Celtics player power rankings: Marcus Smart keeps making winning plays
Despite an ugly shooting slump, Smart keeps finding ways to help the Celtics win games
With just eight games remaining in the regular season, the Celtics are at the top of the Eastern Conference standings and in control of their own destiny down the stretch. As anticipated, the team has taken care of business on its homestand, grinding out four straight wins on the TD Garden floor with a full complement of players. Meanwhile the Cavaliers have dropped four of their last six contests, opening the door for Boston to seize control. The C’s will continue to be favored in their next three contests (vs. Milwaukee, vs. Orlando, at New York), making it likely that they hold onto first until the Cavaliers come to town next week. That showdown may very well be the turning point in the race for home court advantage in the East. Boston has won 14 of their last 15 at the Garden, making homecourt advantage an edge the team will need if they want to take down the defending champions in a potential postseason matchup. 15. Demetrius Jackson —
The 22-year-old broke out of a lengthy shooting slump with the Maine Red Claws on Tuesday night, shooting 3-of-4 from 3-point range in a loss against the Grand Rapids Drive.
14. Jordan Mickey — The second-year power forward has been refining his offensive game at the D-League level in March and it is starting to show. The former second round selection is averaging 21 points per game, while also steadily increasing his 3-point attempts to 2.5 per contest.
13. James Young — While Young’s play has been limited on the floor for the Celtics lately, he’s achieved a greater impact off the floor. In an interview with the NBPA last week, the 21-year-old discussed his contributions to his hometown of Flint in the wake of their water crisis.
12. Tyler Zeller — After cracking double-digit minutes in back-to-back games for the first time since January last week, the veteran seven-footer found himself back on the pine for 48 minutes against the Heat.
11. Jonas Jerebko — The Swede received consecutive DNP-CD’s last week for the first time during the 2016-17 regular season, but it may be an injury that forces him to miss additional action this week. Jerebko missed part of practice on Tuesday with a sore knee and is questionable to suit up for the remainder of the Celtics homestand.
10. Terry Rozier — Brad Stevens tightening up his bench rotation does not bode well for the second-year guard who is shooting under 30 percent for March. With one other reserve point guard also struggling with his shot (more on him later), Stevens simply can’t afford both to be weighing down the bench offense right now.
9. Gerald Green — While Devin Booker rightfully got all of the headlines for his 70-point performance in Boston last Friday night, Gerald Green put on a little show himself in the second quarter. He scored more than a point per minute in the win, posting 15 points in just 13 minutes, including 4-of-4 shooting from downtown.
8. Jaylen Brown — The rookie’s 3-point shot has gone cold lately (1-for-12 in last six games) but that hasn’t prevented him from making a positive impact offensively. He’s shot 50 percent or better in four straight games, showcasing some flashes of a midrange game that should only improve with additional seasoning.
7. Kelly Olynyk — Efficiency is becoming more and more of a weapon for the seven-footer this season. His 3-point accuracy (36 percent) is down a bit from last season, but he’s shooting a career-high 51.7 percent from the field, four points above his career average. He’s only been strengthening those numbers of late with eight consecutive games shooting 50 percent or better.
6. Marcus Smart — The third-year guard shot just 20 percent in the past week, but we can’t put him any lower than no. 6 overall after a couple of game-changing plays in the past week. His offensive rebound in traffic against the Heat Sunday night earned him plenty of accolades from his teammates. “That’s what Marcus does,” Isaiah Thomas explained. “Especially when the game’s on the line, he makes the biggest plays of the game.”
5. Amir Johnson — The big man played one of his best games of the season (14 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists) Sunday night against the Heat but found himself on the bench during crunch time as the Heat went small. Still, Brad Stevens is optimistic about what he’s getting out of his center, who has logged a team-high 73 games this year. “He’s been very reliable all season,” Stevens said. “He’s continued to get better as the season’s progressed.”
4. Avery Bradley — Despite posting career-highs in several statistical categories, Bradley is on pace to play in just 57 games this season, his lowest number in five years. The team has to be optimistic that the reduced wear and tear will help the 6-foor-3 shooting guard stay healthy in the postseason after an early exit last season.
3. Jae Crowder — The swingman limped to the finish line last season, but a healthier Crowder is paying dividends during the 2016-17 campaign. After scoring a season-high 25 points against the Heat on Sunday night, the 6-foot-7 forward is relishing the opportunity to play more small minutes at the 4. “I know I’m able to pretty much take any four in the league off the dribble,” he said Sunday night. “ I just have to keep that in mind and be aggressive.”
2. Al Horford — The four-time All-Star has put on a show with his all-around versatility in the past two weeks. He’s posted at least 10 points, five rebounds and five assists in seven of his last games, helping carry Boston to a 7-1 record over that stretch.
1. Isaiah Thomas — The two games Thomas took off to rest his bruised knee have served him well. He’s not only averaging an efficient 28.5 ppg on 46% shooting since his return, but he leads the team in net rating (+16.5) during Boston’s current four-game winning streak well.
