The Boston Celtics couldn’t get it done against the visiting Orlando Magic Friday night, losing 117-109 and posting just the third home loss of the season for the club. The crowd was buzzing early with anticipation as Robert Williams III returned from injury, but unfortunately, the Celtics simply couldn’t get into gear.
Jayson Tatum finished with 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists, but he disappeared for long stretches of the game. Overall Boston’s offense was clunky, and the defense uncharacteristically sloppy. Williams’ return was the headline, and despite the loss there were a few key takeaways from the game. Boston will get a chance for revenge soon enough with another game against Orlando this Sunday at TD Garden.
Here’s what you might have missed from Boston’s loss Friday night.
Celtics Lab 159: On fake jerseys for real Boston wins, fantasy sports and remembering Paul Silas with Pete Rogers https://t.co/rHbMySsYwo
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 13, 2022
Robert Williams is finally back from injury
Robert Williams III saw his first action of the ’22-23 campaign Friday night after missing the beginning of the season recovering from a knee procedure in September. Before the game Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla said Williams’ return was a big deal, saying “he just makes us better.”
Though Williams played in limited bursts, he did indeed make an obvious impact. He slammed home a few monster dunks and clearly had the Magic rethinking things in the paint. Williams finished the night with 9 points and 6 rebounds.
Williams will take time to fully ramp up to his old form. He came off the bench against the Magic and logged 18 minutes, a perfectly acceptable first game back. Mazzulla explained that while Williams isn’t on a minutes restriction, the team will be cautious in allocating his playing time for the foreseeable future.
The hard, cold reality of how clubs and players can be seen in the light of what they are so far this season as opposed to what we thought they would be. https://t.co/TSzCJ9seAC
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 16, 2022
3-point shooting continues to be a tricky vixen
This year Boston is shooting 41.6 3-pointers per game, the second highest mark in the NBA. Over-reliance on the 3-point shot invites high levels of variability in a team’s offense. That high variance was on full display against the Magic.
At one point the Celtics were 6-for-10 from distance before missing 11 consecutive 3-point shots. Boston never really found its shooting touch from there — at one point Boston was 8-for-38 from distance and finished the game shooting 11-for-46 on 3-pointers.
Boston coughed up 14 turnovers and committed 21 fouls. Cold shooting teamed up with undisciplined play to doom the Celtics in this one. Credit to the Magic, though. In the moments when Boston did seem to tighten the screws, Orlando turned up the heat.
How would Grant Williams sum up this Boston Celtics team in one word? “Electric.” https://t.co/z3HlCuSWU5
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 16, 2022
Marcus Smart continues to be the leader of this team
There was a stretch in the third period where the wheels really began to come off for the Celtics. Al Horford was ejected following a flagrant foul, followed by a Jayson Tatum technical a few moments later. Marcus Smart gathered his guys at mid-court to try and calm things down.
Cold shooting from deep notwithstanding, Boston’s play improved from that point on. The offensive rhythm was a little more organic. the defensive intensity sharpened. Credit to the young Magic for playing a great game.
Smart’s pep talk did appear to calm his troops despite the loss. He finished the game with 10 points and 8 assists, but it was his leadership that really deserves extra praise. On a night when the Celtics couldn’t buy a basket, the club’s longest-tenured member made sure his guys fought until the final horn.
Despite being tied to the Spurs center, word is the team has cooled on such a pursuit. https://t.co/RDZmzAG8En
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 16, 2022
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