After falling into an early 16-3 hole, the Celtics would go on to outscore, 47-18, for the remainder of the first half. The C's led by as many 25, and they almost let another big lead slip away again. Utah cut the deficit to 89-83 with 4:29 to go in the game, but Boston managed to close it out.
The win was not only the first for the 2013-2014 Celtics, but it was also the first win in the NBA head coaching career of Brad Stevens. Let's hope it's the first of many.
Here's a recap:
The good:
* Boston's ball movement tonight was better than any night so far this year. The Celtics had a season-high 22 assists on 40 field goals. It was clear from the start that the C's put emphasis on getting everyone involved. Half of the twelve Celtics that played -- that's six for those of you counting -- scored at least 8 points. This was a real collective effort.
* How about the rook? After a tough night in Memphis, Kelly Olynyk showed why many feel he is a dark horse Rookie of the Year candidate. Olynyk finished with 14 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists. He brought tremendous energy to the floor and made an impact as soon as he stepped on the court.
The bad:
* This team is still learning. They need to learn quickly how to close out teams. Like, ASAP. This is becoming a bad trend. I can see blowing 12-15-point leads. But blowing over 20-point leads consistently? Eh, not a good sign.
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