Boston Celtics Finding Consistency With Healthy Team
Finally healthy, the Boston Celtics have won five of their last six games, improving to 18-13 in the process.
Grit and determination have long been staples of Brad Stevens coached Boston Celtics teams. Both have been needed in the season’s first two months and both were present in Boston’s Christmas Day victory over the New York Knicks.
Expectations were high for the Celtics entering the season. The offseason acquisition of Al Horford, plus the continued growth of Isaiah Thomas and Jae Crowder, led to dreams of dethroning the Cleveland Cavs as lords of the east.
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Instead, thanks to a myriad of injuries to these three players, the Celtics have been battling to play .500 basketball. Three-game winning streaks were immediately followed by two or three losses in a row.
In the month of December, despite a Thomas groin injury sprinkled in, the Celtics have found their groove. The continued high-level of play of Thomas, Horford and Crawford–plus other key ingredients–will be needed for Boston to make a run at the number one seed.
Win Together or Lose Alone
Through 31 games, Thomas, Horford and Crowder have played in a total of 17 games together. A record of 12-5 in these games reflect how integral they are to Boston’s success.
Horford, in this first season with the Celtics, is averaging 15.7 points and 7 rebounds per game. More importantly, he is giving them an added presence in the middle, averaging 2.1 blocks per game.
Crowder continues to be a multi-faceted player. He is scoring 13 points per game and averaging just over one steal per game.
Thomas is making the case for another all-star nod, averaging 27 points and 6.2 assists per game.
In six games in which one of these stars has been absent, the Celtics are 3-3. Thomas sat out four of these games, a stretch in which Boston went 1-3.
Not that we needed more proof of the all-star’s importance to the Celtics, but Boston is 3-5 in games in which Crowder and Horford both missed. Yes, the record is under .500 in these games, but imagine where the record might be if not for Thomas.
The real MVP?
The combination of these three players help make the Celtics tick, but it is Avery Bradley who might be the most important player to the team.
Bradley, averaging 17.6 points and 7.2 rebounds per game, has played in all 31 games for Boston this season. He is playing at an all-star level and could even be considered as a team MVP at this point.
The guard is shooting 47.7% from the field and is averaging just over two steals per game.
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The rise of Bradley, plus the play of Kelly Olynyk, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown and Amir Johnson–among others–will be needed as Boston moves forward. And as long as they continue to be healthy, their ascent to the throne will be a good one to watch.
Next up for the Celtics is the Memphis Grizzlies, a home game slated for 12/27. The Celtics defeated the Grizzlies 112-109 in overtime last Tuesday in Memphis.