Coming off an embarrassing 32-point loss to the Raptors in Friday’s home opener, the Celtics desperately needed to make sure Sunday night’s game against the rebuilding Rockets would be their first win of the season.
While that shouldn’t have been too much to ask, the task was complicated by the news that Jaylen Brown -- their leading scorer through the first two games -- would be unavailable due to knee soreness.
The Celtics were going to need Jayson Tatum to step up, turn around his own slow start to the season, and lead the way. Fortunately, Tatum was up to the challenge. He finished with a game-high 31 points to lead the Celtics to a 107-97 victory, the team's first with Ime Udoka as head coach.
Tatum came out hot, knocking down the first four shots he took and going on to lead all scorers with 12 points in the first quarter and 20 by halftime. He did it without having his three-point feel early, instead doing his work on mid-range jumpers and by getting to the hoop.
While most of his teammates took a little while to get going, Tatum made sure the game remained close and helped Boston take a two-point lead into halftime.
“I think that’s what the best players are asked to do: figure it out,” Tatum said. “Regardless of who’s in, figure out how to win on any given night. Do whatever it takes.”
In the third quarter, Tatum’s teammates caught up and the Celtics pulled away. They finished the quarter on a 34-17 run that gave them a 17-point lead heading to the fourth and all but put the game out of reach.
Tatum twice extended the lead to 10 with a pair of step-back threes -- yes, he eventually found his three-point stroke -- but it was some much-needed contributions from the supporting cast and improved team defense that really turned the game. Cutting down on turnovers after Friday's debacle certainly helped, too.
Al Horford scored 11 in the third, with six of those points coming from the free-throw line. Marcus Smart and Dennis Schroder each had eight, and Schroder set up Smart for this acrobatic finish and-one.
Grant Williams provided offense off the bench all game long, showing why he is emerging as a bigger part of the rotation so far this season. He matched his career high with 18 points, including knocking down five of his seven three-point attempts. One of those threes put an end to a 7-0 Rockets run in the fourth quarter that had cut the lead to 10. Houston would not get any closer the rest of the way.
“He works extremely hard, came back in great shape,” Udoka said of Williams. “He asked me in the summer, ‘What can I do?’ I said, ‘Get that three-point percentage up to 40 and defend.’ He’s doing all that right now.”
This wasn’t a perfect outing for the Celtics by any means, as evidenced by the slow start and lackluster fourth quarter, but it was a heck of a lot better than Friday night. Their star found his game and the supporting cast stepped up with Brown out, and the all-around effort was much better. Next step: Play like this night-in, night-out.
“It was better,” Udoka said. “I would say overall, that’s who we are. That’s who we’ve been in the preseason. All the practices are spirited and competitive. I look at that one [Friday] as more of an aberration than the norm. We got back to what we did tonight, which is compete at a high level. Matched this young team’s energy. Really shared the ball and defended well. That’s what we’re looking for with consistency going forward.”