Everything you need to know about the Celtics' 109-103 win over the Mavericks in quickie form with BSJ insight and analysis
Box Score
HEADLINES
Gordon Hayward's foot injury raises concern: The news came in around midday on Wednesday that Gordon Hayward would no longer be available for the evening’s matchup against the Dallas Mavericks due to a sore left foot. Hayward traveled with the team to Dallas and attended shootaround but was a late scratch after feeling some lingering pain despite five days off and a cortisone shot.
TURNING POINT
Walker scored 10 points in a two minute stretch midway through the fourth quarter, jumpstarting an 11-3 Celtics run that pushed the lead into double-digits for the visitors for the first time all game.
TWO UP
Kemba Walker in the first quarter: The point guard is in the midst of his best run as a Celtics so far. Over his last three games, he’s averaging 35 points and six assists while shooting 49 percent from the field and 44 percent from 3-point range.
Jaylen Brown at the free-throw line: The swingman was a perfect 8-of-8 from the charity stripe, just one make short of his career-high. The improved accuracy from the line has raised his season average to 75 percent, which is a nine-point improvement from his career average.
TWO DOWN
Celtics’ defensive consistency: Despite limiting the NBA’s best offense to 103 points at home, Brad Stevens was not happy with the number of good looks given up. “I thought we were awful,” Stevens said afterward. “They missed a lot of open shots. We played it well enough to win, but not as good as we need to to be a really good team. And then we had moments late where we strung together some stops. But we have to be much more committed to being better on that end of the floor.”
3-point shooting beside Kemba: The Celtics outside of their All-Star were a combined 7-of-28 from beyond the arc with Tatum (2-of-10) having the toughest night of the bunch.
TOP PLAY
Get. The. Ball. To. Kemba. Walker. pic.twitter.com/uBvomQ2U91
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 19, 2019
TWO TAKES B-ROBB WILL PROBABLY REGRET LATER
This was a confidence builder for Grant Williams: The rookie forward has gone from out of the rotation earlier this month to being featured front and center in this one with 24 minutes, just two short of his career-high. He not only made the second 3 of his NBA career (which came after a couple misses) but he was a net positive on both ends of the floor in this one, posting up Seth Curry for an easy two points while setting countless good screens for Kemba Walker and Jayson Tatum. Stevens also stuck with him for big minutes at power forward in this one as opposed to small-ball center to help increase the C’s versatility against a diverse Mavericks lineup. He continues to look like the best rookie of the bunch and that’s important for a frontcourt that is shorthanded.
We didn’t really get a chance to see much of Romeo Langford: The No. 14 overall pick played just the second game of his injury-riddled NBA career and there really wasn’t much to report on thus far. He played in just five minutes spread over two stints of action and his only stat in the box score was an assist. A short leash was no surprise given the competition and the fact Javonte Green was playing well, but Langford still remains a bit of a mystery. He’s likely headed back to the G-League once Smart/Hayward get healthy but it will be intriguing to see if he gets another chance or two in the meantime.