Celtics bench shines in bounce-back win over Magic: 7 takeaways

The Celtics’ bench unit put collectively its greatest efficiency of the season on Sunday as they claimed a cut up of their two-game collection towards the Magic with a 111-107 win.

Listed here are the takeaways. 

Luka Garza had an important bounce-back.

After a recreation during which the Celtics’ back-up bigs have been one of many main causes they misplaced, Luka Garza was one of many largest causes the Celtics gained on Sunday. 

Garza scored 16 factors in 17 minutes, capturing 7-for-8 from the ground. Of his 16 factors, 14 got here within the second half, and 12 got here within the fourth quarter. 4 of his eight rebounds have been offensive, three of these offensive rebounds led on to put-back baskets, and two of the put-backs led to and-one alternatives. 

Garza’s efficiency was significantly necessary on a down night time for Neemias Queta, who fouled out and scored simply eight factors in 26 minutes. Queta has been the Celtics’ plus/minus famous person over the previous few weeks, however he was +0 for the night whereas Garza was +9. 

The Celtics at the moment are 3-0 when Garza scores in double figures after he topped 10 in wins over the Pelicans and Cavaliers as effectively. When Garza performs effectively, it means the Celtics have some much-needed depth at middle, which may go a great distance towards a win.

Is Jordan Walsh breaking out?

On the threat of prematurely knighting a participant after a number of stable performances, Jordan Walsh continued doubtless one of the best stretch of basketball in his younger profession with a six-point, six-rebound, four-assist statline that — as soon as once more — didn’t actually do him justice. 

Walsh’s protection was spectacular. He has a uncommon mixture of fast arms and elite size at his dimension, and he picked off a pair of steals whereas serving to harass Franz Wagner right into a 5-for-17 capturing night time with two turnovers. He’s exhausting to take off the ground though he isn’t a significant offensive risk just because his tenacity on the defensive finish makes issues occur. 

Offensively, Walsh typically stays out of the way in which, however on Sunday, he made two 3-pointers, and the second was an enormous one — with 13 seconds left and the Celtics nursing a two-point lead, Jaylen Brown confirmed some religion within the 21-year-old by discovering him open within the nook, and Walsh rewarded Brown’s religion by swishing the dagger 3-pointer. 

Is that this the beginning of Walsh’s get away? One of the best signal for him going ahead is that his largest contributions are on the defensive finish, which Joe Mazzulla will worth enormously. Out of all of the gamers within the 8-11 vary on the Celtics’ roster, Walsh is perhaps making one of the best case for rotation minutes. Even within the NBA, few gamers can match his bodily instruments, and his bodily instruments are beginning to match his defensive capacity. 

Anfernee Simons detonated within the second quarter. 

We’ve written at size about Simons’ tendency to go cold and hot, and Sunday’s recreation was an ideal instance of the previous. 

Simons checked in on the 6:21 mark of the primary quarter and promptly buried his first shot on his first possession, a step-back 3-pointer that set the tone for his first half. Simons then assisted on a pair of baskets earlier than pulling down one other three. 

After that, all of the Magic might do was dangle on and await the hearth to burn itself out, nevertheless it took some time and value them a double-digit deficit. Simons scored 9 factors within the first quarter and 16 within the second, ending the primary half with 25 factors. Over a 1:50 second stretch to begin the second quarter, Simons scored 14 straight factors for the Celtics — three 3-pointers, three free throws and a pull-up jumper. His second-quarter scoring turned a three-point deficit into an 11-point lead when his barrage ended on the 7:18 mark with a layup.

After which, as shortly because it flared, the hearth cooled. Simons walked off the ground for halftime and walked off on the remaining buzzer with the identical complete: 25 factors. 

Sunday’s recreation was a neat encapsulation of the Simons expertise: A blazing scorching stretch that provides the Celtics an enormous, albeit short-term, enhance. That short-term enhance retains the protection sincere, nonetheless, because it solely takes one shot to threat ignition.

Whereas we’re right here, we must always word that Simons was additionally whistled for one of many worst-while-still-maybe-technically-correct foul calls you will notice: With 3:18 left within the fourth and the Celtics up by simply three, Jalen Suggs managed to coax a foul out of the officers by placing his face in an area the place Simons’ shoulder couldn’t assist however hit as he turned. Nothing concerning the motion was unnatural or reckless by Simons. The officers reviewed the foul for a flagrant since Suggs was hit within the face however finally dominated it a standard one, restoring some semblance of sanity.

Was the play actually a foul? Perhaps – exterior of Secaucus, none can say with certainty, nevertheless it was a weak one at greatest.

One other odd 3-point capturing recreation. 

The Celtics’ 3-point numbers stay confounding. After Payton Pritchard acquired scorching Friday, he shot 1-for-6 once more on Sunday, whereas Jaylen Brown went 1-for-4 and Derrick White was 3-for-9. Sam Hauser shot 0-for-2 from the sphere and solely tried one 3-pointer in his 17 minutes. 

In the meantime, the bench gained the 3-point battle as effectively: Simons, Walsh and González have been a mixed 8-for-11. 

That type of efficiency, after all, is unlikely to be an everyday incidence, however any time the bench can spot Brown and White some assist from behind the arc, the Celtics’ probabilities of successful spike considerably.

Jaylen Brown struggled (barely) towards Franz Wagner.

The Magic might do little or no to restrict Brown on Friday besides coax him into taking 3-pointers.

On Sunday, nonetheless, Franz Wagner truly managed to defend Brown effectively on a number of possessions, and Wagner was one of many solely gamers to date this season who has managed to make Brown’s mid-range capturing just a little tougher. 

After all, as has been the case all season, Brown nonetheless scored lots: He completed with 27 factors, however that scoring output required a 10-for-24 capturing line. Brown beat practically each different Magic defender with relative ease. Jalen Suggs was no match for him, and he beloved getting the Wendell Carter Jr. matchup every time Orlando’s protection surrendered it. Suggs is simply too little to maintain Brown from getting the place he desires to go, and Carter is an ideal goal for Brown’s capacity to drive and cease on a dime for a mid-range jumper. 

However, Wagner is the uncommon participant who has the size, athleticism and mobility to contest Brown, which is why Brown’s 27 factors have been barely much less environment friendly than typical. 

Brown, by the way, is averaging a career-high 28.1 factors per recreation by way of 11 video games. 

Josh Minott was largely absent.

Minott began the sport, however he was one among a number of gamers who was largely absent within the second half as Walsh, Garza and Hugo González proved very tough to take away from the ground given how effectively they have been taking part in. Minott completed 0-for-2 from the sphere and was scoreless in simply 16 minutes of motion. 

Minott has been one of many revelations of the season to this point, however it’s in all probability value noting that all the pleasure round his begin could be equally relevant to Walsh and González in the event that they hold taking part in at this degree. This season is a chance to see which gamers on the roster may complement Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, and whereas Minott has proven already that he may very well be a type of gamers, he’s not alone. Huge seasons from each Walsh and Minott could be an enormous win for the Celtics’ entrance workplace.

What’s subsequent

Sunday’s recreation was the beginning of one other three-in-four-nights stretch. On Tuesday, the Celtics journey to Philadelphia to face the 76ers earlier than heading dwelling to tackle the Grizzlies. After Wednesday’s recreation comes a well-earned respite: three nights off earlier than a go to from the Clippers on Sunday.