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What Stood Out in Celtics' Victory Over Suns: Pace, Energy Fuel Boston's Best Win of the Season
On the heels of arguably their worst loss of the season, a game where they failed to adapt, taking 42 threes despite only connecting on four of them, the Celtics stuck with the formula that allows them to play at their best. Doing so led to Boston earning its best win of the season, putting together nearly 48 minutes of high-level basketball en route to knocking off a Phoenix Suns team that entered the game tied with the Golden State Warriors for the best record in the NBA.
Here’s an examination of what stood out from the Celtics’ New Year’s Eve victory.
Celtics Push the Pace, Play with Great Energy
From the opening tip, the Celtics played with tremendous energy on both ends of the floor. They consistently pushed the pace, shared the ball, and attacked the basket. That translated to 30 points in the paint, 11 from second-chance opportunities, and seven off of turnovers in the first half. Also, Boston assisted on 18 of its 25 made field goals, shot 58.1 percent from the field, and 9/17 (52.9 percent) from beyond the arc.
Not only did the Celtics' second unit sustain the high level of energy the starters were playing with, but they scored 30 points in the first half, a season-high for Boston's bench. The trio of Josh Richardson (19 points), Romeo Langford (16), and Payton Pritchard (11) combined for 46 points in the win.
Active Defense Prevalent in the Celtics' Best First Half This Season
The Celtics brought that same energy defensively. They were active, physical, and they did a great job of staying in front of the ball and getting out to contest the Suns' shooters. They held Phoenix to 41 points in the first half, and the Suns shot 36.2 percent from the field and 3/15 (20 percent) from three. The Celtics' effort on defense was an essential part of them playing the best they have in the first half of any game this season.
Celtics Tap Into Robert Williams' Abilities as a Facilitator
Robert Williams was phenomenal in Boston's win over the defending Western Conference champions. Williams registered the first triple-double by a Celtic this season, scoring 10 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and dishing out ten assists. He also swatted five shots and produced a plus-minus rating of +14. But let's focus on those assists.
Ime Udoka has praised Williams' abilities as a facilitator, even sharing that he's a better passer than the Celtics' first-year head coach realized when he first got to Boston. Against the Suns, the Celtics leaned into the fourth-year big man's ability to get his teammates the ball in position to score, which is often an underutilized resource.
After the game, Williams expressed his gratitude for Udoka's confidence in him, saying: “He believes in me a lot. I’m thankful for the way he pushes me every day.”
Boston Closes Out Its Most Impressive Win of the Season
In the second half, the Suns raised their intensity, challenging the Celtics' ability to hold on to a lead that ballooned to 30 points during the first half. Phoenix cut its deficit to the brink of single digits on multiple occasions, but Boston never buckled.
The Celtics started sluggishly in the second half, not playing with the same level of defensive activity they displayed in the first two quarters; they also walked the ball up and weren't cutting as much. But with the Suns chipping away at their lead and the Celtics struggling from beyond the arc, they mixed up their shot profile, hunting mismatches to get baskets down low. That strategy is how Grant Williams ended up with 15 points while shooting 0/3 from beyond the arc.
It's also how Marcus Smart scored 24 points without making a three, either. In his return from a two-game absence due to a right-hand laceration, Smart relentlessly attacked the basket, which played a critical role in Boston starting fast, withstanding Phoenix's counterpunch, and closing out the win. Just take a look at his shot chart.
The Celtics finished with 64 points in the paint, and they generated 26 free throws, capitalizing on 23 of them.
Speaking with the media after the game, Robert Williams said: “We just wanted to play a full 48 minutes together; I like the direction we’re moving toward.”
Jaylen Brown described the win as “Celtics basketball," adding: "We came out and played with pace, played with intensity on both sides of the ball. It was a great win – something we can build on.”
Up Next
The Celtics host the Orlando Magic on Sunday. Tip-off is at 6:00 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.
Further Reading
In More Ways Than One, the Celtics are in Need of a Shakeup
What Stood Out in Celtics' Loss to Timberwolves: It's Just Not Working
What Stood Out in Celtics' Christmas Loss to Bucks: Boston Starts Fast, Crumbles at Crunch Time
Should the Celtics Trade for Buddy Hield?
