to a 72 point first-half performance against one of the league’s best defenses.
The C’s now move to 22-3 over their last 25 contests, moving to the number No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.
They’re a half-game over both Milwaukee and Philadelphia and, while they have the same record as Miami, they hold the season tie-breaker. Boston still has games against the Bucks and Heat remaining on their schedule, which are two crucial matchups to determine the seeding in the East.
Let’s look at 3 takeaways from the beatdown in Boston:
Boston Celtics takeaway No. 1) A comfortable Derrick White
Since Derrick White arrived in Boston at the trade deadline, he’s had difficulty playing consistently on the offensive end. He’s a quick decision-maker, always moving the ball to the right spot when it finds him but hasn’t been able to find his shooting touch.
Before this game, White was shooting 23.4 percent from behind the arc in 18 games, far below his career averages.
Against the Timberwolves, he hit two of his four 3-point attempts, in route to recording 15 points, six assists, and two rebounds.
White (and the rest of the team) had trouble taking care of the ball in the first quarter, with the Colorado-product finishing with four turnovers on the night. However, he hit a heavily contested catch-and-shoot triple in the corner, along with moving the ball effectively in transition.
He almost always makes the right play, as the only mark against him so far has been his shot.
White is a main contributor in the Celtics’ up-tempo offense, setting up this fast-break alley-oop to Daniel Theis. He fits right into this Boston rotation, and can always step into a bigger role if needed.
If he can hit open treys at a reasonable rate, the C’s offense becomes that much more dangerous.
There are only so many players you can guard, and opposing teams will likely force White to shoot in a playoff series.