Green is back with 12 active players on the court
Finally back on court after having three postponements
By Friday night the virus had spread elsewhere. Washington’s positive count for COVID19 had increased to six. Two more games were postponed last night, this time between Washington and Detroit and Golden State and Phoenix.
The Wizards and Suns had replaced the Celtics as the NBA’s most virus-wracked franchises, though Jayson Tatum and Robert Williams remained sidelined from positive tests.
But the Celtics, after three straight postponements due to the virus, had a relatively bountiful roster for their game against Orlando thanks to the returns of Jaylen Brown, Tristan Thompson, Grant Williams, Semi Ojeleye and Javonte Green from contact tracing. Tatum, Williams and Carsen Edwards all remained in virus protocol.
“We’re all, I think, very grateful to be here and get a chance to play and compete,” said Brad Stevens. “Didn’t know until this afternoon whether or not those guys that were listed as questionable on the report would be able to play or not. They had extra testing this morning and again this afternoon. So, we’ve got 12 and we’ll look forward to putting our best foot forward with this group.”
The Celtics could also consider themselves fortunate to have the last three games rescheduled, considering the skeletal roster they would have put on the floor had they not dropped below the eight-player league minimum.
But they also had minimal practice time during that seven-day stretch.
“Well, I mean, for this game, not much, right?” Stevens said of preparation for the Magic. “We had practice yesterday with the eight guys. We had a quick walkthrough today later in the afternoon once we knew that those guys were available.
“Obviously we wanted to push that back so that we’d have as much time as possible for walk-through,” he said. “So in a lot of ways this is just like you’d be preparing for one day
in between or even like a back-to-back for a game. So the game specifically, I would say that’s the way we approached it. As far as the week goes, everybody’s been able to do what they can do. I think everybody has different rules depending on whether you’re a positive test, or you were a contact trace, or you were not in that group. Everybody had different rules and restrictions on what they could do and can’t do. But everybody did as well as they can. I won’t push anybody’s minutes beyond their limits tonight. I think we just have to be cognizant of that coming off a week of relative inactivity for our group.”
Blue Knights at bay the first two times Lunenburg had tied the score at 11-11 and 21-21, they couldn’t do that a third time at 24-up.
With 40 seconds remaining in the first half, Tyler Hollifield hit a big 3-pointer from the top of the key to make it 24-24. Thirty seconds later, Will Peplowski (11 points) — and with a moment’s hesitation by the defense as an ally — ripped the go-ahead 3-pointer from the right elbow to put The NBA is expected to create an 18th rosLunenburg ahead for good. ter spot for teams in the form of a third two“We’ve talked about comway contract player — a move that has been posure, and I reassured welcomed across the board by teams falling them that we have a zillion below the roster minimum. time outs,” Economo said.
The Celtics, who have opted not to partici“Our composure with the pate in the G-League’s season in the Orlando ball, instead of taking one bubble, have more players on hand than more dribble forward, maymost, with both of their two- way players be just take a back dribble ( Tacko Fall and Tremont Waters) available to see what (options) you against the Magic. have instead of forcing it
“Well, as long as we’re not experiencing and leaving your feet and what we experienced this week or we don’t not have an option.” have a rash of injuries, knock on wood, then The tourists from Route just from our own team standpoint, I don’t 119 closed the gap to a point know how impactful that spot would be for after falling behind by five us,” said Stevens. “But I do think that the early in the third thanks to benefit of it from the other side would be if 3-of-4 from the line by Will you do go through periods where you have a McCarthy and a trey by lot of guys out, then that’s a beneficial thing. McGrath to make it 31-30,
“And then the other beneficial thing is Lunenburg, before a Hollithat the guys who kind of just missed being field-to-Patrick Blake quick in the league, right? Just who were on the dish layup gave the hosts a outside looking in that have a very limited G little breathing space. League season with limited teams, and this Forty ticks later, Blake would give them 30 more opportunities. So found Seminatore, who I see the pros and cons. As far as how that drew the foul to make it 35impacts our roster when we’re full or near-30. full, I can’t see adding somebody in that spot Peplowski hit two from that would be that impactful that would get the line before Seminatore a chance to play without major people misshit another hoop to give ing time.” Lunenburg a 39-30 advantage.
Lunenburg made 8-of-12 free throws in the second half.
“Foul trouble killed us,” said second-year NM coach Jon Doherty. “When Mike (Messina) and Will get in foul trouble, it’s tough. Lunenburg’s defense really stepped up and did a good job protecting the paint.”
North Middlesex scored six of the next seven with Messina (team-high 12 points, game-high nine rebounds) hitting a pair of buckets to help cut Lunenburg’s lead to four. But a Peplowski trey preceded a pair of buckets by Seminatore to take an 11-point lead.
NBA to expand rosters
Stevens praises Nets
Now that the best team in the East was just created a quick shuttle flight south in Brooklyn, the Celtics have an expanded challenge. The Nets with Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving were already good. Add James Harden and the improvement is exponential.
“They’ve got those three guys, that’s obviously three special scorers. James is an MVP and a guy that can not only score, but really pass the ball and is a really smart player,” said Stevens.
“I thought the Nets were the best team that we’ve seen in person through the first 10 games the way it was on Christmas Day. So obviously to make a move like that, they felt they needed to improve from what they had. And I thought what they had was pretty darn impressive. So I can only imagine that they’ll continue to be a team that everybody’s chasing.”