How Celtics Bench Exhibited Formula For Success Against Nets

Jaylen Brown wasn’t the only one who found redemption when the Boston Celtics opened up their NBA In-Season Tournament run against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night — and it showed.

Boston’s foot in the right direction, while starting with Brown, who opened up the first quarter with 12 points, was supported by the reserve unit. Questions surrounding the bench’s ability to score up to par, rightfully, loomed after the Celtics followed their five-game win streak to open the season by dropping back-to-back games before hosting Brooklyn.

Those questions were answered by a performance delivered by Boston’s supporting cast that A) sparked optimism and B) set the standard for how the Celtics bench will need to play in order to be effective.

That came courtesy of Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet, who combined for 35 of Boston’s 37 bench points.

“It’s great and we are going to need their scoring and their shot-making, but it’s the little things,” Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla told reporters after Boston’s 121-107 win over Brooklyn, per NBC Sports Boston’s postgame coverage. “Sam’s defense, Luke’s rim protection, Payton’s offensive rebounding. The scoring will come from them because they’re good players, but regardless of that, they need to be doing all the other things and they have been doing that. The bench units never a concern for me because of their mindset and work ethic that they bring every day.”

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Instead of scoring in fairweather situations created by Boston’s starting five, the reserve unit gave Mazzulla a sigh of relief in producing alongside the starters. In the fourth quarter, Mazzulla played a Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday, Pritchard, Hauser and Kornet lineup, giving Brown and Kristaps Porzingis some much-valuable rest without any rush to put those staters back on the floor to preserve a late-game lead.

That can’t be undervalued.

Al Horford was ruled out for injury management on his right knee and Kornet stepped right up, crashing the glass and keeping offensive possessions alive. Kornet scored seven points with nine rebounds — six offensive — plus a block in 18 minutes.

But it was Pritchard, who like Brown, needed a response to shift the momentum of his ice-cold shooting slump (23.5% FG before tip-off).

Pritchard found the offensive success necessary to do just that, scoring 13 points on an efficient 5-of-10 night from the field, and even sprinkled in four offensive rebounds and three assists.

Perhaps it was the mindset Pritchard applied to help ease the looming pressure of living up to a $30 million extension signed before the season and following up an impressive preseason output as well.

“It feels no different,” Pritchard told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston video. “To be honest with you, I haven’t been on social media and I haven’t been looking so I’ve figured people were, like, coming at me. It’s part of playing in Boston and that’s what I liked about it.”

Pritchard added: “It’s just making me better, this is part of the journey. These slumps, I think, at the end of the day, will pay dividends and will make me a better player overall.”

Back in the win column after breaking in a new court and uniforms, the Celtics could spark a new early-season run to keep their back-to-back losses way back in the rearview mirror.

Either way, the bench proved there is a blueprint they’re capable of applying. Just another great early sign.