5 takeaways from the Boston Celtics 108-90 win vs. the Houston Rockets
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The Boston Celtics made it three in a row last night, taking down the Houston Rockets 108-90. Despite a slow start to the game, the C’s quickly turned things around in the second half. What are some of the top takeaways from the contest?
Takeaways from the Boston Celtics win vs. the Houston Rockets
1. Offensive regression
In Boston’s previous two wins over the Los Angeles Lakers and Oklahoma City Thunder, their offense looked phenomenal. However, last night against Houston, it looked as though they took a bit of a step back. This was especially noticeable in the first half when the Rockets were keeping up with them. There was a lot of isolation basketball, and the passing looked a step slower than it had in recent games. Luckily, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown caught fire in the second half, and the Rockets reverted back to the terrible offense they’ve been playing all year. Hopefully, the Celtics can turn things around on that front in their next game.
2. Jaylen Brown needs time
Brown eventually got hot from the field, but it looked a bit rough in the first half. He just looked a step slow, which was to be expected after coming back from an injury that kept him out for so long. Brown said after the game that his body didn’t feel right, and it showed at times on the court. It’s likely going to take him a few games before he can get back to the level he was playing at before his injury. The Celtics have to help him get in a rhythm by letting him play through their offense, and in due time, he’ll be back to normal.
3. Jayson Tatum is back
This has been a takeaway after each of the last two games as well, but wow Tatum looks good. Last night marked his fourth 30-point game in a row, and he’s been doing it efficiently, too. That’s the key to it all. Earlier in the season, Tatum was putting up high-scoring totals but wasn’t shooting very well from the field. Now that he’s combining efficiency with big-time scoring games, everything is finally falling into place.
4. Robert Williams didn’t miss a beat
While Brown may have looked a step slow, Robert Williams did not. He was doing all the little things the team needs him to do. The big man ended the night with only two points but nabbed 15 rebounds, which is a huge part of Boston’s success. (Plus, he would have had more than two points if a couple of his lobs weren’t called off.) His ability to dominate the glass is something the Celtics have lacked for years. Not only is he bringing in a ton of defensive boards, but his activity on the defensive glass has been crucial as well. Williams looked to be back and better than ever.
5. Dennis Schroder off the bench was okay
With Brown back in the lineup, Dennis Schroder was relegated back to the bench. He ended up contributing 18 points on efficient shooting but had no assists on the night. Schroder not being in the starting lineup may have contributed to Boston’s first-half struggles, too. He has played such a crucial role on the playmaking side of things, that seeing him finish the game with no assists is a bit odd. The Celtics need him to be running the offense, but he wasn’t doing much of that last night. He had to focus on scoring because that’s what his role is going to be off the bench. It will be interesting to see what Ime Udoka does about that moving forward.
The Celtics’ next game will be tomorrow when they take on the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden. The game tips off at 7:30 p.m. (EST) and can be streamed on ESPN and NBA League Pass.
