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Enes Kanter Freedom became the eighth Celtic to enter the NBA’s health and safety protocols. The seven players alongside him are Sam Hauser, Juancho Hernangomez, Jabari Parker, Brodric Thomas, Al Horford, Josh Richardson and Grant Williams. Their absences leave the Boston Celtics undermanned in eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings.
The Boston Celtics have split their record to 16-16 to start the season. They have consistently hit rocky patches in their performances, managing only a maximum of three consecutive wins in November.
The Celtics beat the surprising Cavaliers in their previous game by a 10-point margin. Jaylen Brown was the catalyst, dropping 34 points on 12 field goals. Enes Freedom came off the bench, scoring two field goals and grabbing four rebounds in 12 minutes.
Enes Freedom will be unavailable until early January, missing a minimum of five games.
In response to losing a considerable number of players, the Celtics have called up Justin Jackson and veteran C.J. Miles from the G League. Joe Johnson made his return to the NBA on a 10-day hardship contract with the Celtics, making him their third replacement so far.
With some minute management, Joe Johnson could be effective in terms of both an on-court and off-court presence. The veteran received loud “We want Joe” chants towards the end of the matchup against the Cavaliers. Joe Johnson played the final two minutes and made a contested jumper, getting the crowd on its feet.
The Boston Celtics will begin a two-game road trip to face the Milwaukee Bucks and Minnesota Timberwolves, with the Bucks matchup being on Christmas Day.
Both teams have a size advantage in Giannis Antetokounmpo (Milwaukee) and Karl-Anthony Towns (Minnesota). Although Robert Williams is the starting center, Enes Freedom’s support from the bench would have been beneficial. The Boston Celtics will have to find their footing before it’s too late for a playoff spot.
Will Enes Kanter Freedom find himself back in rotation once available?
Enes Freedom missed 11 games at the start of the season without any injuries. He was left out of the rotation as coach Ime Udoka adjusted the lineup. The Boston Celtics have won six of their eleven games without Kanter. But midway through November, Freedom’s game time gradually improved, averaging 13 minutes per game.
Before the Cleveland game, Enes Freedom put up his best performance of the season in a loss against the Philadelphia 76ers. He played for 40 minutes and recorded a double-double with 15 points and 11 rebounds, shooting 70% from the field. With limited game time, Enes Freedom’s season averages are low, at 4.7 points and 5.6 rebounds.
The Boston Celtics could use a hardship extension to sign a replacement for Enes Freedom before their next game. They will take a call based on Al Horford and Grant Williams’ status, as they are close to returning.
However, in this situation, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown will have no room to get their foot off the gas; they will have to produce big games night in and night out from this juncture until the end of the season.
Guess the Lakers players!
