Last night was a toughey. Tough to watch thanks to the referees – breaking in their whistles for the year – and because both teams shot like they were in middle school. That being said, there were some promising signs from the Boston boys.
Here are 5 things I took away from the game
1) Jayson Tatum is still extremely frustrating
Yeah, I know, he’s our future, blah blah blah. The dude is lacking a feel for the flow of the game. The Celtics are 6 to 8 deep with guys who can score a variety of ways, he does not need to force every shot and waste crucial possessions. 8-22 from the field and 4 turnovers is not something that the “best player on the team” (what he thinks he is, and what we need him to be) can do.
2) Kemba and Hayward could be fun
Hayward looked like he is comfortable again. Getting to different spots on the floor came pretty easy at times, but also looked a step slow during others. Still, 25 points and 5 rebounds is a great sign from a player the Celtics really need to get a lot out of.
Kemba on the other hand struggled. Mightily. I don’t think it’s any indication on what’s to come, especially considering he was playing one of the best defenses in the league, but he was definitely forcing a bit.
The two played a lot of pick and roll together. Both can shoot, pass, and get to the basket with the best of them. I cannot wait to watch them work together all year.
3) Timelord’s nickname should actually be Gravitylord
The dude has no respect for physics when he is near someone shooting the ball. One of the most impressive shotblockers I’ve seen. The rest of the team is also very excited to throw him lobs. Over the off-season there were rumors of us looking to trade for Capela (thank god we didn’t), I can see Robert Williams stepping into a similar role that Capela has on the Rockets – defense and lobs. I’m very excited to watch him grow this year.
4) Great night for Kanter
When the Kanter signing was announced, I was told that Embiid would be EATING with Kanter covering him. But once again, Brad Stevens crafts his defense to shut the IG subtweeter down. 5 of 14 from the field, 1 of 4 from 3. While the entire defense played well against Embiid, Kanter’s defense specifically was a great sign moving forward.
He is also the offensive rebounding KING. Easy points are the best points.
5) Tacko Fall has to play.
The Celtics are undefeated this year when the 7’6″ behemoth of a man plays and you cannot tell me that is a coincidence.
I won’t mention the free throw shooting because I don’t think that will be an issue all season, rather just a weird night. Very excited about this team and its versatility and overall was encouraged in a lot of areas last night.