Three weeks into this condensed season, Bulls coach Tom Thibodeau was touting JaJuan Johnson as a player who would be a factor in the Celtics’ season. At that point, after 10 games, Johnson had exactly one NBA field goal.
It took until yesterday, but Johnson proved Thibodeau correct as the Celtics took a 95-91 win over the Bulls at TD Garden. Johnson scored 12 points, only 1 more than his previous season high in a mopup role against Toronto, but these points contributed to a victory.
Along the way, Johnson committed some rookie mistakes, fired up an airball, and was overmatched by the Bulls at times. But in the final quarter, Johnson was there to finish in transition, take a charge from Carlos Boozer, and even launch a perimeter jumper that provided an 11-point advantage with 3:29 remaining.
The performance showed significant improvement after Johnson had been the target of a tirade from coach Doc Rivers following a botched inbounds play during an 86-74 loss at Toronto Friday night.
In fact, only the absence of Brandon Bass (knee) and Jermaine O’Neal (shoulder) put Johnson in a position to redeem himself.
“But I wouldn’t expect it any other way,’’ Johnson said of Rivers’s criticism. “Throughout my whole basketball career, I’ve always had a coach that was tough. And I like it. It does nothing but motivate you.
“I know some people, they get yelled at they kind of get down. Me, it just makes me focus a little bit more and get locked in. So I have no problem with a coach yelling at me or telling me different things. It does nothing but help.
“Just reminded me of my college coach yelling. But it needed to be done, we weren’t doing what we were supposed to do. You don’t want a coach that just sits back and lets it happen. So it was a good thing and it just got everybody’s attention.’’
Most of the Celtics newcomers have attracted attention along the way: Bass; Johnson’s collegiate teammate, E’Twaun Moore; Chris Wilcox, also a subject of Rivers’s wrath in Toronto. This was Johnson’s turn.
“I knew just [yesterday], really,’’ Johnson said of his prospects of playing. “JO and Brandon were out, obviously that’s minutes somebody has to fill. So I was just happy I had the opportunity to play a little more.’’
Johnson has kept a low profile on a high-profile team. But his ability and eagerness to learn has made him a favorite pupil of Kevin Garnett and other veterans.
“Just their work ethic, the way those guys come out every day and play,’’ Johnson said. “Especially KG. I watch him every day and he goes full tilt in practice. Whatever it is, he does it with a purpose and I’m learning still, but that’s what I want to try for.
