What Stood Out in Celtics Victory VS Trail Blazers

From a hot start to how the Celtics rebuilt a 20+-point lead and an entertaining end to a blowout, here's what stood out from Boston's win over the Blazers.

Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

After emptying the tank the night before in a disappointing loss to the Utah Jazz, the Boston Celtics had to quickly recharge to get ready for a matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers. To make matters more challenging, Boston was without starters Jaylen Brown (right hamstring tightness) and Al Horford (low back stiffness), along with its rotation taking a hit with Romeo Langford missing the game due to spraining his right ankle on Friday.

Still, on a night where it was important for the Celtics to come away with a win, given Friday's loss and the difficulty of the remainder of their west coast road trip, Boston handled business. The victory also had to feel particularly good to Ime Udoka, who was back in his hometown for his first game as an NBA head coach.

From a hot start to how the Celtics rebuilt a 20+-point lead and an entertaining end to a blowout, here's what stood out from Boston's win over the Blazers.

Celtics Shoot Lights Out in First Frame

The Celtics scored 38 points in the first frame, their second-highest scoring output in a quarter this season. Boston made 14/19 shots, six of its eight attempts from beyond the arc, produced 14 points in the paint, and dished out eight assists.

Furthermore, the Celtics' hot shooting propelled them to a 20-4 run, and at one point, helped them build a 21-point lead. Dennis Schroder, who played the entire frame, finished the quarter with 10 points.

Boston Less Focused in the Second Quarter

Boston started to lose focus late in the first quarter, and it carried over to the second frame, where the Blazers outscored the Celtics 35-26. Boston's defense loosened, helping Portland produce quality shots, leading to the Blazers making 12/22 field goals. That, combined with the Celtics shooting just 10/24 (41.7 percent) from the floor, resulted in Portland cutting a 21-point deficit down to one before entering halftime trailing by just six.

Celtics Respond in the Third Frame

Credit the Celtics for how they responded after the break. Jayson Tatum led the way with 15 points in the third quarter, scoring from all three levels. Dennis Schroder was another top performer, consistently getting to and finishing at the cup, generating 11 points on four of five shots. And, on his lone miss, a layup that forced Jusuf Nurkic to leave Enes Freedom to try to prevent him from scoring at the rack yet again, no one rotated over to pick up Freedom, who got an easy putback layup. Tatum and Schroder both finished the night with a game-high 31 points.

Not only did the Celtics generate 39 points on 12/21 (57.1 percent) shooting, but they also held the Blazers to 3/12 from beyond the arc and 26 points overall, helping Boston rebuild a 20+-point lead.

The Celtics' performance on both ends of the floor made the fourth quarter less taxing for their starters. Tatum played 2:40 in the final frame. So did Marcus Smart, who finished the night with 17 points on 6/10 shooting and dished out four assists. Schroder was out there for barely more than half the quarter, logging 6:09 worth of floor time.

Grant Williams Stars in His Role

His stat line doesn't stand out, but Grant Williams played stellar defense. His combination of strength, mobility, and intelligence allows him to shine on that end of the court. Williams, who's playing more decisively on offense this season, helping him convert 44.2 percent of the 3.3 shots he's taking from beyond the arc, also chipped in 10 points, four rebounds, and two blocks. His plus-minus rating of +16 does a better job of capturing his impact in Saturday's win.

After a disappointing sophomore season, Williams is stepping up when asked to fill in for Robert Williams or Al Horford in the starting lineup; when he joins the second unit, he gives the Celtics a reliable front-court option off the bench.

Payton Pritchard Puts On a Show to Close Out the Game

Payton Pritchard made the end of a blowout far more entertaining than usual. The Portland native scored 19 points, and his hot shooting from beyond the arc led to the Celtics' bench mob getting a technical for going on the court while celebrating. While that would have felt good in any location, the fact Pritchard did it in the place he grew up makes it that much sweeter.

Up Next

On Tuesday night, the Celtics have a rematch with the Los Angeles Lakers, who Boston beat 130-108 on its home floor a few weeks ago. The next night, the Celtics face the Los Angeles Clippers. They'll then wrap up their west coast road trip with a Friday night game against the Phoenix Suns.