The Celtics got some revenge on the Kings by earning a hard-fought 103-102 victory on Monday night.
Here are three instant overreactions to the win, which brings the C's to 12-4 on the season.
1. Right now, Marcus Smart is the Celtics' MVP.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
Yes, Kemba Walker is the star and yes, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum have been outstanding. But right now, Smart is the MVP of this team.
After having his potential game-winner vs. the Kings roll off the rim eight days ago, Smart came up big both offensively and defensively in crunch time to help Boston hold off Sacramento this time around. He showed again why he deserves to be in the NBA Defensive Player of the Year conversation.
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Smart finished as the C's most efficient player on both ends of the floor as he dropped 17 points (7-for-11 shooting) with seven assists and a season-high five steals.
2. Celtics have no answer for Buddy Hield.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
As if Hield's 35-point performance vs. the C's on Nov. 17 wasn't enough, he was even better on Monday night.
Hield dropped a game-high 41 and went 15-for-26 from the field (11-for-21 from 3). The Oklahoma product's 11 3's are the most ever in a game against the Celtics, and his two outbursts vs. Boston are his only 30+ point games of the season so far.
3. Tremont Waters isn't ready for primetime.
Verdict: Overreaction
The box score doesn't do Waters justice. The two-way rookie looked the part in his first game since being brought up from the Maine Red Claws and provided plenty of spark off the bench.
Waters had seven points while going 2-for-7 from the field, one of those shots being a clutch 3 in the fourth quarter. He also contributed three assists, two blocks, and a steal in 20 minutes.
Get ready for Celtics-Nets Wednesday night with Celtics Pregame Live at 6 p.m., then check in with Halftime Live and wrap it up after the game with Celtics Postgame Live, all on NBC Sports Boston or stream them here through the MyTeams App.
