The Boston Celtics lost to Philadelphia last night, 108-99, but the defeat hardly matters. Brad Dtevens experimented big-time with his lineups, and here are my 10 takeaways from the contest:
Payton Pritchard looked like he has been in the League for 3-or-4 years
It wasn't just the rookie's stats that stood out (16 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block) in only 22 minutes. He played like a veteran out there. At one point when he was at the free throw line, I saw that "nothing-is-going-to-stop-me" look that Dave Cowens aften displayed. This kid is a keeper.
Brad Stevens is experimenting big-time in Exhibition Season
We saw a lot of small-ball in last night/s game versus Philadelphia. At one juncture, Brad put out a quintet of Tremont Waters (5'10"), Carsen Edwards (5'11"), Pritchard (6'1"), Aaron Nesmith (6'6") and Grant Williams (6'6").
Jeff Teague proved himself to be a wise addition
Teague scored a team-high 18 points from all over the floor. He was 7-of-9 from the field and a perfect 4-of-4 on treys. He is a scoring threat that will open up the offense for his teammates.
The Jay Team showed major rust
How does a combined 15 points on 5-of-24 from the field and 1-of-9 from beyond the arc sound to you? No worries here whatsoever. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will shed that rust very quickly.
Tristan Thompson will be needed to slow down the Joel Embiids of the League
Embiid showed he is just too big and strong for most of the present Celtics crew to handle. But Thompson should be able to handle that role once he returns to action.
Tacko Fall remains a raw, unproven talent
The Green Giant produced 5 points, 3 rebounds, 1 steal and 1 block in 10 minutes of action. His size alone gets him boards and put-backs, but his slow reaction times sometimes get him in trouble with turnovers. He had two miscues in limited floor time, but to be fair, Tatum and Brown combined for seven turnovers.
Carsen Edwards is still trying to find his shot in the NBA
The second-year player scored only two points in 18 minutes, missing all-but-one of his five attempts from the field. Pritchard's play, at least last night, could mean tough competition for a roster spot for Carsen.
Tremont Waters belongs in the League
Waters scored six points and handed out three assists in 12 minutes of action. He moves the ball so well. In one sequence at the 8:36 mark of the game, Pritchard quickly inbounded the ball to Waters after a 76'ers basket, and Tremont delivered a perfect, long-distance pass to Rob Williams for the layup. Easy Basket. The Celtics could use more of them.
Rob Williams may not have taken a leap off-season, but he looked improved out there
Rob generated eight points and six boards in 18 minutes. He definitely looked more confident on the floor, but fouls (five last night) still plague him. He still needs a skilled facilitator out there to get him the ball at opportune times, and both Waters and Pritchard filled that role in last night's game.
The Celtics final roster has yet to be determined
Semi Ojeleye was on the floor for 17 minutes, contributing five points, three rebounds, one assist and one steal. He hit 1-of-3 on 3-pointers, a barely-acceptable percentage, but his three boards are encouraging. He remains a question mark to make the roster. Carsen Edwards could also be a casualty. Javonte Green scored seven points on 3-of-4 from the field. His status is unsure. Friday night's exhibition game against the Nets should yield more answers for Brad Stevens.
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