If you’re a Celtics fan, it’s been a fun first three games of the season. Who would have thought (not Jaylen Brown) that it would be the Pistons who gave us the best test yet. After the first quarter and the start of the second quarter, I was thinking it was going to be a 30+ point blowout again. Then Detroit went on a big run towards the end of the half which included an 11-0 run to get the game close.
Even in the second half, Detroit continued to make timely baskets to keep it within striking distance and eventually took the lead. Luckily, we are the best team in the world and found a way to get it done to avoid a bad loss.
My ratings which are based on my expectations will range from A-F with C being considered an “average” game for that individual player. There’s no +/-, just the letter.
Jayson Tatum: A
Season stats: 31 ppg, 7.5 reb, 8 ast, 1 stl, 0.5 blk,
Tonight: 37 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 1 block.
I’m not sure if Tatum will ever say it publicly that he’s using his benching from the Olympics as motivation, but THANK YOU, STEVE KERR! Tatum through three games has been on a mission. When you score 17 of the team’s first 26 points, you’re a man on a mission. His three-point shot looks deadly and his decision-making has been superb.
Tatum was one of the many Celtics to go cold in the second half which allowed Detroit back in the game. However, with 29.3 seconds left, he hit a turnaround jump shot to seal the win.
With a 37-point game from Tatum and 6-of-13 from beyond the arc, he’s clearly in the early lead for MVP.
Jaylen Brown: C
Season stats: 25 ppg, 7.5 reb, 2 ast, 2.5 stl, 0 blk
Tonight: 24 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks
After his comments about the Pistons, I expected Brown to explode off the blocks, but he did anything but that. Jaylen struggled offensively and didn’t do much of note on the defensive end until the end of the game. Brown shot 6-of-24 from the field and it was easily his worst offensive outing through three games.
These ratings are for the whole game and not the final four minutes and with that said, Brown did turn up his defense when the game got to crunch time and made clutch free throws down the stretch. He also made up for his poor offense with 10 rebounds.
Derrick White: A
Season stats: 21.5 ppg, 3.5 reb, 4 ast, 1 stl, 0 blk
Tonight: 17 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 0 steals, 3 blocks
One of my keys to the games was to win the rebounding matchup and I thought White did a great job on the glass finishing with six boards.
White was aggressive on offense, didn’t just stand in the corner. He ran the court and made some timely cuts; one led to free throws when the Pistons were on a big run in the second quarter.
In the third quarter, White seemed like the only one making shots to keep Boston in the game.
Although he did get dunked on by Cade Cunningham at the beginning of the second half, White did get a nice block on him in the first half at the rim and then another monster block with 49.9 seconds left at the rim to preserve the lead.
Jrue Holiday: C
Season stats: 12.5 ppg, 3 reb, 2.5 ast, 0.5 stl, 0 blk
Tonight: 7 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, 0 steals, 1 block
It wasn’t his best game. He was tasked with guarding Cunningham so defense was always going to be his focus. It just felt he never got in an offensive rhythm. To start the game, he forced a couple of shots and never really got an easy shot to go in early.
In the fourth quarter, he came to life. His first two buckets were back-to-back threes. His first three was in the corner to cut the lead to three with under 4 minutes left. Then on the next possession Holiday tied the game at 112 with a deep triple. Then he had a big strip with 1:30 left when the game was tied.
Al Horford: B
Season stats: 5.5 ppg, 4 reb, 3 ast, 0.5 stl, 0.5 blk
Tonight: 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 3 steals, 0 blocks
Strong start for Big Al making two of his first three threes. I was worried after his rough shooting in the final preseason game against the Raptors (the only preseason game he played) that it might take a few games to get his shot flowing. Maybe I underestimated how much of a pro Horford is and should have known that he would be ready once the season came.
Seventeen first half points is way more than I expected from Al, but with Porzingis out until December, there will need to be games where Horford is scoring 16+ points.
In the second half, Horford was quiet. Can’t blame him as the whole team was flat. I do think he helped move the ball more when he replaced Kornet late in the fourth. Overall, it was a solid game from Al.
Payton Pritchard: C
Season stats: 9 ppg, 2.5 reb, 3 ast, 0 stl, 0 blk
Tonight: 19 points, 2 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 0 blocks.
Made two threes early in the game which got him into an early rhythm that carried him for the rest of the half. We all know Payton Pritchard is instant offense and tonight Detroit witnessed it first hand (for two quarters). Payton had 10 first-quarter points followed by back-to-back threes early in the second quarter for a quick 16 points.
Pritchard was another player who went missing in the second half after being on a heater in the first. This was the hardest grade to give, but I settled on a C. The first half he was at least a B, but the second half brought it down.
Luke Kornet: D
Season stats: 4 ppg, 3.5 reb, 1 ast, 0.5 stl, 0.5 blk
Tonight: 0 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block
Luke struggled at times. Detroit is a physical team and didn’t think Luke matched the intensity needed. He set some good screens to free up people, but I think he was below par tonight.
Xavier Tillman Sr.: B
Season stats: 5 ppg, 4 reb, 1.5 ast, 0 stl, 0 blk
Tonight: 3 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 0 blocks
Solid game from Tillman. I thought he defended well and made a big three when the game was tied at 88 at the end of the third quarter. Those are the types of shots he needs to be ready to take and it was good for him to see one go in.
Early in the fourth quarter, Tillman had a great sequence where he got a steal, then grabbed an offensive rebound and assisted Payton Pritchard for a corner three. He was one of the few to have played well from start to finish.
He remains undefeated against the Pistons.
