Boston Celtics: Takeaways from First Preseason Game
By Andrew Fine
The Boston Celtics handily defeated Olimpia Milano on Tuesday 124-91. The Celtics led the majority of the game and only trailed 2-0 for less than two minutes to begin the game. The Celtics were dominant the entire game on both ends of the floor. Here are some takeaways from Boston’s preseason victory:
Welcome David Lee
David Lee’s preseason debut for the Celtics was exciting to say the least. Lee stuffed the stats sheet in his 21 minutes of play. He had 13 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and two steals. He was fluid in the pick and roll, which created numerous opportunities for easy baskets. Lee will be a valuable asset to this team not only with his off the court leadership, but also his play on the court.
Isaiah still a spark
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Isaiah Thomas was an important part of Boston’s playoff berth last year with his ability to contribute off the bench and against Olimpia Milano he picked up where he left off. Thomas finished with a team-high 18 points, four assists, and three steals in 20 minutes.
He got to the free throw line five times in the first quarter and was perfect in all of his attempts. The Celtics will thrive if Thomas can continue his elite scoring and ability to draw fouls off of the bench.
Smart stepping up
With Evan Turner out with a knee injury, Marcus Smart got plenty of time handling the ball and did not disappoint. Smart had six assists and zero turnovers in 21 minutes. He looked just as comfortable as he did in the summer league when he manned the ball handling duties.
Smart shot the ball efficiently as well. He shot 4-5 from the field and 1-1 from three, and 2-2 from the free throw line, scoring 11 points. This was a nice way for him to start his sophomore campaign.
Avery Brad-three
Avery Bradley was a reliable three-point shooter for the Celtics last year and against Olimpia Milano he was lights out. He shot a perfect 4-4 from behind the arc, which accounted for half of Boston’s three-point makes. The Celtics struggled tremendously from three-point range last season and will benefit if Bradley can improve his already above average three-point shooting.
Tough night for Young
Ineffective would be a nice way of describing James Young’s performance against Olimpia Milano. Young played sparingly and was the lone Celtics player who did not score any points in the game. He committed an offensive foul, turned the ball over, and did not look sharp on defense.
There’s no need to overreact to another episode of Young’s disappointing saga. He just turned 20 and is still the youngest player on the roster, so there’s no need to give up on him quite yet.
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