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Boston Celtics: Grading each player’s first half performance

By John Ryan

BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 25: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts with Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during a game against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden on November 25, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - NOVEMBER 25: Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics reacts with Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics during a game against the Sacramento Kings at TD Garden on November 25, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
(Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images) /

Management and coaching

Danny Ainge

Grade: A-

Doing what Danny Ainge did this past off-season was not easy. Losing two of the best players on your team for nothing in return is never a good thing. Irving’s departure felt inevitable, but Horford’s seemed to spell doom going into the 2019-2020 season.

There was a lot of discussion about which direction the Celtics should go regarding roster building. Should they surrender to a youth movement centered around Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum? Should they finally show willingness to move on from young players and draft picks in search of a star player? Or should they bring back Terry Rozier in an attempt to recapture the magic from the 2018 playoffs?

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Ainge quickly committed to competing by signing Kemba Walker on the first day of free agency. He used up the rest of the cap space by signing Enes Kanter. Both of these signings have paid major dividends thus far. Walker has been a seamless fit with the starting unit and Kanter has been surprisingly productive on both ends of the floor in short spurts.

The 2019 draft class has also showed signs in recent weeks. Grant Williams has played well and finished the first half of the season with arguably his best stretch of games as a pro. Romeo Langford has begun to emerge and has found steady minutes in the rotation due to his ability to create and defend. Tremont Waters and Carsen Edwards have both been playing really well in Maine and look to be solid rotation players down the line, and of course there is Tacko Fall, whose per-36 statistics are bar none.

Danny Ainge showed this offseason why he’s one of the best in the league. Even when put in tough situations he’s able to put the Boston Celtics in a position to be successful.

Brad Stevens

Grade: B+

Brad Stevens would be the first one to tell you he did a bad job coaching last year. After being anointed one of the best coaches in the NBA, he dropped the ball in 2018 and played a part in the disappointing season that it was. While a lot of things that occurred were out of his control, how the team plays and works with one another, in the end, always falls on the coach.

This season has been a different story. Stevens looks energized and like he’s having fun again. He’s arguably the best out-of-timeout play-caller in the league and his X’s and O’s put the Boston Celtics in a strategic advantage in certain situations.

The team has performed well and team chemistry looks to be a strength, not a problem. The one thing Stevens can look to do differently is hone in on what rotations work well together. This isn’t a criticism necessarily, a lot of coaches use weird rotations early in the season to try different things. I imagine towards the end of the season the rotations will tighten up.

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