The Boston Celtics, despite being without superstar forward Jaylen Brown, cruised to a fairly effortless 112-93 victory over the Sacramento Kings on Friday night. With the game in hand in the fourth quarter, head coach Joe Mazzulla decided to give Chris Boucher some game action for the first time in over two months.
Over the offseason, the C’s took a flier on Boucher in free agency, handing him a one-year, $3.3 million contract. To this point, though, he’s struggled to carve out a role for himself in the rotation, with his most recent game action coming on Nov. 23.
That changed on Friday night, and right before the final buzzer sounded, Boucher drained a three-point shot, even though the game was already decided. Veteran Kings’ guard Russell Westbrook took exception to Boucher’s shot and sought him out after the game, leading to an eye-opening confrontation.
Once Boucher explained the circumstances to Westbrook, the two quickly embraced and moved on. It’s been a tough season for Boucher, so the last thing he needed was to start a beef with one of the biggest firecrackers in the league.
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So far this season, Boucher has appeared in just nine games, averaging 2.3 points, two rebounds and 0.3 assists per game while shooting just 32% from the field. As a result, it’s fair to wonder if he could be on the move as the trade deadline draws near.
If Boucher stays put, though, he will look to continue finding ways to earn minutes for himself with the C’s. Boston will return to action on Sunday afternoon, as it draws a matchup against the scuffling Milwaukee Bucks. Tip-off is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. ET.
