Boston Celtics: 3 key players in team’s taming of the Timberwolves

The Boston Celtics increased their winning streak to three games with an impressive 118-109 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves Saturday night.

Coming off a blowout victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Boston Celtics looked to prove they could continue the momentum on back-to-back nights.  They certainly did so Saturday night by defeating the Minnesota Timberwolves 118-109 to win their third consecutive game.

Led by Gordon Hayward with 30 points, the Celtics got an important win on the road doing it with timely defense, ball movement and balance offensively.

With the game going back and forth for much of the game, the Celtics did let a 10-point lead get away from them early in the fourth quarter as the Timberwolves went on a 10-0 spurt.

However, these Boston Celtics showed their fight by pouncing right back.  They countered Minnesota’s 10-0 run with a 9-0 run themselves.  Actually, they did it twice going down the stretch of this game by additionally counting a 12-3 Timberwolves run with a 10-2 run going down the stretch of the game.

Impressively, the Celtics went on to put Derrick Rose and the Timberwolves away in the final minutes of the game, highlighted by a 3-pointer by Hayward who had a whale of a fourth quarter.

Overall, it was another promising effort from a Boston Celtics team that is starting to find their stride.

Here are three key players for the Boston Celtics in the 118-109 win in Minnesota.

Marcus Smart

There is no coincidence that the Boston Celtics have started winning since Marcus Smart has been inserted into the starting lineup.

Along with attitude and toughness, Smart provides a defensive intensity that prevents the team from getting off to some of those slow starts that have plagued them during the first part of the season.

Living up to his nickname “Cobra,” Smart let his defensive presence known against the Timberwolves with four steals in the game.

He only added six points and three assists, but it is the attitude, hustle and the dirty work he provides that has given the starting lineup a boost and given the team an overall jolt of confidence.  This one play from Saturday night’s game says it all:

Yup, diving on the court after a great defensive play and setting up his team offensively is what Marcus Smart has been all about.  When he plays this way, the Boston Celtics usually win games.

Kyrie Irving

Kyrie Irving proved Saturday night that he doesn’t have to score over 30 points to help his team offensively.

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Coming off a 29-point performance against the Cleveland Cavaliers, Irving added 21 points in the victory against the Timberwolves.  His shooting was a bit off shooting just 6-of-15 from the field (including 2-8 from behind the arc), but Uncle Drew did it again with his passing.

On the night, Irving dished out nine assists, setting up teammates and provided on-the-court leadership with his playmaking skills on a night where he was off offensively.

Part of the reason he was off is because the Minnesota Timberwolves started the game with Robert Covington guarding him.  The length and size of Covington made things difficult for Irving at the beginning, but he eventually found ways to make the Timberwolves pay as the game went on.

Again, Kyrie Irving didn’t score 40 points, nor should he have to.  Making plays and getting his teammates involved while picking his spots to score is what has gotten this team on tract.  Saturday night in Minnesota was another example.

Gordon Hayward

The best part of Saturday night’s victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves was after the game when Gordon Hayward was showered with Gatorade after a 30-point performance.

In his best game as a member of the Boston Celtics, Hayward was 8-for-15 shooting and made four of his five three-point attempts.  He was aggressive and monumental in the fourth quarter pouring in 16 of his 30 points in the final frame including a 3-pointer in the final minute of the game to really put a dagger in the Timberwolves.

In playing in back-to-back games, Hayward proved he is ready to come off his minutes restriction and appears to be getting into the flow of the Celtics’ offense.  With a near triple-double, Gordon Hayward showed off his ability to do everything, but maintains he needs to find consistency.

"“It’s never good to get too high on the highs or too low on the lows,” Hayward said following the game.  “So take it in stride, have another good week of practice and recovery, and try to build on this one.  Have some consistency.”"

Just when many were starting to write him off, Hayward is proving he just needs time.  Finally, Boston Celtics fans are starting to see the Gordon Hayward the team went so hard after prior to the 2017-18 season.