BOSTON — The backcourt was the one strength the Boston Celtics could rely on at the start of this postseason. It had been a key to Boston's 48 wins in the regular season.
All that changed quickly, though, in the fourth quarter of Game 1 against the Atlanta Hawks when Avery Bradley suffered a strained hamstring. Head coach Brad Stevens has deemed the 25-year-old, arguably the best two-way player on the roster, "extremely unlikely" to return to action at any point in the first-round series.
That diagnosis sent Stevens looking down his bench to replace Bradley's tenacious defense and reliable outside shooting.
Marcus Smart, 22, was the choice in Game 2, but, as has been the case for much of the 2015-16 season, the 6'4" guard was only able to reliably contribute on one end of the floor: defense. While Jeff Teague was held in check for most of the night, Smart shot 1-of-11 from the field and scored just three points in Boston's 89-72 defeat.
Facing a 2-0 series deficit, there is plenty on the line for the young Celtics, and the potential effects go beyond just this first-round series. Smart ...
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Article written by Brian Robb
Boston Celtics Backcourt Is Running Low on Upside Versus Atlanta Hawks
April 22nd, 2016 by Brian Robb Leave a reply »
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