Everything you need to know about the Celtics win over the Kings, with BSJ insight and analysis.
IN A NUTSHELL
The C’s were sloppy and the Kings came out hot, but Luka Garza, again, made an impact after checking in and Boston was only down one after the first quarter. Anfernee Simons led a big bench quarter to put Boston up one a halftime. The teams traded runs in the third and went into the fourth tied. Derrick White woke up in the fourth and the C’s pulled away.
HEADLINES
- Pulling away late: Boston’s biggest lead of the night was the final difference of 14 points. White not only struggled to score, he was having trouble just getting shots off. But he went off in the fourth quarter, joined by Jaylen Brown to account for 22 of Boston’s 32 points.
- Bench boost: 35 of Boston's 62 halftime points came from the bench. The only had 11 in the second half, but that's when the starters were able to do more, especially in the fourth quarter. Things started slow for the Celtics, but the bench came in and stabilized things, which follows a recent trend.
- Moving on up: The Celtics picked up their 21st win, moving them within two of the Knicks for the second seed. The 21st win matches the Houston Rockets, which is wild considering Houston is a championship contender. Boston is one of nine teams with a winning percentage above 60%. Saturday night against the Clippers, who just won their sixth in a row, is going to be a fun test.
TURNING POINT