4th Quarter Performance the last 4 games

[colincb]

 A. Sherrod Blakely@ Boston Sports Journal
https://www.bostonsportsjournal.com/2021/03/06/nba-notebook-whats-danny-ainges-approach-trade-deadline-celtics/
 (paywall)

One of the biggest reasons the Celtics have been able to walk away with wins in each of their last four games has been their fourth-quarter execution.

In the fourth quarter of Boston’s last four games, consider these stats and where they rank in the NBA during this span:

    Field goal percentage (.586, tops in the NBA the last four games)
    Free throws made (7.0, second in the NBA the last four games)
    Free throws attempted (9.3, fourth in the NBA the last four games)

And defensively …

    Opponent Points In The Paint (39.0, tops in the NBA the last four games)
    Opponent Fast-Break Points (8.8, fourth in the NBA the last four games)

Has to be a function of TL (see more below), improved bench play, KW and TT returning to form after injuries, and JT having two big games after a long difficult stretch after getting COVID-19.


===
Brian Robb
https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/03/boston-celtics-midseason-report-10-telling-stats-from-bostons-first-half.html

Robert Williams averaged 15.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per 36 minutes: The production has been phenomenal for the third-year center on most nights when he’s been given an opportunity. Williams has one of the best shooting percentages in the league (72.1 percent) and is the best rebounder and rim protector on the team’s roster so far. However, the 6-foot-8 center has only cracked the 20-minute mark in games seven times through his 29 games, thanks to Stevens giving him a short leash most nights due to his defensive growing pains. Williams has found his stride more during the team’s four-game winning streak (double digit scoring in three of last four games) and the added offensive upside as a rim runner has started to make a bigger difference in maximizing Boston’s scoring potential. That should unlock more chances for him in the second half of the season as long as he can maintain his production across the box score and limit his defensive miscues.

Robbs' whole article is well worth a read.

[cman88]

I think once Smart comes back after the break we will play more consistently.

dont forget about Romeo Langford either. He is supposed to return but is a big question mark. Will he give us anything and show why he was once highly-touted?

[DBCooper]

===
Brian Robb
https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2021/03/boston-celtics-midseason-report-10-telling-stats-from-bostons-first-half.html

Robert Williams averaged 15.5 points and 13.1 rebounds per 36 minutes: The production has been phenomenal for the third-year center on most nights when he’s been given an opportunity. Williams has one of the best shooting percentages in the league (72.1 percent) and is the best rebounder and rim protector on the team’s roster so far. However, the 6-foot-8 center has only cracked the 20-minute mark in games seven times through his 29 games, thanks to Stevens giving him a short leash most nights due to his defensive growing pains. Williams has found his stride more during the team’s four-game winning streak (double digit scoring in three of last four games) and the added offensive upside as a rim runner has started to make a bigger difference in maximizing Boston’s scoring potential. That should unlock more chances for him in the second half of the season as long as he can maintain his production across the box score and limit his defensive miscues.

I still don’t believe he is only 6’8

[Phantom255x]

The biggest key has been... ball movement.

They aren't just chucking up long 3s or dribbling out the shotclock and playing iso-ball. The ball is moving around, and they are aggressive in driving and getting to the hoop. A good example was late in the Wizards game, Tatum driving to the hoop twice and scoring both times as opposed to attempting a random 35-footer even when it's just a 1-point game. 

Kemba looks like Kemba again and Timelord is just a breath of fresh air in the frontcourt. That helps too.