Celtics 118, Raptors 102

If you just looked at the final score, you might conclude that this was an impressive win. However, the Raptors team that won the league championship last season was missing 4 for their best 8 players, Kawhi Leonard, who signed with the Clippers, Pascal Siakim, their best player, Marc Gasol, their best defender in the paint, and Normn Powell, a 14-point scorer off the bench. By contrast, the Cs were only missing Marcus Smart as Gordon Hayward returned to the lineup after missing several games with a nerve-pain injury in his left foot, the one that was so badly damaged in that horrendous injury two seasons ago.

And, of course in what has now become habitual, they began the game with zero defensive effort, allowing the Raptors to lead 10-0 after 2 minutes. They called a timeout for a reminder and closed the gap immediately, actually leading 28-19 at the quarter. They overcame several careless turnovers in the second quarter and still led, 55-47, at the half. Jayson Tatum, coming off his 38-point performance in the last game, demonstrated extreme impatience while jacking up forced shots, and was 1 for 10 at halftime, disrupting the offensive flow in the process. The Cs extended the lead after three quarters to 88-69 and coasted home, clearing the bench in the process.

Jaylen Brown led the scorers with 30 points, 6 boards and 4 assists, including 5 of 7 treys; Kemba Walker had 23 points, 1 rebound and 4 assists; Gordon Hayward had 14 points, 5 boards, 6 assists, 2 steals and a blocked shot; Daniel Theis had 13 points, 6 rebounds and an assist; Enes Kanter had 12 points and 1 boards; and Tatum finished with 11 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists and 2 blocks, shooting 5 for 18 for the game. Several of Hayward’s assists were impressive while he showed no rust whatsoever.

The problem for the team is just that when Tatum misses shots, he disrupts the flow of the offense as well. Until he proves himself differently, he is the fourth best shooter percentagewise on the team behind Walker, Brown and Hayward; yet once again, he led team in shots taken, several of poor quality. Enes Kanter is a force scoring and rebounding in the paint but when he tries to do more than that, he often turns the ball over as he did today. Despite the relative ease of this win, the Cs turned the ball over 19 times, not a good omen for games to come against better defensive teams.

Rookie Romeo Langford was given 23 minutes of play in this game but he didn’t distinguish himself on either end of the floor. Grant Williams acquitted himself well in just 12 minutes of game time.

The next game is Friday afternoon against the Cavaliers.

Celtics 119, Hornets 93

This game was hardly what the blowout final score would suggest. Once again, the first unit set a bad tone defensively by allowing the Hornets to score 37 points in the first quarter, mostly on uncontested treys, and the Hornets led 37-30 at the quarter. The Cs turned up their defensive intensity at bit in the second quarter, holding the Hornets to just 19 points, and the Cs grabbed the lead at the half, 59-56. Due to some defensive lapses and turnovers, they only led 84-77 after three quarters. However, in the fourth quarter, Jayson Tatum went unconscious and finally brought his shooting percentage above 50%, finishing with a career-high 39 points. Once again, it was Tacko time with 3 minutes left number 99 acquitted himself well with 4 points and 2 rebounds.

Tatum led the scorers obviously with 39 points on 29 shots with 12 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and 3 blocked shots; Kemba Walker had a solid game with 23 points, 1 board and 4 assists; Jaylen Brown had 16 points, 9 boards and 5 assists; and Grant Williams had 12 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, a steal and a block. However, also impressive, for the second consecutive game, was Romeo Langford with 8 points and 4 rebounds; Enes Kanter with 7 points and 13 rebounds; and Javonte Green with 4 points and 4 rebounds in 16 minutes of play. The injuries to Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart may yet turn out to be a blessing in disguise because it has opened the door for extended playing time for Williams, Langford and Green and they have all delivered. Meanwhile, Hayward and Smart are able to take the time necessary to completely recover before returning to the lineup.

The next game is Christmas Day in Toronto against the Raptors who came from 30 points down in the second half to defeat the Dallas Mavericks without two of their starting five, including Pascal Siakim, their leading scorer, who are out with injuries, a tremendous contribution by their bench. Should be a fun game to watch.

The Cs would do themselves a tremendous favor if they would play the first quarter with their best defensive intensity. It is much easier to not let shooters get their confidence than to shut them down once they get going offensively.

Celtics 114, Pistons 93

This was one of the stranger games of the year. First, Detroit is not a good team, even at full strength. However, tonight they were without three of their best players and of course the Cs were still without Gordon Hayward and Marcus Smart. Except for the first quarter when the Cs played little defense and led by only 2 points at the break, at 28-26, the game was never really close, and in fact, Celtic fans were treated to Tacko Time for the final five minutes of play. Tacko was brought up from Maine because of the injuries to backup center Vincent Poirier.

The Cs were led by Jayson Tatum with 26 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals; Jaylen Brown with 26 points, 5 boards, 5 assists and 3 steals; and Grant Williams with 18 points and 3 rebounds, finally breaking out of his shooting slump by connecting on 8 of 10 shots while playing his usually strong defense. Kemba Walker had a terrible offensive game, scoring 3 free throws on 0 for 8 shooting while turning the ball over 7 times. His only saving grace was that he had 11 assists. Enes Kanter had only 8 points but he grabbed 18 rebounds. Romeo Langford finally got some extended minutes and he was impressive on both ends of the floor, putting up some good shots and stealing the ball twice on defense. Also of note in this one, Daniel Theis had 4 blocked shots.

Tatum played, by far, his best first quarter of the season, hitting 6 of 8 varied shots in the first 10 minutes, but then proved he still has no conscience, by jacking up 3 forced shots, all misses, to end the quarter. He has great skills; let’s hope he can continue to play within himself as he demonstrated early on.

The next game is Sunday night at 6 against the Charlotte Hornets at home.

Celtics 109, Mavericks 103

This was a very good win. Yes, the Mavs were without their start playmaker, Luca Doncic, but the Cs were without Gordon Hayward, out with yet another injury, and Marcus Smart, still suffering from a very stubborn eye infection. And, after trailing at the half, 55-50, due primarily to turnovers and failures in defending the trey, they knuckled down defensively, gained the lead after three quarters at 76-73, and expanded that lead to 12, at 97-85, with 3:40 remaining and never looked back.

The Cs were led by Kemba Walker with 32 points, 5 rebounds and 3 assists; Jaylen Brown had 26 points, 9 boards but 0 assists; and Jayson Tatum had 24 points, 8 rebounds but 1 assist. While they clearly were part of the solution, they were also part of the problem, as Walker turned the ball over 4 timesa; Brown had 3 TOs and was 2 for 8 on treys; and Tatum had 3 TOs and was 2 for 10 on treys.

On the positive side, Grant Williams was outstanding on defense, finally got some shots to fall, and was the only effective defender against Kristapps Porzingis who was torching the Cs with his shooting. He played 24 minutes and was particularly effective in the second half. This outing should help with his confidence but he is a very solid defender against players much taller than himself. Brad Wanamaker, once again, played a solid 26 minutes. Enes Kanter had an erratic performance, grabbing 13 rebounds but only making 2 of his 10 shots, all in the paint.

The next game is Friday night at home against the Detroit Pistons.

Sixers 115, Celtics 109

The good news is that Gordon Hayward was not seriously injured last night in Indiana and he turned in a very creditable performance for his comeback-from-injuries game. The bad news is that the Celtics had the misfortune to face Joel Embiid on the night after he was chastised by both Charles Barkely and Shaquille O’Neal and he made the Celtics pay as he lit them up for 38 points, 13 rebounds and 6 assists while taking their criticism to heart.
However, the Celtics got 36 points and 14 rebounds from their two centers, Daniel Theis and Enes Kanter, so tonight’s Celtic problem was not at the center position.

Once again, the Cs were without Marcus Smart, still sidelined with an eye infection, and thus the defense was considerably less than stellar. The Cs led 34-28 at the quarter and 59-56 at the half. They surrendered the lead after three quarters, at 81-80, but their inability to defend the trey eventually sealed their demise. The Sixers hit a number of uncontested treys throughout this game.

Prior to hitting two treys in the final minutes of play, Jayson Tatum was 3 for 16 from the floor and 1 of 6 on treys. Worse, the man he was assigned to guard, Tobias Harris, had 23 points, 8 boards and 7 assists, totally outplaying Tatum. One of Tatum’s criticisms from last year was that he would have a tendency to disappear during games. In this one, both he and Jaylen Brown disappeared for extended periods of time as Tatum played 34 minutes and Brown 41 minutes.

Once again, Kemba Walker led the Cs with 29 points and 8 assists, but he had 21 points and 4 assists in the first half; Enes Kanter had 20 points, 9 rebounds and 2 steals; Hayward had 19 points, 4 boards and 5 assists; Daniel Theis had 16 points and 5 boards; and Tatum finished with 15 points, 3 rebounds and 4 assists. Brown was 3 for 9 from the floor and finished with 8 points. If the Celtics are to move up to the next level, they must get much more from Brown and Tatum, especially against the good teams in the league.

The Celtics now enjoy a 6-day break in the schedule before they face the Dallas Mavericks in Dallas next Wednesday. Hopefully, both Tatum and Brown will use this time wisely to refine their offensive outputs.

Pacers 122, Celtics 117

This was a shameful loss! Giving up 38 points in the fourth quarter was shameful. A supposed defensive team giving up 122 points was shameful. And, worst of all, with the Cs leading 94-84 after three quarters, Jayson Tatum had an attack of dribblitis, turned the ball over 3 consecutive times down the floor, and changed the entire momentum of the game early in the final period. And he was even worse in the first half while connecting just 1 of 6 shots; yet he was jacking up treys like he was hot. This loss rests squarely on his shoulders. And, when it come to bad luck, Gordon Hayward is in a category by himself. First, he had the devastating injury that we all know about. A month ago, he ran into a pick set by Lamarcus Aldridge and broke a bone in his left hand. Tonight, Doug McDermott, while defending Hayward on a drive, smashed him flush in the nose with the heel of his hand in the fourth quarter, sending him immediately to the dressing room from which he never returned. He will be most fortunate if he does not have a broken nose and even possibly a concussion. Needless to say he was missed in the final minutes, especially with Marcus Smart sitting out with an eye infection. Hayward simply cannot a break.

Wasted tonight was a tremdous offensive game by Kemba Walker who had 44 points, 3 rebounds and 7 assists, including 16 for 28 from the floor and 7 treys; Jaylen Brown had 18 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists, but committed several dumb offensive fouls trying to force shots and fouled out of the game at a crucial time when he was needed the most; Tatum finished with 16 points, but was 4 for 13 from the floor and 2 for 8 on treys; Brad Wanamaker had 12 points, 6 boards and an assist, but committed 3 costly TOs; and Daniel Theis had 11 points and 6 rebounds. Theis was the victim of poor officiating tonight as he got no break for his defensive prowess and got called regularly for chippy fouls.

This was absolutely a winnable game with any kind of defensive effort in the fourth quarter. They simply allowed mediocre players to beat them like a drum. With the lone exception of Wanamaker, they received no help from their bench tonight which was also without Robert Williams who is nursing yet another injury.

The next game is tomorrow night at home against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Celtics 110, Cavaliers 88

The Cavaliers are a weak team, as their 5-18 record would suggest, and the Cs came out with defensive intensity, holding the Cavs to 18 points in the first period when they led 29-18. They led by 13 at the half, 53-40, and by 83-66 after three quarters in a game which was never close. The Cs spoiled an otherwise good defensive effort by allowing the Cavs to mount a 17-1 run early in the fourth period before Kemba Walker put the game away with 3 treys in succession. This game marked the return from injury for Gordon Hayward and a night of rest for Marcus Smart who has been battling both injury and illness. Smart was not needed in this game but will be needed later on in the week.

The Cs were led by Walker with 22 points, 2 rebounds and 7 assists; Jaylen Brown had 20 points, 7 boards and 2 assists; Jayson Tatum had 19 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocked shots; Hayward had 14 points, 5 boards and 4 assists; and Daniel Theis had 10 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists and 3 blocks.

Some observations: Tatum forced some shots in the first half but was more selective in the second half. He needs to understand that he is only the fourth best shooter percentage-wise, behind Walker, Brown and Hayward, and employ more of his passing skills which are solid. He also turned the ball over 4 times and Brown had 3 TOs, mostly careless plays. Carsen Edwards, a fine shooter, played 5 minutes in the first half and never touched the ball. Grant Williams finally got off the snide by making a trey; he began his professional career by missing his first 25 attempts. He provided solid minutes defensively again. Robert Williams missed another game due to injury which gave Vincent Poirier 9 minutes of action where he contributed 5 rebounds and 4 points. Semi Ojeleye played 22 minutes and only shot the ball once, a trey that he made.

Brad Wanamaker had a forgettable game, going 1 for 6 from the floor with 2 TOs. The Cs committed 18 TOs, far too many against a weak team.

The next game is Wednesday night in Indiana against the Pacers followed by a home game Thursday night against the 76ers.

Celtics 108, Nuggets 95

This is what can happen when the team decides to play tough defense from the outset, and, except for a few short lapses, never let up. The Nuggets beat the Cs in Denver and they came into this game with a 14-5 record. The Cs, except for some poor boxouts on rebounds which allowed Denver numerous second-chance points, defended well, shot well and put the game away early. They led at all the stops, 33-26 at the quarter, 53-48 at the half, and thanks to great defense in the third period, 85-64 after three.

The Cs were led by Jayson Tatum with 26 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal; Jaylen Brown had 21 points, 7 boards and 2 assists; Kemba Walker had 19 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists; Marcus Smart, back from both illness and injury, had 9 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists, including 4 of 5 from the floor; and Enes Kanter had 8 points, 4 boards and 3 assists and his pick-setting was an important factor as well. When Tatum plays like he did in this game, the Cs are a very good team.

The Cs are now off until Monday when the host the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Celtics 112, Heat 93

Let’s face it Celtics fans, Jayson Tatum simply has no conscience. He thinks he’s the best shooter on the team and always aspires to lead the team in shots taken. In this game, he was 2 for 12 on treys and 6 for 20 from the floor. And he was tied for number of shots taken by Jaylen Brown who was 5 for 9 from the 3-point line and 10 for 20 overall. It also continues to be frustrating to watch this team come out with passive defense, especially on treys, and allow Miami to grab the lead at 28-20 after a quarter. In the second quarter, they defended like a team of Marcus Smarts, flying all over, creating turnovers and holding the Heat to just 16 points in the period to lead by 3 at the half, 52-49. They increased their lead to 13 at three quarters before coasting home with an easy win against a Heat team that has been playing very well and had a 15-4 record coming into this game. Smart, in addition to his oblique injury, is sick with a heavy cold, and was not dressed for this one. Those who wondered whether the Cs could defend without Smart to set the example have to wonder no more: this team can defend.

Brown led the scorers with 31 points, 4 rebounds and an assist; Kemba Walker was close behind with 28 points, 4 boards and 7 assists, including 6 for 11 on treys, and Tatum had just 19 points, 4 rebounds and 1 assist with 3 TOs. Daniel Theis after, a slow start, was a force on defense with 3 blocked shots and 2 assists along with 8 points and 8 rebounds. The Cs also got steady play from Robert Williams who had 10 boards and a block, Brad Wanamaker with 7 points and 4 assists and Carsen Edwards who had a timely trey along with solid defense and 2 big assists. Semi Ojeleye had 7 rebounds and played his usual very solid defensive game.

It’s difficult to understand why this team starts so slowly on defense, usually trailing after the first period. They clearly can play defense; for whatever reason, they choose not to until later in the game.

The next game is Friday night at home against the Denver Nuggets.

First quarter report card

Having watched virtually every minute of every game, these are my grades and observations.

Gordon Hayward: A

Prior to sustaining a freak broken bone in his hand in an unnecessary collision delivered by Lamarcus Aldridge, Hayward was excellent in every aspect of the game on both ends of the floor. Let’s hope he returns on schedule because he provides important balance and experience to the team. While he was playing, the offense was far more fluid than it has been since his absence.

Jayson Tatum: B+

All the so-called pundits continue to lavish high praise on Tatum because he obviously possesses an excellent skill set. And he has had several moments where he has made plays which attract great attention. However, he also remains somewhat inconsistent on both ends of the floor and has yet to find a balance between dominating and disrupting the offensive flow when he over-dribbles and fires up forced shots. For quite awhile, he had few assists but he has shown growth in that area recently. He still has work to do.

Jaylen Brown: B+

Offensively, he has clearly worked on his game in the off-season. Whereas last year, he was often a poor finisher at the rim unless he could dunk, he now is much improved. And he has developed a mid-range game. He can be an outstanding defender but he still has lapses and gets into unnecesary foul trouble.

Kemba Walker: B+

He is a scorer who also plays solid defense. Offensively, he is not reluctant to take big shots and defensively he has been consistent. He has, since Hayward’s departure, had a tendency to over-dribble and has been turnover-prone as a result which may be partly due to pressure he perceives to be on him to score. His personality is a monumental contrast to his predecessor at point guard.

Daniel Theis: B

He is a solid player on both ends of the floor. He is not featured in the offense so he is not asked to score. His only weakness is that he is often physically overmatched with the man he is assigned to guard. He knows where his shots come in the offense and he never forces the issue.

Marcus Smart: A

Marcus has been the outstanding player thus far, especially when you consider that he is, and has been, playing hurt. He sometimes has a tendency to over-shoot but also almost always immediately makes up for offensive miscues with an outstanding play on the defense.

Eric Kanter: B

His progress has been hindered by a deep knee bruise which caused him to miss 7 games early on and he has been working to get into game shape ever since. He is the quintessential offensive rebounder and scorer in the paint and, as such, fills a very important role for this team. He is also improving as a pick-setter. Look for him to show even more improvement during the next quarter.

Semi Ojeleye: c+

It is obvious that he has worked on his offensive game, which has improved, but he still needs to become more of an offensive force. He continues to be a solid defensive player. Last year, he lacked the ability to drive to the hoop but that has improved. He does need to look for his shot more often.

Brad Wanamaker: B+

He has been the surprise of the roster. One wonders why he was not discovered last year when he received very few meaningful minutes. He has brought scoring and assists to the offense and has been steady on defense and with rebounding. He will likely get even more minutes while Smart recovers from several of his recent injuries.

Carsen Edwards: C

Like most rookies, he has had difficulty getting minutes and has often forced shots in an attempt to prove his value to the team. He has worked hard on defense but is not yet a solid defender. Basically, he needs more minutes in order to build his confidence; perhaps he will get more time if Smart remains out of the lineup for very long.

Grant Williams: C

Already a solid defender who can guard multiple positions, he has impressed on defense but struggled with his shot. Part of that is due to the fact that he is a work in progress with treys and those are the only shots he has been set up for during his limited time on the floor. He needs to have a play run for him so that he can see the ball go in and his confidence will quickly improve.

Robert Williams: C

Robert has been inconsistent in his limited minutes so far. He, too, could benefit from additional minutes but that is unlikely to happen with Theis and Kanter ahead of him. He also has shown a tendency toward frequent injury which is a concern since he is definitely on the thin side.

Javonte Green: Incomplete

He has a really tough job because he is expected to perform but he has no idea when he is likely to get minutes in order to do so. He has shown potential to be effective on both ends of the floor and he is an especially good finisher at the rim. He needs consistent minutes but, barring injury, that is unlikely to happen this season.

Vincent Poirier: Incomplete

He is the fourth center and only get minutes because of injury to one or two of the three ahead of him. He has not been given enough minutes to make any kind of reasonable assessment.

Romeo Langford: Incomplete

One of the beat writers gave this kid an F which I felt was patently unfair. He was selected with the 14th pick in the draft after playing hurt his entire freshman year at Indiana with a hand injury. As a result of necessary surgery to repair his hand, he missed the entire summer league and pre-season. Since the season began, he has suffered two ankle sprains, one with the Cs and the other with the Red Claws where he was sent to get playing time. This kid is 19 years old, cut him a break; he obviously isn’t getting hurt on purpose. He is a rangy, quick wing player with exceptionally long arms who may someday be able to display his talents.

Coaching Staff: B+

The staff has built decent morale on this team after a year where that was a serious problem and that has contributed to the fine start. Some of their defensive match-ups have been problematical and, while Smart can clearly guard anyone in a pinch, the team will be better off if he spends less time guarding much bigger and heavier opponents, since backs down from no one.

This team plays best when they defend early and often. Lately, there has been a tendency to focus on offense early in games and play defense later when needed. Since it is never a good idea to allow shooters to see the ball go in the hoop early in a game, without a hard contest, this approach is counter productive for this team. Hopefully, the coaching staff will not continue to allow this to happen.