James Young makes most of opportunity against Pelicans

New Orleans Pelicans guard Norris Cole goes to the basket against Celtics guard James Young Monday night. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) AP

By Brian Robb @CelticsHub

December 8, 2015

2 minutes to read

Plenty of things went right for the Celtics in the midst of a commanding 111-93 win over the New Orleans Pelicans on Monday night.

Jared Sullinger grabbed a career-high 20 rebounds, Kelly Olynyk tied a season-high with 21 points off the bench, and Isaiah Thomas was nearly perfect in the first half (8-of-9 from the field). Despite those positives, most of the buzz following the game stemmed from the surprising impact reserve guard James Young had on the team’s win.

The 20-year-old entered Monday’s game having only played nine total minutes during his second NBA season. With R.J. Hunter (hip) and Marcus Smart (leg) sidelined due to injuries in New Orleans, Brad Stevens gave Young some run in the second quarter, and the Kentucky product made the most of his chance.

Young’s numbers in the box score weren’t exactly spectacular. Four points, three rebounds, two assists and a steal in 20 minutes is a forgettable night for most bench players in the league. However, the performance by the 6-foot-7 swingman was arguably his best all-around game as a pro. Young made consistent smart plays on both ends of the floor, many of which caught the eye of writers and fans.

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After the game, Stevens praised Young’s ability to contribute after sitting on the bench for much of the season.

“James has had a rough go about it because there have been times when he hasn’t played as well and R.J. and Terry actually came in and have done a lot of good things for us on given nights,’’ Stevens told reporters in New Orleans. “It’s been tough. But [Young has] just kinda stayed the course and he’s worked.

“I’ve kinda sensed that, on this trip, he’s just ready. And I don’t know why I say that. I thought he played well in practice, I thought he shot the heck out of it every time I’ve watched. Then we needed a body. I just felt like with their big guards and the fact that we were [switching a lot on screens], he made the most sense.’’

The Celtics locker room was also happy to see signs of progress from the youngster.

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It’s just one game for Young, who will have to continue to battle Hunter and Terry Rozier for playing time in the coming weeks. After being stuck suiting up for the Maine Red Claws for most of the past month though, Young showed Monday night that he’s capable of hanging with the big boys.