Whatever was said in the Boston Celtics’ “much-needed” team meeting Friday certainly struck the right chord.
Following the C’s 120-107 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, the players and coaches immediately gathered to air their grievances about their frustratingly inconsistent play, and the meeting continued Saturday.
The message, whatever it was, appears to have been received loud and clear if Sunday was any evidence.
Boston took the floor at full strength for the first time in seven games, as both Al Horford and Marcus Morris returned to the starting lineup against the Charlotte Hornets. And the Celtics finally looked like the team that was expected to challenge for an NBA title, rolling over the Hornets 119-103 at TD Garden, and it wasn’t that close.
After the win, Brad Stevens acknowledged the importance that team meeting could have on this iteration of the Celtics.
“The whole deal was really well-intentioned. We will look back on it as a great experience. It was a lot of high performing players in there being transparent human beings…That’s part of a team’s journey,” Stevens said, via Boston Sports Journal’s Brian Robb.
Whether it was the meeting or the return of Horford and Morris (probably more of the latter), the Celtics looked like a different team Sunday.
After a first quarter that saw point guard Kemba Walker have his way with their defense, Boston buckled down and stifled the Hornets for the remainder of the game. On the offensive end, Kyrie Irving had it going early en route to a 25-point night, while the Celtics shot 50 percent from the field, scored 24 points off turnovers and outrebounded Charlotte by 10.
All in all, it was a positive night for a team that has high expectations.
“We have a very unique group,” Irving said, via NBC Sports Boston’s A. Sherrod Blakely. “We have so much depth. Getting past things, ego-centric things … this is a chance of a lifetime for us. We have to be closer as a team.”
The Celtics were selfless Friday, sharing the ball to the tune of 30 assists on 43 made field goals. Boston played the game with crisp, relentless execution on offense, and fiery intensity on defense.
Whatever happened in the C’s airing of grievances appears to have worked, at least for the moment.
Here are more notes from Celtics-Hornets:
— Horford scored 10 points and pulled down six rebounds in 19 minutes.
— Boston was lights out in the second quarter, scoring 39 points to put the Hornets away early.
— The Celtics will face the Philadelphia 76ers on Christmas Day. It will be their first time facing the 76ers since Philly acquired Jimmy Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves.
