8 takeaways from the Boston Celtics games vs. the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers
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The Boston Celtics just wrapped up a set of back-to-back games against the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers. While they fell short against the Jazz, they put together an amazing bounce-back performance against the Trail Blazers. What are some of the top takeaways from the two contests?
Takeaways from the Boston Celtics games vs. the Utah Jazz and Portland Trail Blazers
1. The Jazz got hot
Utah poured on 27 three-pointers in their win over the C’s, which is the most the Celtics have given up in franchise history. To make matters worse, a large majority of those shots were contested. The Jazz were simply on a hot streak from range. There’s not much a team can do when their opponent is shooting above 55 percent from behind the arc. That’s just a matter of getting very unlucky, for the most part.
2. Amazing offense
Over this two-game stretch, the Celtics put up 130 points against the Jazz and 145 points against the Trail Blazers. For a team that has struggled offensively this season, those are two elite performances. Just before this two-game stand, they could only muster up 88 points in a winning effort over the Philadelphia 76ers. The offensive progression of this team has been amazing, and their improved passing is a big reason why. The C’s look more willing to make the right plays at all times, rather than playing for themselves and trying to get into a rhythm by way of isolation plays.
3. Jayson Tatum is back
Jayson Tatum is officially back. His play over the last two games has been nothing short of incredible. Not only did the superstar forward put up 30+ points in both games, but he did it rather efficiently. His three-point shooting against the Jazz wasn’t ideal, but other than that, he looks great. Tatum seems to have combined his innate scoring prowess with his newfound ability to make plays for others and run the offense. If that version of Tatum can shine through for the rest of the season, the C’s will be in a very good spot.
4. Marcus Smart is the perfect point guard
At the start of the season, the Celtics announced that Marcus Smart would be their starting point guard. After a tough stretch to start the year, he has turned things around in a big way. Not only is his efficiency improving, but he has fully embraced the pass-first role. Smart is constantly making the extra pass and setting up his teammates. Although he didn’t put up a ton of assists in either of the past two games, his impact lately has been undeniable.
5. The Dennis Schroder bounce-back
After a rough game against the 76ers, Dennis Schroder has looked great these past two games. Is that because Jaylen Brown has been out? Maybe. Regardless, Schroder has put up great numbers. He played well against Utah, scoring an efficient 26 points, but his 31-point performance against the Trail Blazers was all the more impressive. Not only did he tally 31 points, but he also added eight assists and four rebounds as well. His defense is still shaky, but when it comes to leading a team on the offensive end, Schroder looked great last night. He needs to be a bit more consistent once Brown returns, but right now, Schroder looks awesome.
6. Payton Pritchard is here
Payton Pritchard scored 16 points in the fourth quarter against the Trail Blazers last night in his home state. He’s been having a tough year, so to see him shine as he did the other night was a beautiful thing. The point guard showed why Celtics fans fell in love with him last season, and he proved that he still has a lot to offer this season. Watching Boston’s bench get hyped up each time Pritchard drained a three was one of the best moments of the season so far.
7. Aaron Nesmith can still shoot
His performance hot overshadowed by Pritchard’s, but Aaron Nesmith shot well last night, too. He ended the night with nine points and shot 3-4 from three-point range. It’s a very small sample size, but seeing Nesmith play well again is super encouraging.
8. The team loves each other
After seeing quotes come out a week ago about how this Celtics team doesn’t care about each other, it was refreshing to watch them support Pritchard last night. How someone can watch this team play and not see how much they care for each other is baffling. Not only do they support one another on the court, but they do off the court as well. From Jayson Tatum organizing the team to wear headbands together, to the team chanting ‘freedom’ on the night Enes Freedom became a U.S. citizen, to Grant Williams screaming from the bench on seemingly every play. This team wants to win and they want to win together.
The Celtics’ next game will be on Tuesday when they take on the Los Angeles Lakers at STAPLES Center. The game tips off at 10:00 p.m. (EST) and can be streamed on NBC Sports Boston and NBA League Pass.
