The Boston Celtics will likely be in search of one other productive recreation from their non-starters once they face the visiting Portland Path Blazers on Wednesday evening.
Boston, which has been with out Kristaps Porzingis (sickness) and Jrue Vacation (hand) for its final two video games, had a 28-11 benefit in bench factors when it beat Denver 110-103 on Sunday. That got here two days after Boston’s bench was outscored 33-6 in a 123-116 house loss to Cleveland.
Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Neemias Queta had been the Boston reserves who had the largest influence in Sunday’s win. Pritchard scored 11 factors, Hauser added eight and Queta contributed eight factors and 10 rebounds.
“For us to be an ideal workforce, they need to play that means and it is an ideal factor,” Boston coach Joe Mazzulla stated. “I used to be speaking to Payton the opposite day, and he is such a competitor. He took possession — not that I believed it was on him — however he took the possession on ensuring when he is within the recreation, that lineup actually impacts successful. And I knew (towards Denver) he was going to place us in place to do this.”
Queta is averaging 5.0 factors and three.7 rebounds in 14.1 minutes per recreation this season.
“Simply very skilled,” Al Horford stated of Queta. “Neemi, simply sticking to his preparation, his routine, even when he is not enjoying, you see him right here, identical vitality, working, and simply staying prepared for the alternatives. … Him having the ability to defend the perimeter, shield the paint, get rebounds, simply staying prepared and simply making the most of the chance.”
Boston additionally obtained 19 factors, eight rebounds and three steals from Horford, who began rather than Porzingis and needed to cope with Denver star Nikola Jokic on the defensive finish.
“For me, it was ensuring that I introduced some vitality early on and that we set a tone,” Horford stated. “I felt like we had been ready to do this and to do this, and we took off from there.”
Wednesday’s recreation would be the sixth cease on a seven-game street journey for Portland. The Path Blazers have gained 4 of the primary 5 video games on the journey, together with Monday’s 119-102 victory over Philadelphia. Portland’s solely loss throughout that stretch got here in extra time towards Cleveland, which owns the NBA’s greatest document.
The Path Blazers have seven gamers who’re averaging greater than 10 factors per recreation.
“It is at all times any individual completely different each evening for us, which I believe makes us tough to organize for,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups stated.
Anfernee Simons is averaging a team-high 19.0 factors per recreation and tossed in a game-high 34 throughout Monday’s victory over Philadelphia. However in his postgame press convention, Billups singled out Shaedon Sharpe for his protection and rebounding towards the 76ers.
Sharpe had 20 factors, a career-high 11 rebounds and 5 assists within the victory.
“I believe offense is straightforward for Shaedon,” Billups stated. “He could make it look very simple. The defensive aspect is completely completely different. When he is locked in on protection, it makes his offense even simpler.
“I believed he was nice. Profession-high in rebounding. We’d like these rebounds in a serious means. I believe he is perhaps essentially the most athletic man in basketball. I want him going to get these powerful rebounds.”
–Discipline Stage Media
