After being a top option for most of his career, Malcolm Brogdon has embraced a role with the Celtics this season as their sixth man and stabilizing the bench unit. He knows he can be a starter on most teams in the NBA, but he’s been happy to sacrifice on a championship-ready team for a crack at his first title.
But on Saturday night, the Celtics didn’t need Brogdon to sacrifice. With a pair of starters out, they needed him to step up. And like he’s done all season, he delivered.
Without Jaylen Brown, who suffered an adductor injury earlier this week, and suddenly without Derrick White early in Charlotte, the Celtics needed someone to help Jayson Tatum. Brogdon answered the call with his best game as a Celtic. He scored a season-high 30 points off the bench, and the C’s overcame an ugly start to run away with a 122-106 victory over the Hornets.
Tatum added 33 points — including 17 in the third quarter — and without two starters, he got another lift from his supporting cast, including Robert Williams (six points, 12 rebounds), as the Celtics changed the energy and turned it up defensively after being down by as many as 16 in the second quarter.
Al Horford had 16 points and eight rebounds and Marcus Smart contributed 12 of the Celtics’ 36 assists in their sixth consecutive win.
