It was the Saturday after Thanksgiving when the Boston Celtics hit their low point — a 113-104 loss in Dallas, marking four losses to inferior opponents in their last five games. The streak left the Celtics sitting at 10-10 nearly a quarter of the way into the NBA season. The “cold start” narrative could be put to bed, and it was time to admit that this team could be in trouble.
With Jaylen Brown missing the next game due to a back injury, Marcus Smart was inserted into the starting lineup and the Celtics got a dominant road win in New Orleans. Smart has started every game since, resulting in a winning streak that reached six games in Boston on Monday night with another victory over New Orleans.
The Celtics have gotten contributions from top to bottom on their roster, winning with big games from Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, and even winning without those key cogs on the floor as they did on Monday. The C’s were without Irving (shoulder), Hayward (illness), Al Horford (knee) and Aron Baynes (ankle), but still found a way to grind out a 113-100 win at home. Hayward and Horford will be out once again on Wednesday night.
Boston’s averaging a whopping 124 points per game during its win streak, finally clicking on all cylinders. The C’s not only have the NBA’s top-ranked offense during this span, but also the third-best defensive ranking, per the team’s radio play-by-play man, Sean Grande.
The now-16-10 Celtics travel to Washington, D.C., next to take on a struggling 11-16 Wizards team on Wednesday night. Here are three things to watch for.
The Celtics’ Health
The Celtics’ injury report released on Tuesday afternoon left Irving absent, indicating he’s good to go for this matchup. But big men Horford and Baynes remain questionable, while Hayward is considered doubtful. Irving’s presence should have a huge impact on the game, and while the status of the remaining players is encouraging, they still may be a game or two away from returning. Assuming the Celtics are thin in the frontcourt on Wednesday, two standout players from Monday’s victory could play key roles once again in D.C.
Robert Williams’ Emergence; Morris Sibling Rivalry
Regardless of how many healthy bodies the Celtics have in their frontcourt, 2018 first-round draft pick Robert Williams made the case for more minutes on Monday. The 21-year-old came off Brad Stevens’ bench to go against his idol, Anthony Davis and put forward the most impressive outing of his young career.
Williams played 26 minutes, going 3-for-5 from the field for seven points, 11 rebounds and three blocks — two of those rejections against Davis. Davis complimented the rookie’s defense in his postgame interview, which Williams acknowledged gives him confidence moving forward. Williams had a plus/minus of plus-13 against the Pelicans, tying Jayson Tatum for a game-high. Williams earned himself more opportunities moving forward.
Marcus Morris was the C’s leading scorer in Monday’s win, dropping an efficient 31 points on 10-for-15 from the field, including 5-of-8 from deep. He’ll face his twin brother Markieff in Washington, looking to keep this scoring momentum going.
Another High-Scoring Affair
The Wizards rank 29th in the NBA defensively, allowing 116.4 points per game to their opponents. They also might not be playing with star point guard John Wall, who’s dealing with bone spurs in his heel. He’ll be a game-time decision.
Given the Celtics’ recent scoring trends and Washington’s defensive struggles, this should be another game in which the C’s can get a lot of points on the board.
A win in Washington would set Boston up with only one more road game (Detroit, on Saturday) in its next six games, which conclude on Christmas Day when the C’s host the 76ers.
