The Celtics are finally nearing full strength, seeing where exactly each healthy piece of the roster can take them through a season of ups and downs. The Rockets, their opponent Sunday, were the complete opposite, looking like a caricature of an NBA team, mainly because of injuries decimating their lineup. Houston was missing key players like John Wall, Christian Wood and others, desperately searching for a way to snap a 15-game losing streak.
But, as Boston coach Brad Stevens warned pregame, this is still the NBA. The Rockets played with a little extra pep in their step as an early barrage of 3-pointers and baskets gave them an eight-point lead midway through the first quarter.
The momentum swung once the bench checked in — especially Marcus Smart. The C’s guard made an impact immediately, drawing a charge on his first possession then knocking in a 3-pointer right afterwards.
Mix in a little Robert Williams III, who had 16 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks in 19 minutes, and the Celtics ran away from there. Boston went on a 34-8 run on its way to a blowout 134-107 win on Sunday over the Rockets at the Toyota Center.
“We could have used that energy a little bit earlier,” Stevens said. “So I think that we will just use that energy whenever we can use it. I anticipate that he will be back in the starting lineup when he gets clearance to play more.”
The victory boosted the Celtics up to 20-18, including winners in five of their past six games. They sit at fifth in the Eastern Conference as they embark on a 14-day stretch that features nine games, including three back-to-backs.
When the game was still in flux, it was the C’s bench that broke through. Smart provided the energy then Semi Ojeleye responded well coming off a DNP-CD from the Brooklyn game. He finished with nine points, hitting three 3-pointers, and led the team with a plus-28 advantage in his 23 minutes.
“I didn’t think we were great early, obviously, when we gave up a bunch of points in that first stint,” Stevens said. “They’re harder to play big so we obviously went small for the next 42 minutes of the game.”
While Boston’s energy lacked early, Stevens noted there’s been a clear change since the team returned from the All-Star break and during practices. He said they played with energy against Brooklyn until a late surge from the Nets took the game.
There was an added bonus to Sunday’s blowout: the starters got plenty of rest. Jayson Tatum led the team with 28 minutes, while Jaylen Brown (27) and Kemba Walker (26) weren’t relied upon once Stevens emptied his bench. That’s a crucial edge to save legs ahead of such a strenuous stretch.
The starters did what they normally do, led by Brown’s 24 points while Tatum had 23 points, six rebounds and six assists. Walker finished with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists, a pleasant surprise after a slow start. At halftime, Walker had just two points but went on a tear, putting up eight points in the first 69 seconds of the first half.
By much of the fourth quarter, the end of the Celtics’ bench got some run, including some Tacko Fall action. There was no late comeback attempt from Houston as the Celtics controlled their way to victory.
“It was a good win for us,” Brown said. “We definitely needed that, seeing the ball go in a few times. We’re getting everybody back healthy now, so that was a good confidence booster for us.”
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Marcus Smart, Robert Williams and Celtics’ bench provided lift at Houston after slow start - MassLive.com
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