Five takeaways from C's Christmas win over Knicks

http://www.csnne.com/boston-celtics/five-takeaways-cs-christmas-win-over-knicks

At this point in the season, the defending champion Cavaliers and the Raptors have shown themselves to be the top two teams in the Eastern Conference.
 
And while the No. 3 spot appears to be vacant, a strong case can be made for the Celtics being the next-best thing in the East. 
Only 1.5 games separate teams No. 3-5 (Boston, Charlotte and New York) in the Eastern Conference. Boston’s record against the Hornets and the Knicks is a perfect 4-0.
 
While those teams may not be considered elite, they are quality squads that the Celtics must stay a step ahead of if they are going to be in position -- a top three seed in the East -- of being where they want to be when the playoffs begin in April.
 
That’s why winning Sunday’s game at New York had significant value for both teams, but particularly the Celtics who came into the season considered by many as one of the top three teams in the East. Here are five other takeaways from Sunday’s game.

Smart's playmaking

The deeper we get into this season, the more Smart’s poise as a playmaker shines through. Sunday was another gem of a game for Smart, and it wasn’t just the go-ahead 3-pointer he made with 47 seconds to play. He finished with 15 points on 5-for-9 shooting to go with seven assists and just one turnover for what was one of his best all-around games this season.


Johnson stepping his game up

Among the keys to Boston’s improved play of late has been the contributions by Amir Johnson no longer being so heavy on the intangibles scale, but now they’re actually showing up to a greater extent in multiple statistically-based areas such as points, rebounds and assists. In Boston’s last three games, Johnson has averaged 12.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 3.0 assists and 1.3 steals while shooting 14-for-23 (60.9 percent) -- all of which are better than his season average in that respective category.


Bench contributions

The Celtics began the season taking great pride in the unpredictable nature of its bench which has a multitude of players who can step up and contribute in a big way on any given night. On Sunday the Celtics got a little more than usual from its second unit player. Marcus Smart had a stellar game with 15 points and seven assists with just one turnover. Kelly Olynyk was huge as well, scoring 16 points on 7-for-9 shooting. And then there was Gerald Green, a relative afterthought when thinking about the team’s bench. He came seemingly out of nowhere to score eight points on 3-for-6 shooting to go with four assists.
 

Horford's defense

The level of Al Horford’s contributions in any specific area of the game varies, but his defense has been a constant with him this season. The New York Knicks game was no exception. While many will point to the blocked shot he had at the end of the game to secure the victory, that was just one of several plays he made defensively in the win. In fact, his 13 contested shots in the game was tops among all Celtics.


Stevens' pulse on this team

One of the most important qualities any successful coach has, is an ability to know what his team needs and when they need it. Stevens is really excelling in this of late, making the kind of decisions that have consistently contributed to the team’s recent run of success. The decision to give Isaiah Thomas enough rest through the first three quarters to ensure he’s full-go for the fourth has worked out well. And the decision on Sunday to go with Gerald Green and sit Terry Rozier, worked out well for Boston. He’s not trying to do the popular thing, but rather listen to his gut to tell him what’s best for this team, at this particular moment.