The Boston Celtics continued their strong start to the 2019-20 campaign with a 119-113 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse on Tuesday night.
The win marked the Celtics' fifth straight and ties them with the Philadelphia 76ers and Miami Heat for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Here are three instant overreactions from the C's victory:
1. Gordon Hayward is back to being Gordon Hayward
Verdict: Overreaction
Hayward has been a slow starter so far this season, but he wasted no time putting on a show on Tuesday night as he put up 22 points while going 9-of-9 from the field in the first half.
He finished with 39 points -- tying his career-high -- on 17-of-20 shooting, further proving he's capable of being the player he was before his catastrophic ankle injury in 2017. Confidence is key, and it's already clear Hayward has far more this season than last. He'll just have to prove he can do it consistently vs. top-tier teams, not just the lowly Cavs.
If the C's get this version of Hayward throughout their 2019-20 campaign, then. . .
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2. Boston is the team to beat in the Eastern Conference
Verdict: Overreaction
The C's are right there with the top dogs in the East despite Jaylen Brown missing the last three games with an illness and Enes Kanter being held out since suffering a knee injury in the season opener. Once they return, that's when the real fun will begin.
It seems Kemba Walker has yet to completely take over a game this year, yet he dropped 30+ points in three straight games heading into Tuesday's contest. Though he "only" tallied 25 vs. the Cavs, he still was very much effective from the field going 8-of-19 (6-of-8 from 3-point range).
Add in Jayson Tatum showing improvement in his third NBA season, plus Hayward back in All-Star form, and this is a team that can go toe-to-toe with anyone down the stretch. It's just too early to say they're necessarily better than say, the 76ers or the Bucks.
3. Carsen Edwards is the second coming of Eddie House
Verdict: Not an overreaction
The Eddie House comparison isn't anything new. Edwards' teammates have likened him to the former Celtics sharpshooter, and it's an apt comparison considering the Purdue product's 3-point prowess and quick release.
Edwards continued to show flashes of House on Tuesday, providing a spark off the bench with 13 points (3-of-4 from beyond the arc). Maybe it's the haircut, or maybe it's just something about playing in Cleveland.
Whatever it is, it was a good sign following what was a slow start to Edwards' rookie year. The 21-year-old fills a role that's much-needed off the C's bench this season.
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