Celtics vs. Hawks Stat Pack

*Chris Johnson has shot an NBA-best 14-of-24 (58.3 percent) from the corner 3 this season (minimum 20 corner 3 attempts). Gerald Wallace is 11-of-19 (57.9 percent) from the corner 3 this season. The Celtics are the 13^th-best team this season in corner 3 percentage (39.7 percent).
–Rodrigue “Roddy Buckets” Beaubois had a career-best 59-percent corner 3 shooting in 2010-11 (4^th-best that season; minimum 10 corner 3 attempts). Although he only had 17 corner 3 attempts in 2010-11, he still has shot 44 percent from the corner 3 during his career. The best NBA teams this season from the corner 3: #1 Heat (45 percent) and #2 Pacers (41 percent)

*Although Jeff Green has a double-digit negative plus/minus in each of his last 5 games, he is looking for his 4^th consecutive game with at least 20 points on Wednesday.
–If he does so, it would be the first time in Green’s career that he went 4 consecutive games with at least 20 points.

*With their loss on Tuesday against the Bulls, the Hawks have already lost 9 games in February.
–Last time they lost at least 9 games in a month: March 2013 (went 8-10)
–Last time they lost at least 11 games in a month: January 2008 (went 4-11)

*Monday was the first time in Kelly Olynyk’s NBA career that he put up at least 20 points and more than 5 rebounds in the same game.

*Rajon Rondo has made 7 consecutive free throws heading into Wednesday.
–The last time he did that: 10 in a row combined between Games 2 and 3 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals
–The last time in the regular season: 7 in a row from April 10 to 13, 2012
–The last time in the regular season with more than 7 in a row: had 9 in row from March 11 to 19, 2012 (finished that streak in Atlanta)

*Monday was only the 4^th time in Rondo’s regular-season career that he attempted at least 6 free throws and made them all (has done it twice in the playoffs).

*The Celtics are 7-5 against the Southeast Division this season, which is their only above-.500 record against a division

*The Celtics have lost all 4 games without Jared Sullinger this season.

*The Celtics have more offensive rebounds than their opponent in each of their last 7 games, which is their longest streak since March 2007 (7 games).
–It is also the longest current streak in the league.
–On Wednesday, the C’s will go for 8 in a row. Last time they had a streak that long: 2001 (8 games)

*The Celtics have given up at least 100 points in each of their last 5 games for the first time since 2010 (6 straight games in March/April 2010).
–On the bright side, the 76ers have given up at least 100 points in each of their last 11 games and are on pace to have the 2^nd-worst American professional basketball month in history (in terms of point margin). The worst month in American professional basketball history was the Denver Nuggets in March 1950 (-22.4 PPG). The 76ers in February 2014: -19.7 PPG

*The Celtics have a worse 3-point percentage than their opponent in each of their last 7 games, which is their longest streak since March 2007 (7 games).
–It is also the longest current streak in the league.
–The longest overall one this season: Bucks (9 straight in December/January)
–On Wednesday, the C’s go for 8 in a row. Last time they had a streak that long: 1993 (9 games)

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Hawks
–The Celtics had won the previous 4 home regular-season meetings (and the previous 7 home meetings including the playoffs) before the Hawks won on December 31.

Celtics at Jazz Stat Pack

*Right before the Celtics-Kings game, Sacramento had the highest strength of schedule this season.
–As of Monday, February 24, Utah now has the highest strength of schedule this season.

*The Jazz’s 19-36 record matched the franchise’s 2^nd-worst 55-game start since 1980-81.

*Utah is 16-9 with the Trey Burke/Gordon Hayward/Richard Jefferson/Marvin Williams/Derrick Favors starting lineup (3-27 otherwise).

*The Jazz without Favors this season: 0-9 (19-27 otherwise)
–The Celtics without Jared Sullinger this season: 0-3 (19-35 otherwise)

*The Celtics are 4-2 on Mondays this season, their only day on which they are .500 this season.

*Jeff Green had 18 free throws attempts on Saturday, marking a new career-high.
–Last Celtic with more attempts in a game: Paul Pierce with 19 in Game 5 of 2008 NBA Finals … for just regular-season games: 21 by Pierce on March 23, 2007 vs. Dallas … for just road regular-season games: 22 by Pierce on November 18, 2006 at New York

*Kris Humphries had his new season-high with 19 points on Saturday.
–Only once last season did Humphries score that many points.

*Isaiah Thomas’s double-double on Saturday was his first since January 21 and his first at home since December 27.

*The Celtics have more offensive rebounds than their opponent in each of their last 6 games, which is their longest streak since March 2007 (7 games).
–It is also the longest current streak in the league.

*The Celtics have a worse 3-point percentage than their opponent in each of their last 6 games, matching the team’s longest such streak of the season (from January).
–It is also the longest current streak in the league.
–The longest overall one this season: Bucks (9 straight in December/January)

*The last 17 times that the Celtics have gone to a Western Conference building, they have fallen.
–Via Elias: “That’s the longest current road losing streak in interconference games in the NBA and the longest in Celtics history.”
–The last time the green won a road game against a Western Conference opponent: February 25, 2013 against the Utah Jazz.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Jazz
–The last time the Jazz beat the Celtics was 2010 (6 straight C’s victories).

Celtics at Kings Stat Pack

*The Celtics were outscored in a quarter by at least 20 points for the first time since November 19, 2013 (Rockets 40, Celtics 18 after the first quarter).

*Brandon Bass matched a season-high with 20 points on Friday.
–The Celtics had won the previous 8 games (including 1 postseason contest) when Bass had scored at least 20 points.

*Phil Pressey as an NBA starter: 5 games played, 25.6 MPG, 8 PPG (15 points per 100 possessions), 5 APG (9.5 assists per 100 possessions), 53% 3-point percentage (3.1 made 3-pointers [5.7 attempted] per 100 possessions), 50% true shooting percentage, 18% usage percentage
–Reserve: 46 games played, 12.4 MPG, 2 PPG (8 points per 100 possessions), 2 APG (9.2 assists per 100 possessions), 18% 3-point percentage (0.8 made 3-pointers [4.6 attempted] per 100 possessions), 32% true shooting percentage, 13% usage percentage

*The Celtics’ only victory against the Pacific Division this season was against the Sacramento Kings.

*The Kings have a 3-2 record against the Atlantic Division this season, the only above .500 record for Sacramento against a division this season.

*The Kings have had the most difficult schedule thus far this season.

*The Kings are 0-8 this season when scoring fewer than 90 points.
–They are 5-0 this season when holding their opponent to fewer than 90 points.
–They are 1-15 this season when giving up more than 108 points.
–They are 0-10 this season when grabbing more than 15 offensive rebounds.

*The Kings have more free throw attempts than their opponent in each of their last 6 games, the team’s longest streak in over a year.

*The Celtics have more offensive rebounds than their opponent in each of their last 5 games, matching the team’s longest streak of the season.

*The last time the Celtics and Kings faced off, it was Isaiah Thomas’s 25^th birthday.
–This time around, it is another point guard’s birthday: Rajon Rondo is 28.

*MarShon Brooks scored a season-high 14 points on 7 field goals made Friday with a game-high plus/minus of +21.
–In 10 games as a Celtic: 31 points on 9 field goals made (7 of which were 2-pointers)
–In 7 games as a Warrior: 13 points on 5 field goals made

*Kent Bazemore, who was averaging 2.3 points per game this season and 2.0 per game in his career before Friday, scored a career-high 15 points against the Celtics.

*The Celtics are 0-11 on the road against Western Conference opponents this season.
–The last 16 times that the Celtics have gone to a Western Conference building, they have fallen.
–The last time the green won a road game against a Western Conference opponent: February 25, 2013 against the Utah Jazz.

*The Celtics have won 2 of their last 3 games on the second night of back-to-backs since starting the season 2-9 in those situations.
–All 4 of the Celtics’ wins on the second night of back-to-backs this season have come on the road, 3 of which were against current playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, 2 of those 3 squads would be far back in the playoff race in the Western Conference.

*The Kings have played just one game in the 9 days before Saturday.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Kings
–Streaks for the Celtics in Sacramento (most recent is first): currently a 2-game losing streak, which was preceded 4-game winning streak and an 11-game losing streak before that

By The Numbers: The First Road Win Against the Western Conference

http://www.celticshub.com/2014/02/21/numbers-first-road-win-western-conference/

Celtics at Lakers Stat Pack

*The Celtics are 0-10 on the road against Western Conference opponents this season.
–The last 15 times that the Celtics have gone to a Western Conference building, they have fallen.
–The last time the green won a road game against a Western Conference opponent: February 25, 2013 against the Utah Jazz: a 110-107 overtime victory on the second night of a back-to-back.

*Rondo’s 22 field goal attempts on Wednesday were his most since Game 7 of the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals (last time in regular season: February 15, 2012).
–For only the 3^rd time in Rondo’s regular-season career, he posted 22 field goal attempts.
–He had a season-high 5 free throw attempts after not attempting any in the previous 4 games.
–He tied his season-best plus/minus with +16 on Wednesday.
–He also had a line of 18 points, 10 assists and 7 rebounds for first time in more than a year.

*Gerald Wallace had his 5^th game this season with at least 4 steals on Wednesday (he has just 5 games this season when he scored more than 10 points).
–All 5 of those 4-steal games have come when Wallace has scored fewer than 10 points.
–Only Ricky Rubio (7) and Wallace (5) have at least 4 different games of at least 4 steals and fewer than 10 points this season.
–No player in the NBA had more than 4 of those types of games in 2012-13.

*The last time the Celtics won on the first night of a back-to-back was November 29 against the Cavaliers (8 straight losses for C’s on first night of back-to-backs).
–Now a member of the Lakers, MarShon Brooks played in that Cavaliers game on November 29.

*The Celtics have won 2 of their last 3 games on the second night of back-to-backs since starting the season 2-9 in those situations.
–All 4 of the Celtics’ wins on the second night of back-to-backs this season have come on the road, 3 of which were against current playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. Unfortunately, 2 of those 3 squads would be far back in the playoff race in the Western Conference.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Lakers
–The Celtics have lost 5 of their last 6 meetings with the Lakers

*For Saturday: the Kings have played just one game in the last 9 days.

*For Monday: Utah is 16-9 with the Trey Burke/Gordon Hayward/Richard Jefferson/Marvin Williams/Derrick Favors starting lineup (3-25 otherwise).

Celtics at Suns Stat Pack

*The Celtics are 0-9 on the road against Western Conference opponents this season.

*Chris Johnson’s plus/minus of +57 in February is the best of any Celtic and the 8^th-best in the league during this month.
–He is the only player to have a plus/minus of at least +50 this month when playing fewer than 100 minutes.

*When Johnson is on the floor in February, the Celtics have a net effective field goal percentage of +15.6 percent.
–That ranks as the best of any NBA player with at least 75 minutes this month.

*Johnson’s team-best plus/minus of +54 this season is 39 points better than Jared Sullinger’s.

*Johnson’s Celtics-best 2.6 made 3-pointers per 36 minutes is on pace to be the best for a man in green since Eddie House in 2009-10.
–Ray Allen never made that many 3-pointers per 36 minutes in a single season as a Celtic.

*Johnson and Kyle Korver are the only Eastern Conference players to shoot at least 45 percent from 3-point this season (minimum 30 attempts from 3-point).

*If Johnson were to finish this season with at least 2.6 made 3-pointers per 36 minutes and shoot at least 45 percent from 3-point, then he would become the first Celtic to ever accomplish that feat.
–Johnson, Korver and Jimmer Fredette are the only players that have played at least 200 minutes this season and have at least 2.6 made 3-pointers per 36 minutes and have shot at least 45 percent from 3-point.
–Korver and Stephen Curry were the only players to accomplish that feat in the NBA in 2012-13.

*In his brief time with the Celtics, Johnson has made more 3-pointers than he has 2-pointers, he has attempted more 3-pointers than he has 2-pointers and he has shot better from 3-point than he has from 2-point.

*Johnson has played the 5^th-most minutes for a Celtic in the last 12 games.

*Kelly Olynyk’s +18 is the best plus/minus in February among Celtics who have played at least 100 minutes.

*In this game against Suns, Olynyk goes for his 3^rd straight double-double.
–The only Celtic to accomplish that feat this season was Jared Sullinger (6-game streak that ended right before the All-Star break).

*Olynyk has posted 3 of his 8 double-digit scoring NBA games in his last 4 contests.

*Before February, Olynyk had just one game in which he had a plus/minus better than +10. He already has 2 such performances in just 6 games this month.

*Olynyk is on pace for his best true shooting percentage month in exactly a year.

*Olynyk has played 816 minutes this season after racking up a career-high 845 in his final collegiate season.

*Through 10 games, Rajon Rondo is on pace to have a new career-high in 3-point percentage, but is on pace for his worst 2-point percentage since his rookie year.
–Rondo is shooting just 33 percent (5-of-15) from 3 to 10 feet this season.
–Rondo is shooting an impressive 44 percent (11-of-25) from 16 feet and out on 2-pointers this season.

*On Wednesday against the Spurs, Rondo became just the 2^nd Celtic to have at least 3 made 3-pointers in consecutive games this season (Jeff Green: December 10 and 11, 2013).

*Tim Duncan’s 8 made field goals in the 2^nd half matched the 2^nd-most made against the Celtics in a half this season.
–Most: Kyrie Irving (9 on December 28: 2^nd half)
–2^nd-most: Kemba Walker (8 on November 25: 2^nd half) and Terrence Jones (8 on November 19: 1^st half)

*When the Suns outshoot their opponent this season, they are 27-3.
–Otherwise: 4-18 (the 4^th win came on Tuesday at Denver)

*The Suns sure like to jack up 3-pointers on no rest.
–On no rest, they have a team-high (compared to other days of rest) 10.5 made 3-pointers per game and 27.4 attempts from 3-point per game this season.

*Surprisingly, the Suns are only 11-8 against the Eastern Conference this season.
–They are one of the worst Western Conference teams in terms of record against the Eastern Conference. The only Western Conference teams with fewer wins against the Eastern Conference this season: Jazz, Lakers and Kings.

*The Celtics have still yet to give up 30 points to a player on the road this season.
–Every other team has already given up at least 2 such performances.

*Happy belated 23^rd birthday to Phil Pressey.
–Another Celtics birthday coming up: Rajon Rondo’s 28^th on February 22.

*Recent Meetings: Celtics vs. Suns
–The last time the Celtics faced the Suns was the first time in almost a decade that the C’s made double-digit 3-pointers against Phoenix.

By The Numbers: The Second (and Better) Coming of Chris Johnson

http://www.celticshub.com/2014/02/18/numbers-second-better-coming-chris-johnson/