The Celtics Are Atop The Eastern Conference Standings

And after beating Charlotte Thursday night they have won 6 in a row and are getting those wins with effort, grit, and a little bit of an edge.

We talked about that and more with Josue Pavon who covers the Celtics for CLNS Media.

• Snapped Hornets 3 game winning streak
• Kemba Walker’s return to Charlotte and there was a pregame tribute which brought Walker to tears
o Did not make a shot from the field in the first half
o 14 points, 2 rebounds, 6 assists
• Jayson Tatum, 23 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assist
• Gordon Hayward, 20 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists
• Jaylen Brown returned from illness, and played 32 minutes, 12 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal
• Javonte Green 12 points in 13 minutes off the bench
• Grant Williams 0 points in 15 minutes off the bench, 2 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal
Marcus Smart 5 personal fouls, and upset with the officials
• And at times Brad Stevens and the rest of the coaches
• With 6:08 to play in the 3rd quarter, Smart was called for a defensive foul his 4th of the game, 11 seconds later he was called for an offensive foul his 5th.
o At that point he got upset with Stevens – after the game said he told the coach to stick up for him, said the officials are watching him more closely than others
o Was pulled from the game, and remained upset on the bench talking with players and coaches
o During a timeout in the 3rd quarter with 2:21 to play he apologized to Stevens on the bench.
o Smart started the 4th quarter and was tossed to the floor by Miles Bridges with 8:50 left to play, that led to a technical for Bridges
o Smart was upset with that situation and the refs, and told them if he did that he’d be ejected, and told the officials to clean up the game and get control of it, and if not he would deal with it and protect himself

• Kemba Walker – 24.3 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 4 apg, 1 spg
• Jayson Tatum – 21.6 ppg, 7.7 rpg, 1.9 apg, 1.6 spg
• Gordon Hayward – 20.3 ppg, 7.9 rpg, 4.6 apg, 56.4% FG,
• Jaylen Brown – 16 ppg, 6.3 rpg, 1.8 apg, 51.0% FG,
• Marcus Smart – 9.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg, 4.7 apg, 1.3 spg,
• Daniel Theis – 5 ppg, 6.7 rpg, 2.5 bpg