Boston Celtics: Grading each player’s first half performance

The bench

Grant Williams

Grade: C

Grant Williams is going to be vital for the Boston Celtics in the playoffs. He’s a really smart player and has a spark plug like impact when he’s playing well. He’s similar to Al Horford In the sense that he passes well for a big man and can hold his own in the post well for being under-sized. Hopefully, he continues to build confidence shooting from behind-the-arc, a place where he has been hot of late. Through the first seven games in February, Williams is shooting 60 percent from 3-point range compared to 28.2 percent on the season.

Brad Wanamaker

Grade: C+

Brad Wanamaker has been solid for the Boston Celtics so far this season. He’s a good playmaker and can hold his own defensively. He’s averaging 6.6 points and 2.7 assists so far this season and should continue to see minutes come playoff time. One thing I’d like to see Wanamaker improve is his court vision in transition. He tends to bury his head in transition, which is not always a bad thing but does miss open transition 3-point attempts with the quick kick-out pass to the corner.

Javonte Green

Grade: D+

Javonte Green is super athletic but is still really raw on both sides of the ball. I’m really not sure what to make of his role going forward, but Brad Stevens seems to rely on him as one of his go-to guys off the bench. It will be interesting to see if he remains a part of the rotation once things tighten up in April, but if so, he must provide energy and defense during his opportunities.

Semi Ojeleye

Grade: C-

Semi Ojeleye will likely never develop into much of an offensive threat, but the fact that he has worked his 3-point percentage up to 35 percent means he will be a viable bench piece as the season progresses. Ojeleye will continue to be counted on for solid defense in short spurts of minutes. I imagine he’ll be thrown at Ben Simmons and Giannis Antetokounmpo for short periods during the playoffs. If he can hold his own against these guys for just a few possessions at a time, he’ll be a super valuable piece.

Romeo Langford

Grade: B-

Being a rookie point guard in the NBA is extremely tough. Romeo Langford struggled with injuries early on and spent a lot of time in Maine. Lately, he has started to see increased minutes in the wake of injuries and has responded well to the opportunity. He’s young and inexperienced which means he will likely be tough to rely on for long stretches in the playoffs, but he should play a role down the stretch due to his ability to defend and attack the basket.