With Sam Hauser out with decrease again ache, the standard knowledge was that head coach Joe Mazzulla would faucet fellow wing Jordan Walsh to take these minutes.
Not so quick.
“We now have the flexibleness and the depth to go a special route,” Mazzulla stated earlier than tip-off in opposition to the Wizards on Thursday evening. “It could not essentially be a wing. It may very well be a guard. It may very well be a giant. It simply will depend on what the matchups are in these second items. Our sub patterns will change game-to-game and alter throughout the recreation.”
Al Horford once more obtained the beginning in opposition to Washington and performed simply 20 minutes after 26 in opposition to the New York Knicks. However in contrast to on Tuesday, Mazzulla went three-deep into his heart rotation utilizing Luke Kornet (16 minutes), Xavier Tillman (15), and Neemias Queta (14) in that ninth man slot.
“I’ve belief in whoever we name that they’ll be able to play simply due to the work they put in and the issues that they do,” Mazzulla continued.
A few of that work actually contains Xavier Tillman and his three-point shot. After hitting 6-of-11 from behind the arc within the preseason, he missed all three on Ring Evening, however bounced again with a 2-for-3 efficiency in opposition to the Wiz.
With Tillman, the Celtics have one other versatile defender that may additionally stretch the ground within the mildew of Horford and Kristaps Porzingis.
When requested concerning the group’s second unit with out Hauser, Derrick White stated, “it don’t change a lot. The usual is the usual and regardless of who we put in there, we anticipate the identical factor. Clearly, it’s not Sam Hauser working round on the market, however there are a number of other ways to create benefits. I assumed all of the bigs did an amazing job for us at the moment. Regardless of who we put in, we anticipate them to do what they do and had a great recreation for us tonight.”
Via the preseason, it was Kornet that obtained the beginning nod. Surrounded by stars, he’s a pure connector for all of Boston’s expertise. He’s obtained a great contact across the rim and is a big lob goal from the dunker spot, however finally, his “do what they do” is his understanding of angles and the place all people is on the ground.
Along with his imaginative and prescient and instincts defending pick-and-rolls, he’s an above common massive on the excessive publish and a talented passer on the quick roll.
After which there’s Queta.
“Athletic,” White described his springy teammate. “Appears to get each offensive rebound. Only a massive physique across the rim. I simply suppose he’s a bit of extra snug, a bit of extra certain of himself, understanding the place to be at within the offense. I believe possibly final yr, I believe possibly he was pondering an excessive amount of, however this yr, he’s simply enjoying, doing what he do.”
After being promoted from a two-way to an ordinary deal earlier than the playoffs final yr, Queta signed a three-year, $7.2 million contract over the summer season. He’s nonetheless uncooked — it’s laborious to not see a number of early Robert Williams III in his recreation — however he’s energetic within the restricted space and has nice palms. He turned his 4 offensive rebounds into eight factors in opposition to 265 kilos and 83 inches of Jonas Valančiūnas.
The Celtics will wait one other two months for Porzingis’ return or nonetheless lengthy it takes for him to be 100% as a result of 1) he’s an vital piece of their championship aspirations and possibly extra so, 2) they’ll.
