Following a 0-2 start, the Boston Celtics have now won four straight to give them a four-way tie for the second seed behind only the Detroit Pistons. The other teams boasting a 4-2 record are the Washington Wizards, Orlando Magic, and the Milwaukee Bucks
Shortly after the rocky first two games, Boston has been able to regroup and play spectacular defense. With the help of young guns in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the entire team has provided sufficient scoring and boosted them to a 4-2 record.
Rebounding was an extreme cause for concern last season which the Celtics have improved on, averaging 45.2 throughout their first six affairs. This is a pleasant jump from last year when the squad grabbed only 41.1 boards a game.
While the 6-foot-10 center Aron Baynes hasn’t been a gigantic lift by averaging 6.8 points and 5.2 rebounds, his presence has not gone unnoticed. When Aron Baynes is on the pine, the defensive rebounding rate sits at 78.2 percent. With him on the court, however, that number shoots up to 86.9 percent (per @ByJayKing).
Although four straight wins is nothing to be ashamed of, the shooting side of things has not been all that pretty. Mustering only a 43.1 percent field goal percentage, Gordon Hayward’s absence has caused trouble with Boston wanting to have effective scoring.
This young group will be put to the test when they face some of the best talent the NBA has to offer, starting on Oct. 30 when they face a Kawhi-less San Antonio Spurs. Shortly after, the C’s will travel to Chesapeake Energy Arena where they will take on Russell Westbrook and the Oklahoma City Thunder.
