Boston Celtics: 1 stud and 1 dud from comeback victory over Raptors

Championship-level teams can put together big runs whenever they want. The Boston Celtics dominated the second half in a big 116-110 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday Night for their second win in a row. Boston beat a Raptors team that was 9-2 at home heading into the game. The Celtics improve to 20-5 on the season, and they remain the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference.

In the first half, the Celtics played poorly as they committed nine turnovers and they shot 6/20 from 3-point range. Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart kept the Celtics in the game in the first half, and Smart’s return from injury was crucial. Brown finished with 22 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists as he continues to play at an All-NBA level. Smart had an efficient night, as he had 18 points, three rebounds, and seven assists.

The Celtics overcame a 10-point deficit, and they came out aggressive in the second half. The Cs opened the half on a 17-5 run, and they took their game to a championship level. Jayson Tatum had a strong quarter, and he finished with 31 points and 12 rebounds. The Celtics won the third quarter 35-18, and it shows how special this team is. The C’s ability to flip the switch when they need to bodes well for their championship hopes.

Boston struggled to close the game in the fourth quarter, but they made enough plays to win the game. The team has started the six-game road trip 2-0, and now the difficult part begins as they head out west. The Celtics will look ahead to a big matchup against Devin Booker and the Phoenix Suns on Wednesday.

Here is one stud and one dud from the road victory.

Boston Celtics Stud: Blake Griffin

Although Blake Griffin did not have the big stats like Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown, he is the stud for the Celtics. Griffin started his fourth game of the season, and the Celtics once again won. The Cs are 4-0 in games that Griffin has started this season. Griffin has accepted his role this season, and he has become an important player for the Celtics on back-to-backs.

Griffin had 13 points, eight rebounds, two assists, and a steal. He also had a nice dunk and a key put-back at the end of the game. Griffin makes winning plays when he is on the floor, and he has been a home run signing.

Griffin deserves credit for accepting his role after being a former All-Star, and it highlights how strong the C’s culture is. Also, his ability to perform at a high level on back-to-backs allows the Celtics to rest Al Horford, which will be crucial for a playoff run. The Boston Celtics will need Griffin to continue playing at a high level, and he will be inserted into the starting lineup again on this road trip.

Boston Celtics Dud: Sam Hauser

Sam Hauser is the dud for the Celtics — in an anomaly of an effort he did not have a good game. Hauser finished with five points, three rebounds, and one assist, but he shot poorly from the field. He was 2/5 from the field, and 1/4 from 3-point range, while also being a -2 for the game.

Hauser has to shoot better from the field because that is his main job. If he is not going to shoot the ball at a high level, his impact on the team won’t be as big. Moving forward, Hauser will look to get back to the hot shooting that he had at the start of the season.