Entering the 2019-20 season, it was Kemba Walker who was looked at as the focal point of the Boston Celtics’ offense. But after 21 games, it’s becoming clear that might not be the case.
Yes, Walker is of vital importance to this Celtics team, and more specifically, this Celtics offense. There’s no doubting that. But Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have paced Boston’s scoring of late en route to three consecutive wins.
This isn’t a terribly new development, but the ability of Tatum and Brown to grab the reins of the offense and beat a playoff team like the Denver Nuggets is an overlooked luxury that many teams don’t have. The Celtics have a plethora of options, specifically when Gordon Hayward returns, and they’ve showcased that through 21 games.
Tatum (26 points, seven rebounds, five assists) and Brown (21 points, seven rebounds) were tremendous once again Friday night. Brad Stevens made it clear after the win that the two young guns are thriving alongside one another, and enjoying it too.
“Those guys are clearly getting better,” Stevens said, per Boston Sports Journal’s Brian Robb. “I think they are really enjoying playing together.”
Brown can attest to that.
“We’ve got different games,” Brown said of he and Tatum, per the team. “It’s like fire and ice.”
Denver came into TD Garden with the NBA’s best defensive rating, and Tatum and Brown tore them up with ease. Walker was effective, scoring 19 points on 8-of-16 shooting, but its reassuring that Boston isn’t going to be totally reliant on the All-Star point guard to pour in absurd numbers on a nightly basis. After spending eight years with the Charlotte Hornets, Walker will be the first to tell you what a luxury his new teammates are, but he told reporters it was built over the summer with Team USA.
“We had it already from Team USA,” Walker said, per Robb.
Brown hasn’t shot under 50 percent in six games, while Tatum hasn’t had an offensive rating under 113.6 in over two weeks. Bring Hayward back into the mix, and the Celtics suddenly are a very dangerous team, if they aren’t already.
Here are some other notes from Friday’s Celtics-Nuggets game:
— Last year’s Celtics team struggled to find chemistry throughout their turbulent campaign, which in turn created a rocky relationship with the fanbase and city of Boston. It’s certainly fair to say the 2019-20 Celtics do not have that issue, but it appears that became a goal of theirs entering this season.
“Our No. 1 objective was to be a team that Boston liked,” Stevens told reporters, per The Boston Herald’s Steve Bulpett.
Marcus Smart added similar thoughts, per The Athletic’s Jay King.
Marcus Smart said the Celtics are having a lot of fun this year.
“And that’s key for us.”
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 7, 2019
That right there is music to Celtics’ fans ears.
— Grant Williams was 0-for-3 from deep Friday as he continues the search for his first career 3-pointer. Despite the struggles from beyond the arc, Stevens said, as he has before, that he’s “not worried about it one bit.”
Brad Stevens on Grant Williams’ outside shooting skid: “I’m not worried about it one bit. I told him that yesterday.”
Said he moves the ball well, defends well and he’s going to be a really good player.
— Jay King (@ByJayKing) December 7, 2019
— Smart returned from injury Friday, and said his oblique “felt great,” which is a great sign for the Celtics.
#NEBHInjuryReport Marcus Smart says with a smile, “The oblique felt great” during tonight’s game.
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 7, 2019
— Boston will look to extend its winning streak to four games Monday when it takes on the Cleveland Cavaliers.
