Celtics lastly seem like themselves once more, beat the Blazers 126-112

Jayson Tatum and Marcus Good each snapped out of their funks on the proper time for the Boston Celtics to prepare dinner the Path Blazers 126-112. Now 3-1 on this six-game street journey, the Celtics obtained 34 factors, 12 rebounds, 4 assists and three steals (and 18 FTAs) from Jayson Tatum. Damian Lillard erupted within the fourth to place in Portland with 41 factors and 5 assists.

The Celtics have gotten up and down contributions from two starters – Marcus Good and Jayson Tatum – for the reason that crew returned from the All-Star break. Good, specifically, was in the midst of the worst stretch of his profession as the place to begin guard for the Celtics. Tonight, he seemed like the final of the league’s finest offense ever from again in November regardless of a couple of turnovers. Good posted 15 factors, 6 assists and 4 steals.

Whereas Tatum hasn’t been as unhealthy as Good, he hasn’t been his typical self. He set a private document tonight, taking pictures 9 freethrows within the first quarter for the primary time in his profession. Tatum and Good have been supported by a robust large rotation tonight. Grant Williams got here in and hit pictures, Blake Griffin earned some Tommy Factors (plural) with nice offensive rebounding and passing, and Luke Kornet had top-of-the-line video games of his profession (he dunked on Lillard).

Kornet had 11 factors and 5 rebounds.

Jaylen Brown’s been on fireplace recently, and regardless of a gradual begin, he nonetheless completed with 27 factors, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. Al Horford was additionally wonderful in restricted minutes, popping out sizzling as effectively. He’s on an unbelievable heater taking pictures from 3 this month. Horford completed with 12 factors, 10 assists, 5 rebounds, 1 dagger.

The Portland Path Blazers performed with out Jerami Grant, which undoubtedly damage them on each ends. It wasn’t unusual for Dame Lillard to do all he might to create wide-open pictures for his teammates only for them to brick it. Powerful scene. Anfernee Simons completed with 17 factors, and that’s concerning the extent of the assistance Lillard acquired.

The Celtics did get cute towards the tip of the third quarter, permitting Damian Lillard to let his crew pull it shut. One factor that the Celtics did effectively all night time that helped lower Portland’s probabilities was completely crush it within the rebounding division. The Cs out-rebounded the Blazers by 13. Blake Griffin alone hauled in 9 of them.

A sequence of second-chance factors took the Celtics main by 12 to the Celtics main by 21 in a rush.

Getting into the fourth with a 19-point lead, the Celtics didn’t choke this one away and rode into the sundown. Sadly, a late-game flurry from Lillard (23 factors in 6.5 minutes) prevented the Celtics regulars from calling it quits early as a result of the specter of Dame Time is sort of massive. Portland lower it to as little as 8, however a Good steal to a Jaylen dunk into an Al Horford dagger put the Blazers to mattress. The Cs are 1.5 video games again of the primary seed with the second night time of a back-to-back coming tomorrow night time in opposition to the Utah Jazz.

The Celtics additionally play the Bucks on the finish of the month, so the primary seed is formally again on the desk after Boston fell behind by 3.0 video games at one level (thanks, Indiana). If the Celtics play the remainder of their 11 video games like they’re enjoying the Blazers, they’ll be trending up going into the playoffs.