The Boston Celtics snapped a two-game skid on Friday night, when they came out victorious over the rival Miami Heat, 129-116.
Here's what stood out:
The Celtics are seeing Neemias Queta
Neemias Queta has quietly become one of the most solid players on the Celtics’ roster. Through these first two months of the season, he continues to look more and more comfortable in the starting lineup, and more importantly, it feels like the Cs are figuring out how to get him involved in the offense more frequently.
Earlier in the season, Queta’s teammates would fail to find him rolling to the basket in pick-and-roll actions pretty often.
Against the Heat, it almost felt like they were going out of their way to get him involved early on. Queta scored four of the first six points for Boston. They found him in spots where he could score around the hoop and he made the most of it.
Jordan Walsh brings it even when his shot doesn’t fall
Ebs and flows are part of the NBA season. We all know this. That’s why when Jordan Walsh seemingly couldn’t miss, no matter where he was shooting from earlier this month, it only felt like a matter of time before water found its level.
Walsh came back down to earth on Friday night. He started 0-4 from three, missing some clean looks that were similar to the one’s he’d been so reliable on beforehand.
Again, this happens. This doesn’t mean that Jordan Walsh isn’t good anymore.
It just means he’s not a 65% three-point shooter.
In fact, Walsh still managed to be impactful despite his shot evading him. He gave Boston a good effort on the glass, ripping down seven boards. Plus, he rejected a pair of shots. Pretty good non-scoring output if you ask me.
Hugo Gonzalez is an absolute demon
Hugo Gonzalez’s role has seemingly increased during this little NBA Cup break the Celtics have been on. He played 15 minutes last Thursday in Milwaukee and then another 16 in Monday’s loss to the Pistons.
Gonzalez once again saw extended run against the Heat, earning 29 minutes. In a game that was a scrappy dog fight, the rookie made his presence felt. In classic Hugo fashion, he pestered Miami for every second of his playing time.
This sounds stupid and cliche, but he was simply in the right place at the right time at just about every opportunity. It felt like he caused so many deflections on defense, which is evident in his two steals and a block.
Plus, offensively, he did a great job of playing his role, filling lanes when needed and staying ready for his opportunities.
Welcome back, Sam Hauser
Entering Friday's win over the Heat, Sam Hauser had made just nine of his last 30 attempts from beyond the arc, missing all of his 10 most recent triples.
It's been rough, to say the least. Hauser is currently shooting a career-low from three, making just 34% of his shots from beyond the arc. Plus, he exited Monday's loss to Detroit with an ankle sprain, which couldn't have helped, right?
Maybe it did. Hauser was excellent in his 25 minutes against Miami. He was 5-6 from long range, giving Boston some much-needed help in the second half. His involvement speaks to the confidence that he has in himself and the trust his teammates have in him, regardless if shots are falling.