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Celtics two-way guard playing like another unearthed gem
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- Celtics two-way guard playing like another unearthed gem
PHOENIX — The Celtics look like they have another unheralded player who will help them win games going forward. With the C's down Jaylen Brown against the Suns , they turned to Ron Harper Jr. for his second career start.
The two-way guard spent the first half of the season with the Maine Celtics, the team's G League affiliate. But he's been with the main club for the past few weeks now. Harper submitted his latest solid outing in the Celtics' blowout win over the Suns .
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"Just cares about the details," C's coach Joe Mazzulla said. "Obviously, the offensive stuff, he can think, he can play. Defensively, just competing. Understanding the details. Executing the game plan. Taking pride in defense. He just loves basketball. Loves to play; loves to compete."
The shots didn't necessarily go down for Harper, who finished 3-for-10 from the floor and 2-for-7 on 3-pointers. But there's a reason why he played 30 minutes Tuesday, putting up eight points and five rebounds (four on the offensive glass). It's clear the energy he plays with gave the Celtics a boost Tuesday.
Notably, it already feels like Harper is fitting right into what Boston wants to run. He teamed up on an impressive play late in the third quarter. With the Celtics dominating the frame, the highlight epitomized what the team wanted to do on a nightly basis.
On a Suns fast break, Baylor Scheierman sized up Jamaree Bouyea well, going straight up to contest the shot. Then Harper came over to get an emphatic block. Going down the other way, Hugo Gonzalez converted his own fast-break layup. The Celtics were already up 21 points, but it still got the bench hype as part of a team effort.
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Harper, 25, is getting his first taste of rotation minutes in his career. He's risen to the occasion multiple times, including in the win over the Rockets back on Feb. 4. That was his first career NBA start, and he played arguably the best game of his career. It's a credit to the Celtics that they signed Harper to a two-way deal before this season.
The Celtics started slow Tuesday, missing 3-pointers while the Suns were making their looks. It put pressure on their defense. But the C's hung around then blew past the Suns because they won the margins. Their energy and hustle allowed them to make up for an inefficient night.
"It's been amazing," Derrick White said of Harper. "He's always really known how to play the game, and even when he doesn't start, when he gets those minutes, he's done a lot of good things for us. And so it's great to see. We're going to need him for the rest of the year for sure."
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