GAME: No. 8 of 82
WHO: Celtics (5-2) vs. Kings (1-6)
WHEN: 7:30 EST
WHERE: TD Garden
RADIO: 98.5 FM the Sports Hub
TV: NBC Sports Boston,
BOX SCORE: NBA.COM
Projected Starting Lineups:
Celtics
PG: Kyrie Irving
SG: Jaylen Brown
SF: Jayson Tatum
PF: Al Horford
C: Aron Baynes
Kings
PG: George Hill
SG: Buddy Hield
SF: Bogdan Bogdanovic
PF: Zach Randolph
C: Willie Cauley-Stein
THIRD QUARTER THOUGHTS
- Jaylen Brown and Kyrie Irving continued to put on a show. The guards combined to score 23 of Boston's 31 points in the third quarter, helping extend the lead to 29 points by the end of the frame.
- Brown left the game and had his left knee wrapped on the bench in the closing minutes of the frame.
- Hosts limited Kings to sub 30 percent shooting in the frame.
- Celtics' nearly doubled the Kings up on the glass (36-19) through three quarters. After a tight opening frame, Boston has dominated on both side of the floor.
FIRST HALF THOUGHTS
- Another stellar first quarter from Jaylen Brown who was perfect from the field (4-of-4 FG) to score 12 points out of the gate. Boston's offense hit its first five shots as a hole but turnover issues (six quarter) kept them from getting any real separation early
- Boston's defense from the starters was a bit lazy early as well. Just not a lot of strong contests and the guys like George Hill and Zach Randolph got comfortable in their spots early.
- Irving and Brown combined for 21 of Boston's 27 points.
- Things changed in quite a hurry in the second quarter as Brad Stevens turned to his bench mob of Smart/Rozier/Ojeleye/Tatum/Theis. This group ran out with a 20-6 run in the first six minutes of the second quarter against the Kings bench, beating up the visitors on the glass and shutting them down defensively.
- Some really nice minutes from Theis and Ojeleye in the frontcourt. Ojeleye hit a pair of open 3s, seemingly breaking out of his early season slump. Meanwhile, Theis got the best of Kosta Koufos down low, posting six points and seven rebounds in just 11 minutes. He remains one of the biggest surprise additions on the team at this point.
- The solid bench play allowed Stevens to stick with that unit for the first nine minutes of the quarter, giving some appreciated extra rest to the starters.
PREGAME NOTES
- Marcus Morris remains out for the Celtics for one game but did a hard workout today with the team and will travel with the Celtics for their three-game road trip tomorrow. "Marcus did great in the scrimmage on Monday, had a lighter day yesterday, had a really hard workout today," Brad Stevens said before the game. "Trending very well, won’t play tonight but we’ll see him sooner rather than later."
- Stevens has enjoyed having Gordon Hayward around the facility in the past week as he has started his rehab. "Well he’s been there a couple of days now as far as just he’s had a couple of follow-up medical meetings and then he had his, again, he’s getting some of his treatment," he said. "I think it’s just, again, it’s good to see his spirits being high. Obviously, we’re anticipating and expecting to be a full complete great recovery but he certainly has a long road. The most important thing, again, is how he feels."
- The Celtics' five-game winning streak is the longest in the NBA. They also are tied for the league's best record at 5-2.
- Kings Rookie De’Aaron Fox has recorded at least 10 points and five assists in two of his last three games, and has scored at least 18 points three times this season. Stevens compared him to a young Mike Conley before the game.