Playing professor: Post game grades for Celtics in win vs Jazz


Hey, a win! The Celtics were outsucked by the Jazz tonight in the first true "Riggins for Wiggins" showdown, beating Utah 97-87 at home. Brad Stevens got his first win as coach, and the Cs avoided their first 0-5 start since 1946-47.

In all, it was a fun night at the Garden as Cs fans got a chance to celebrate a win. Now it's time to hand out some grades, many of which are good after the W.

Let's get to it.

Starters:

Jordan Crawford: C

Stat line: 7 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 1 block, 0 turnovers, 3-9 FG, -8 +/-

At long last the best point guard on the active roster got a chance to start, and it was to mixed results. Crawford shot poorly, and jacked up several terrible shots (shocking I know). But he also passed the ball well, dishing out 4 assists, and most importantly - didn't turn the ball over. J-Craw has been impressive in this facet of the game, showing a knack for getting into the paint and finding open teammates both down low, and open in the corner for good looks.

Avery Bradley: B-

Stat line: 8 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, 3-8 FG, -1 +/-

No, Bradley didn't explode onto the scene in his first game as SG. But he did look more comfortable out there. He was really good on the glass, grabbing 6 boards (2 offensive) as the Celtics surprisingly tied Utah on the glass 42-42. AB did go 0-2 from deep, including one terrible attempt as the Jazz were making their 4th quarter run, but in general he played a solid overall game. He was part of the unit that struggled to keep Gordon Hayward in check (28 points, 12-20 FG), but Hayward was seemingly torching everyone tonight.

Jeff Green: B

Stat line: 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, 1 steal, 6-13 FG, +10 +/-

Another game, another solid performance from Green, who is now averaging 17 points and 5 rebounds per game this season. Green was massive early on, scoring 12 points in the first half as the Cs turned a 13 point deficit into a 16 point half time lead. He did slow down down the stretch though, scoring only 6 points in the 2nd half, and spending crunch time on the bench for the 2nd time this season. At the end of the day, this is who Green is. A good player who will take over the game at some times, and be taken out of the game at others. But all in all, a good game for him.

Brandon Bass: A-

Stat line: 20 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 9-15 FG, -3 +/-

What more could you possibly expect from Bass, besides maybe a little more rebounding? He contributed 20 points on 15 shots, and was a big reason why Derrick Favors had an off night for Utah. He also hit two crucial shots down the stretch (and assisted on another) as the Celtics fought off a late Jazz push. Bass is now averaging 13.2 PPG, 5.4 RPG and 1.4 BPG as that trade value begins to rise.

Vitor Faverani: D-

Stat line: 0 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, 0-4 FG, 6 minutes (did not play after 1st quarter), -8 +/-

Well..you can't win them all Vitor. Faverani was pulled from the game after the Jazz got off to a 16-8 lead, and did not return. He did grab 3 boards in just 6 minutes, helping himself avoid an F, but this was clearly his worst game of the season. But don't get too down on Vitor. While he's not as good as what we saw in the first three games, he's a fantastic energy guy to have around. Although I do think his eventual role will be off the bench.

Bench:

Kelly Olynyk: B+

Stat line: 14 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 6-14 FG, +10 +/-

Now this is what we were hoping for from KO. Olynyk played with a ton of energy, showing off all of the different skills that we saw at Gonzaga (minus the three-point shooting). He grabbed four offensive boards, and scored 10 points from the paint, helping change the game when he entered mid-way through the first quarter. Olynyk also had a few really nice passes to cutting teammates..showing off that passing ability that we saw way back in the Orlando summer league.

Jared Sullinger: B+

Stat line: 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 block, 6-11 shooting, +18 +/-

MORE SULLY. Man, I know that Stevens said before the game that he wants Sullinger in better shape before he starts him..but do we really need to wait any longer? Sullinger again impressed during his time off the bench tonight, putting up 12 and 5 in just 23:32 of action. It seems like just a matter of time until he makes the leap into the starting line-up, as his playing time has increased from 10, 14, 21 and now 24 minutes in his four games. He did miss both his threes, making him 2-7 this season. Still not sold he can hit from deep consistently.

Gerald Wallace: A-

Stat line: 9 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 3-5 FG, +16 +/-

Gerald Wallace, have yourself an evening. Wallace was the best player on either team in the first half, dominating the game off the bench as the Celtics came back. He said before the game that he wasn't sure about his move to the bench - but his play said something different. He was aggressive, actually shooting the ball when he was open, and crashed the boards hard (he led the team is rebounds in just 23 minutes of action). If Wallace really wants out of town, the best way to do that is to play well and make himself tradable. Tonight was a good start.

Phil Pressey: B-

Stat line: 2 points, 3 assists, 1 steal 1-4 FG, +8 rating +/-

Pressey finally got a chance to be the back-up PG - and he was exactly as advertised. He was in total control of the offense and made smart decisions with the ball (3:0 Assists:Turnover ratio), while never trying to do too much. Pressey is undersized and can't score, but the man can run an offense. Tonight was a nice night for him.

Courtney Lee: B+

Stat line: 5 points, 2 rebounds, 2-3 FG, +5 +/-

With Pressey getting 16 minutes of action, someone's playing time needed to drop - and it was Lee's. Coming off his best game of the season, Lee played only 10 minutes, but was good when he did get in the game. While Lee has played better in the past two games, he has now seen his PT dip in four straight games. Not a great sign for his immediate future in the rotation

Kris Humphries: C

Stat line: 2 points, 1-3 FG, +3 +/-

I mean he played 5 minutes and hit a jumper - C seems about right. I'm just glad Stevens reads CelticsLife. Makes me feel better about myself.

Coach:

Brad Stevens: B+ or D

If the goal is winning: B+, Starting Crawford at PG, moving Bradley to SG, making the move to the bench at the right time, and picking up his first win of the season. What's not to like?

If the goal is losing: D, Starting Crawford at PG, moving Bradley to SG, making the move to the bench at the right time, and picking up his first win of the season. WHY OH WHY -- WE NEED WIGGINS.

Ok, those are my grades. Tell me yours.

Photo by Jared Wickerham/Getty Images

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