Once again it’s Neg’Marrons who comes to talk to you, and once again the Pacers silence us at the start of the season. Unbeaten before the match of the night and carried in particular by the best player of the week in the East, Nate Bjorkgrend’s squad had an appointment this night with another cador from the East: the Celtics. A nice way to judge the level of the two franchises at the start of the season, and the first observation: “it’s playing basketball, say so”.
The Pacers? Never stingy to send a good big game. A Domantas Sabonis more in the distribution early in the game and a good road captain thereafter, forming with Malcolm Brogdon one of the most intelligent duos in the League. Then a skillful Victor Oladipo, inspired from both sides of the field and even… airy, giving Indiana, perhaps, their best match in almost two years. Already. A big major six for Indy, with a Myles Turner found in defense after two complicated seasons under his circle, and a ball that has been spinning well since the arrival of the former manager of the Ikea coffee table department. But this evening, and the men of Bjorkmachin need not be ashamed, these gentlemen have fallen on a bone, a green and collective bone sublimated by a few prominent individuals. We are obviously talking about Jayson Tatum, as usual, sharp in attack and still author of a 27/11 and a perf that will soon make him a credible candidate in the race for the next MVP trophies. Jayson Tatum but also the other Jay, Jaylen Brown, efficient in attack and even more in defense, testifies to his last interception which will make the victory of the C’s official in the last minute.
But this season, and despite the absence until early January of Kemba Walker, the C’s can rely on a group that already seems to have found some automatisms. We think of a Marcus Smart very happy to have found in Tristan Thompson a sacred colleague in the fight, the latter giving Boston a whole new intensity under the panels after a season spent with only Daniel Theis as a real interior. In terms of babars we also think of Robert Williams and his man’s body having ingested another man, Bébert being for the moment used with as much parsimony as malice by Brad Stevens. We finally think of Payton Pritchard, rookie sniper who is ultimately not a rookie because he is already playing fair, nice surprise already well integrated into the rotation and who has proven in three games what Carsen Edwards or Romeo Langford did. failed to prove in a year. Thompson, Pritchard but also the soldiers Ojeleye or Grant Williams, not or little used last night but sometimes very strategic replacements for Coach Stevens, the duo Jeff Teague… Javonte Green who does the job while waiting for Kemba Walker’s return, and you finally get a more balanced roster than last season despite the apparently unfulfilled departure of Gordon Hayward.
In the end tonight? A solid victory, it had to be against the Pacers, and a 2-2 record not really indicative of the good impression left by Boston for ten days, despite a first setback against… Indiana (game winner of Sabonis) and the Christmas beating received from the divine hands of Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. Next for the Greens? A match against Memphis then two against the Pistons, this should allow all these little people to take off for the victory counter. We don’t know eh, well maybe.
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