With most of the Celtics veterans back in Boston, the rookies were sent to Cleveland to close out the preseason. Tremont Waters was the steady hand for the Celtics in the game, but Carsen Edwards stole the show in the 118-95 win.
After going 1-for-4 from deep in the first half, Edwards made six-consecutive threes in the third quarter. Oddly enough, the first attempt he missed was the cleanest look he had in the quarter.
By the time Brad Stevens pulled Edwards, he’d made eight threes in the quarter and only missed three. He also made a layup on a quick move to the hoop.
Edwards’ ability to get going in a hurry and get his shot off quickly should give him a spot in Boston’s second unit to start the season. With the way he’s looked, Edwards is showing he could help stretch the floor for Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Gordon Hayward as they look to drive often.
Had it not been for Edwards, Waters would’ve been the big story from Tuesday’s game. He scored 24 off the bench (10-for-16 from the floor, 3-for-8 from deep) and had seven assists.
As much as Waters can fill up the stat sheet, his instincts stand out most. He has a very smooth hesitation move and knows exactly when to utilize it. And he has excellent court vision — which can translate into assists, but he also finds the man who can get the ball to an open teammate.
Max Strus played 27 minutes and scored six, going 2-for-5 from the field (1-for-4 from deep).