It hasn't been pretty, huh? The Celtics are now 24-7 following their New Year's Eve loss to the Hornets (19-14) by a score of 83 to 81. Granted, Rondo and KG didn't play and are suffering injuries that have kept/will keep (respectively) them out of multiple games, but any group of Celtics will make it look difficult to win a basketball game. Here are some stats from today's game that one doesn't usually see from a team with a .667 winning percentage...19 turnovers leading to 24 Hornet points, 10-15 FT, an unusually low number and success rate, only 10 points off of 12 New Orleans turnovers, and the best plus/minus from the starting five being -4 (Shaquille O'Neal).
One player who will have to step it up in the absence of KG is Glen Davis. Maybe it's because he beat J.J. Redick and my beloved Blue Devils in the 2006 Sweet 16, but I've always kind of disliked Davis. He was 4 of 14 from the floor today, with 8 points and a meager 4 rebounds. However, his plus/minus was -19, meaning that during his 35 minutes of playing time, the Hornets outscored the Celtics by 19. Also in the box score is Davis' one missed 3-point field goal, which came with 1:13 left in the fourth quarter and the Celtics trailing by 3 points. Davis has only hit 3 threes in his NBA career, and while he has developed his midrange shooting, a 24-foot jumper in a crucial possession is hardly a midrange shot. While the Celtics still hold a considerable lead on the Knicks in the division, it would be nice too see the second string compete better with injuries on the sidelines.
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