After being sidelined with an ankle sprain sustained on January twenty first towards the Toronto Raptor, reigning Defensive Participant of the 12 months Marcus Good made his return to motion final night time for the Boston Celtics of their ultimate recreation earlier than the All-Star break. Boston dropped the Detroit Pistons 127-109, and did so behind a formidable offensive efficiency in addition to a historic efficiency from Good.
Within the 11 video games he missed attributable to damage, the Celtics went 6-5 with out their place to begin guard and the most effective facilitators. Throughout his Celtics ranked twenty seventh in subject aim proportion (46.4%) and nineteenth in assists per recreation (24.6), and in his return, the Celtics shot 53.3% from the sphere and tallied 30 assists on the night time. It was the twelfth time this season that the Celtics notched 30 or extra assists; Boston is 11-1 in these video games.
Marcus Good tied his career-high for steals within the first half with 4, and completed the night time with 9 factors on 4-of-6 taking pictures together with 7 rebounds, 6 assists, 6 steals, and two turnovers over 29 minutes of ground time. Good additionally turned the primary Celtic since Rajon Rondo to have not less than 6 factors, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 6 steals in a recreation. Boston’s vitality was by the roof, and in his first recreation again from damage, Marcus Good was on the coronary heart of it.
“We missed him so much,” stated Head Coach Joe Mazzulla on Good in his return. “We missed his pleasure, he introduced a degree of pleasure to the sport tonight. He introduced a connectivity and a belief on the defensive finish to the place due to the best way he performs, it simply brings vitality & then everyone performs that means” For the entire speak up to now concerning the crew needing a “true level guard”, this 12 months’s Celtics play on a completely totally different degree with Marcus Good out on the ground, as he’s been essential as a playmaker and pace-pusher on offense.
“Large, defensively I believe it was clear,” stated Malcolm Brogdon on Good’s affect in Boston’s win. “I believe he made some large defensive performs that actually acquired us going. Helped flip the sport round after they have been getting momentum. We pushed the lead when he was in. He’s a facilitator…he’s a man on the ground that has nice chemistry with everyone.”
“Feels actual good,” stated Marcus Good on being again on the ground for the Celtics, “Appears like one thing was lacking in my life. So it feels actual good to be again on the market with my crew, my teaching employees, and simply the vitality that we introduced.”
On how his ankle felt going into the sport, Good stated “I used to be a bit bit snug, on the extra snug aspect immediately. I simply needed to go proper into it early and take a look at to not actually give it some thought, strive to not child it, strive to not fear an excessive amount of, and simply go on the market and play. I believe while you’ve acquired accidents that you just come again from, you are able to do that, otherwise you simply go and play.”
Marcus Good and the vast majority of the Celtics will now have a while to relax and chill out for a number of days because the All-Star break kicks off in Salt Lake Metropolis. However as quickly because the remaining video games kick off once more, count on Good to be again at it full throttle the remainder of the season because the Celtics attempt to seal away the highest seed within the convention with authority.
