Celtics have won 13 out of their last 15, continue their hot season
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. (PSF)- The Celtics won 122-106 against the Charlotte Hornets on Saturday night for their sixth straight win and 13th in their last 15 games. Jayson Tatum led both teams in scoring with 33 points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon had 30 points coming off the bench, an unusually high mark for a bench player. Brogdon received Player of the Game honors for his great performance. According to NBC Sports Boston, star shooting guard Jaylen Brown was out for this game due to right adductor tightness. Head coach Joe Mazzulla said that Brown could miss around a week.
The Celtics continued their great play and winning ways this season. They have the best record in the NBA and are 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Brooklyn Nets. Star center Robert Williams' return from injury elevates this team to another level as he makes a big impact on the defensive end.
He is a force to be reckoned with in the paint and on the offensive end, finishing many alley-oops. Williams, nicknamed "Time Lord," is averaging 1.8 blocks per game on this six-game winning streak, including four against the Spurs on January 7. Additionally, he is averaging eight rebounds per game during this stretch, grabbing more than 10 boards in a game twice.
The Celtics are a great team already when Time Lord is not on the floor, but they are a terrific team when he is. He just adds that much-needed defensive element to the game, and the team and home crowd seem much more energized when he is in the game.
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If the Celtics keep up this level of play, with the dominant duo of Tatum and Brown (once healthy again) scoring 30.6 and 27.2 points per game this season, respectively, they will be the team to beat going forward this season. And if Williams stays healthy and continues his dominance on the court, watch out! We could have another Finals appearance for this very talented team, from the starters all the way down to the bench.
Players like Brogdon, Grant Williams, and Payton Pritchard are all viable options if needed. The Celtics have not missed a beat this season despite former head coach Ime Udoka being suspended before the start of the season due to an inappropriate relationship with a team staffer. Mazzulla has done a great job stepping into the head coach role.
The Celtics' notable upcoming matchups are the struggling, although formidable, Warriors on Thursday, the Eastern Conference's seventh-ranked team in the Miami Heat on Tuesday, January 24, and the sixth-ranked Knicks on the 26th. These are likely going to be competitive games.
Boston played Golden State and Miami in the playoffs last season, so they know the Celtics well. New York has won five out of their last six, and Julius Randle is averaging 24 points per game this season. Nevertheless, if the Celtics play at the level they know they can play at, they will be able to beat all of these teams. It is just a matter of staying consistent, limiting careless turnovers, and playing good team basketball.