The Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to six games with a solid victory over Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans Monday night at TD Garden.
The depth of the Boston Celtics was on full display Monday night at TD Garden.
With Kyrie Irving, Al Horford, Gordon Hayward and Aron Baynes all in street clothes, the Celtics got major contributions from the rest of the team to down Anthony Davis and the New Orleans Pelicans 113-100 Monday night at TD Garden.
With Terry Rozier inserted into the starting lineup, Boston didn’t miss a beat in this one.
The offense was flowing, and the team played great team defense in delivering their sixth consecutive victory with their stars sitting on the bench. Marcus Morris stepped up big in this one with a team-high 31 points and Brad Stevens saw contributions from just about everyone, including Jaylen Brown off the bench and rookie big man Robert Williams.
Overall, the game really wasn’t as close as the final score. The Celtics led this one by as many as 22 points and had an answer for every time the Pelicans inched closer. They also had an answer from Davis, despite his 41 points in the game.
With Morris and Tatum leading the way, the Celtics actually outscored the Pelicans by 18 points with Anthony Davis on the floor. They basically let him get his by limited the other players. Definitely a good strategy for a player that dominant.
In all, another solid victory for the Boston Celtics.
While the entire team deserves praise in this one, here are three players who shined in defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 113-100.
Robert Williams
With Aron Baynes and Al Horford out, Boston Celtics rookie Robert Williams saw extended time and boy did he take advantage of it.
Facing off against his childhood idol Anthony Davis for the first time, Williams made his presence known. He didn’t just block the superstar big man once but blocked him twice.
⏰LORD https://t.co/Yaw6rWzmHf
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 11, 2018
His athletic defensive presence not only had the fans at TD Bank roaring, but left Davis with nothing but compliments following the game.
"“I was surprised,” Davis said following the game, via Celtics.com. “I thought he was going to go for the pump fake, and he didn’t. I just tried to shoot over him. But he’s good. He’s talented. He’s a good defensive player.”"
That athleticism and rim protecting ability is exactly why the Celtics drafted Robert Williams. Because of the depth the team currently has, he hasn’t seen much time on the court. His seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocked shots may encourage some more playing time out of his head coach Brad Stevens. It at least sparked some confidence within the young big man.
"“Just knowing that my presence is felt out there, even with the best big men in the league,” Williams said. “It just gives me confidence and it lets me know I can get out there and compete.”"
Jayson Tatum
Jayson Tatum needed to step up and he did. In fact, he stepped around Anthony Davis a few times with his repertoire of offensive moves.
More from Boston Celtics
- 3 Most Underpaid Celtics Heading Into the 2023 Season
- Blake Griffin Angling Hard to Re-Sign With Celtics
- Game-by-Game Predictions for the Celtics’ 2023-24 In-Season Tournament Schedule
- Kristaps Porzingis’ Foot Injury is a Problem Despite Celtics’ Optimism
- Marcus Smart, Grant Williams and Ime Udoka all Returning to Boston on 2023-24 Schedule
With 21 points in the game, Tatum was the team’s go-to guy to start the game. Not only did he display his outside game, he also delivered while driving to the hoop. Adding six rebounds to his offensive output, the second-year wing certainly answered the call.
In all, it was the 10th time Tatum scored 20-plus points this season and appears he is over a little early season sophomore slump. Playing within the offense instead of the isolation one-on-one stuff is proving to be where Jayson Tatum is most effective at this point in his career.
With no Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward, it was good to see Tatum step up along with the next key player of the game. Then again, this is exactly what these players were doing last season when both star players were sidelined.
Marcus Morris Sr.
Without Kyrie Irving, Al Horford and Gordon Hayward, the Boston Celtics got their veteran leadership and scoring from Marcus Morris Sr.
As he has been all season long, Morris Sr. was consistent behind the three-point stripe. Along with his defense, the veteran wing provided key shots when the team needed it.
In pouring in a season-high 31 points, Morris was absolutely deadly with the three ball. He drained back-to-back 3s to behind the third quarter to push the Celtics lead to 13 points at the time. In total, Marcus Morris Sr. knocked in five three pointers and was overall made 10 of his 15 shot attempts.
To say Morris Sr. stepped up to carry the team with their star players out is an understatement. Not only has he been a consistent scorer off the bench and in the starting lineup, he has been a vocal leader on the team.
There was one point in the game in which he appeared to be frustrated with the play of Jaylen Brown. Morris voiced his dismay and shortly after Brown started hitting shots and playing much better. Besides the consistent scoring, the attitude he brings to the court makes him a valuable commodity for the Boston Celtics.