The Boston Celtics had a flare for the dramatic on Friday night vs. the Washington Wizards, but they were able to hold on to earn their fourth straight victory.
Once again it was the dynamic duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown leading the way for the C's. Tatum had 32 points on the night, and Brown chimed in with 27 points and 13 rebounds.
Celtics-Wizards Highlights: C's hold on late to win, 116-107
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SIGN UP HERE While Tatum and Brown were the stars, there was plenty else to take away from Boston's win. Here's what we're overreacting to as the Celtics improve to 7-3.
1. Tacko Fall needs more minutes.
If only the Celtics were playing in front of a packed TD Garden on Friday night.
Tackomania would have been wild as the 7-foot-5 phenom stepped up in a big way for the shorthanded C's. With Tristan Thompson, Robert Williams, and Grant Williams all out due to health and safety protocols, Fall was given extended minutes. He made the most of them.
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Fall finished with four points, eight rebounds and three blocks in 19 minutes. One of those blocks was a denial of former NBA MVP Russell Westbrook.
The big man showed he has potential to play meaningful minutes for the C's when called upon. There's no doubt he earned the trust of head coach Brad Stevens, so we'll have to wait and see whether we get more Tacko Time as the season goes on.
Verdict: Overreaction
2. Semi Ojeleye is becoming a solid rotation player.
Ojeleye, like Fall, was called upon to play big minutes with the Celtics shorthanded. He was in the starting lineup and while he wasn't strong out the gate, he was a big contributor in the third quarter.
The 26-year-old ended up with eight points and five rebounds in 27 minutes and was a +23 on the floor. He has been a pleasant surprise over his last few games and has been playing with far more confidence and aggressiveness than years past.
At this point, it's hard to deny Ojeleye is turning into a reliable rotation player for this C's team. That's saying a lot after he was considered on the roster bubble heading into the campaign.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
3. Celtics have a second-half problem.
Sure, the Celtics got the W, but what happened in the fourth quarter was an abomination. In a blink of an eye, a 28-point lead shrunk to four vs. one of the worst defensive teams in the NBA.
This second-half sloppiness has been an issue for the Celtics dating back to last season. The turnovers aren't doing them any favors either (21 on Friday). All of it has to be figured out if this team is to be a true contender in the East.
Verdict: Not an overreaction