On Thursday, the Boston Celtics took care of their business and pulled away late to earn a decisive 120-106 victory over the Sacramento Kings, continuing their surge and now sitting with a record of 21-12 for the season. They have put together a nice string of wins, having gone 7-3 over their last 10 games, while the Kings have now fallen to 14th place in the Western Conference at 8-26.
This wasn’t Boston’s sharpest shooting night across the board, but it didn’t matter. Jaylen Brown once again set the tone with force and aggression, and the Celtics’ depth wore down a Sacramento team that simply couldn’t match Boston’s physicality or consistency over four quarters. Now, onto the player ratings.
Jaylen Brown: A
Game Stats: 29 PTS, 10 REB, 4 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 5 TOV, 11-25 FG, 1-9 3PT, 6-7 FT, 35 MIN
Brown didn’t wait for the game to come to him – he went and grabbed it. Sacramento had no real answer once he started lowering his shoulder and getting downhill, especially in the second half when Boston needed a stabilizer. Even on a night when the three-ball deserted him, he found ways to bend the defense, finishing through contact and forcing the Kings to collapse repeatedly.
What stood out most wasn’t the scoring total, but how physical he was on the glass. Ten rebounds from a wing isn’t accidental. Brown hunted loose balls, helped clean up defensive possessions, and set the emotional tone when things threatened to get loose. The turnovers were the cost of aggression, but Boston gladly lived with that tradeoff.
Derrick White: B+
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 5 REB, 7 AST, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 TOV, 5-13 FG, 2-7 3PT, 4-4 FT, 35 MIN
White played the game like a veteran chess player, always a move ahead, rarely rushing. When the Kings tried to speed things up, he slowed the pace. When Boston needed a push, he quietly delivered it without hijacking possessions. His seven assists were the product of timing rather than flash.
Defensively, White was everywhere without ever being loud about it. A deflection here, a late contest there, a help rotation that erased a mistake before it became a problem. He didn’t dominate a single stretch, but the Celtics were undeniably steadier with him on the floor.
Sam Hauser: B+
Game Stats: 15 PTS, 5 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TOV, 5-7 FG, 5-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, 29 MIN
Hauser’s shooting changed the geometry of the game. Every time Sacramento leaned too heavily toward Brown, Hauser made them pay, burying threes with no hesitation and perfect timing.
His movement off the ball was sharp, and his confidence never wavered. Performances like this are exactly why Boston’s offense becomes so difficult to guard when everyone is healthy and engaged.
Neemias Queta: B+
Game Stats: 13 PTS, 5 REB, 0 AST, 1 STL, 3 BLK, 1 TOV, 5-6 FG, 0-0 3PT, 3-5 FT, 23 MIN
Queta’s minutes were short, but they were heavy. He set hard screens, finished plays at the rim, and protected the paint like someone determined to make every second count. Sacramento’s guards hesitated once they saw him lurking inside, and that alone changed the shape of several possessions.
Offensively, he kept it simple – catch, finish, move on. No wasted dribbles, no forced attempts. It wasn’t flashy, but it was exactly the kind of interior presence Boston needed to complement its perimeter attack.
Payton Pritchard: B+
Game Stats: 16 PTS, 3 REB, 6 AST, 1 STL, 1 BLK, 2 TOV, 6-13 FG, 2-8 3PT, 2-2 FT, 31 MIN
Pritchard brought a steady pulse to the game. He didn’t force shots when his jumper wasn’t falling, instead leaning into playmaking and tempo control. His ability to probe, retreat, and reset helped Boston avoid the stagnant stretches that can creep in during long regular-season games.
There were moments where his confidence showed, especially when he attacked closeouts instead of settling. Even without a big scoring outburst, his minutes felt productive, the kind that don’t always jump off the stat sheet but matter in the flow of a win.
Luka Garza: B
Game Stats: 11 PTS, 3 REB, 2 AST, 2 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TOV, 5-6 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 25 MIN
Garza played like someone who knew exactly what his role was and executed it without hesitation. He scored efficiently, battled inside, and showed surprising touch when the ball found him in rhythm spots.
Defensively, he relied on positioning rather than athleticism, which worked more often than not. He didn’t try to be something he isn’t, and that honesty in his game paid off with meaningful minutes.
Anfernee Simons: B
Game Stats: 14 PTS, 2 REB, 4 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 2 TOV, 5-13 FG, 4-7 3PT, 0-0 FT, 30 MIN
When the Celtics were down, the battle to get back was at times tumultuous and not easy. Simons provided a spark when he needed it by hitting four three-pointers at just the right time to keep the Kings from collapsing their defenses around him. Although Simons created and scored effectively throughout most of the game, there were a few times he appeared hurried.
Hugo Gonzalez: B
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 6 REB, 1 AST, 1 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TOV, 1-2 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 19 MIN
Gonzalez made his presence felt with effort. He attacked the glass, defended with purpose, and helped Boston win the hustle battle when the game could’ve drifted.
The points were minimal, but the energy wasn’t. He stayed active, made smart decisions, and contributed to the Celtics’ overall physical edge.
Baylor Scheierman: N/A
Game Stats: 3 PTS, 0 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 1 TOV, 1-1 FG, 1-1 3PT, 0-0 FT, 9 MIN
Scheierman’s night was quiet, but not careless. He stayed within the system, made the right reads, and didn’t try to force involvement. That kind of discipline matters for a player still earning trust.
His lone make came without hesitation, a good sign for someone whose role is tied to readiness more than volume. Small contribution, clean execution.
Jordan Walsh: N/A
Game Stats: 0 PTS, 1 REB, 0 AST, 0 STL, 0 BLK, 0 TOV, 0-1 FG, 0-0 3PT, 0-0 FT, 5 MIN
Although Walsh had very little impact on the game, Walsh’s ability to stick to the plan, avoid mistakes, and execute defensively were all big positives in this instance. While for most of the night, Walsh was not asked to do very much for the Celtics, that is often the most difficult role to successfully execute. Walsh did just that.
