The Boston Celtics were starring in the Friday night drama against the Washington Wizards, but they managed to hold up for their fourth straight win.
Once again, the dynamic duo of Jason Tatum and Jailyn Brown were leading the way for C. Tatum scored 32 points per night, and Brown scored 27 points and 13 rebounds.
Celtics-Wizards Highlights: Celtics late stuck wins, 116-107
While Tatum and Brown were the stars, there was a lot more to do without Boston’s win. Here’s how we are overreacting as the Celtics improved to 7-3.
1. Tacko Fall needs more minutes.
If only the Celtics were playing in front of the crowded TD park Friday night.
Tackomania would have been rampant as the 7-foot-5 phenomenon went up dramatically for the short C’s. With Tristan Thompson, Robert Williams, and Grant Williams all out due to health and safety protocols, Val was given long minutes. He used them the most
The fall ended with four points, eight rebounds, and three blocks in 19 minutes. One of those blocks was Denial of former NBA player Russell Westbrook.
The big guy showed that he has the ability to play meaningful minutes for C when prompted. There’s no doubt he has earned the trust of coach Brad Stevens, so we’ll have to wait and see if we’ll get more Tacko Time as the season goes on.
Verdict: Overreaction
2. Semi Ojeleye became a powerful spin player.
Ojeleye, like Fall, was called in to play big minutes with the stunt Celtics. He was in the starting line-up and while not going strong out of the gate, he was a big contributor in the third quarter.
The 26-year-old finished with eight points and five rebounds in 27 minutes and was 23+ on the ground. He has been pleasantly surprised in his last few matches and has been playing with much greater confidence and aggression than in previous years.
At this point, it’s hard to deny Ojeleye’s transformation into a reliable rotation player for Team C. That says a lot after he’s been considered on the campaign nominee.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
3. The Celtics had a problem in the second half.
Sure, the Celtics got a W, but what happened in the fourth quarter was grotesque. In the blink of an eye, his 28-point lead diminished to four versus one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.
This dirty second half was a problem for the Celtics dating back to last season. Shifts do not provide them with any service (21 on Friday). All this must be known if this team will be a true competitor in the East.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
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