In the absence of Rajon Rondo, it’s clear that the Celtics have rallied around one another to climb in the Eastern Conference standings at a fast pace.
Monday night’s close loss to the Miami Heat showcased exactly why the C’s have been successful without Rondo — a well-rounded group of players.
Jeff Green stepped up in a big way Monday night against the Heat with a career-high 43 points, dominating on offense. Avery Bradley has emerged as a defensive power and helped improve the Celtics to fourth in the NBA defensive rating, with the team allowing 102.1 points per 100 possessions.
Paul Pierce has led the team in assists in Rondo’s absence and, prior to a hip adductor injury, Kevin Garnett was averaging 8.8 boards per game. Jason Terry has done a nice job initiating and running the offense in the half-court sets and has also improved his scoring.
The team was determined to forge ahead without Rondo, and it seems they have some key players who have helped with their success, but who has made the biggest impact so far?
