Inside The Celtics

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Kings: Bos Quickly Puts Sac in Checkmate

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combine for 66 points as Celtics route Kings, 128-75, improving to 25-24.

Bobby Krivitsky

Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics followed up Sunday's 116-87 thrashing of the Wizards by decimating the Kings, 128-75.

While a 53-point win isn't the largest in franchise history, the Celtics had a 60-point lead with 1:24 left in the game, which is the most distance they've ever put between them and an opponent.

Tuesday's matchup was only the 14th time the Celtics had their starting lineup intact. Entering this game, in 160 minutes together, Marcus Smart, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Robert Williams had a 110.4 offensive rating while holding opponents to 92.6 points per 100 possessions, giving them a 17.8 net rating, per NBA.com.

Sacramento and Washington didn't provide much resistance, but there's no denying that when this unit shares the floor, the results continue to be overwhelmingly positive. That gives Brad Stevens and Celtics brass something to ponder between now and the Feb. 10 trade deadline.

Now, for what stood out from a game where seemingly everything went right for the Celtics.

Boston Had Checkmate by Halftime

At the end of the first quarter, the Celtics had raced out to a 38-13 advantage, their largest lead after an opening period since November 22, 2010.

The game only got more lopsided in the second frame. By halftime, Boston's lead snowballed to 63-20. The Celtics entered the break shooting 24/50 (48 percent) from the field, 11/24 (45.8 percent) from beyond the arc, had 26 points in the paint, eight offensive rebounds, 14 second-chance points, 16 assists, an accurate reflection of how effectively they moved the ball, and only six turnovers.

The Kings Couldn't Buy a Basket

Conversely, Sacramento was 10/49 (20.4 percent) and 1/20 (5 percent) from three in the first half. Boston played with a high level of energy and activity defensively, but the Kings also missed the shots that weren't well-contested. Being ice cold on one end, and providing no resistance at the other, is how a team gets checkmated by halftime.

Tatum and Brown Combine for 66 Points

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Jayson Tatum toyed with the Kings, getting to the basket with ease, knocking down seven of the 14 shots he took from beyond the arc, and delivering cross-court dimes such as this one to Josh Richardson for a corner three to beat the halftime buzzer.

In total, Tatum followed up his 51-point performance against the Wizards by scoring 36, distributing six assists, grabbing four rebounds, and earning a plus-minus rating of +36.

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Sacramento had no answer for the other half of the Celtics' potent wing tandem, either. Jaylen Brown generated 30 points on 11/19 (57.9 percent) shooting, including 5/12 (41.7 percent) from three, and he pulled in 10 rebounds, had three assists, and a plus-minus rating of +35.

Tatum and Brown did all of this in a game where Boston's starters didn't play in the fourth quarter.

Marcus Smart Keeps the Offense Humming

In a game where the Celtics scored 128 points, Marcus Smart shot 0/3 and went scoreless. While the amount of field goals Boston's floor general launches matters, his scoring is a bonus.

That was reflected in Tuesday's win, as Smart had seven assists, did a fantastic job facilitating, had only three turnovers, and paired that with his usual stellar defense, earning a plus-minus rating of +36.

A New Career-High for Robert Williams

In 27 minutes, Robert Williams stuffed the stat sheet, including by grabbing 17 rebounds, a new career-high. The Timelord also had 13 points on 6/8 shooting, four assists, three steals, two blocks, and a game-high plus-minus rating of +42.

Up Next

The Celtics travel to Atlanta to take on the Hawks on Friday night. The game tips off at 7:30 EST. Inside The Celtics will have content related to the game coming out before, during, and after. And follow @BobbyKrivitsky on Twitter for updates and analysis from pregame to post.

Further Reading

Celtics Musings: Al Horford's Shot Selection, Rotation Tweaks, Talent vs. Record

What Stood Out in Celtics' Win vs. Wizards: Boston Fueled by Stingy Defense, Jayson Tatum's 50-Piece

Celtics Reportedly Exploring Trading Al Horford

Report Links Celtics to Jerami Grant

Should Jaylen Brown be the Celtics' Closer?

Trade Options for a Celtics Team in Need of Shooters

Celtics' Trade Options Part II: Facilitators

Published
Bobby Krivitsky
BOBBY KRIVITSKY

Bobby Krivitsky's experiences include covering the NBA as a credentialed reporter for Basketball Insiders. He's also a national sports talk host for SportsMap Radio, a network airing on 96 radio stations throughout the country. Additionally, he was a major-market host, update anchor, and producer for IMG Audio, and he worked for Bleacher Report as an NFL and NBA columnist.

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