Three lineups the Celtics must explore

Preseason video games are performed, Boston followers. We’re nearly there!

The Celtics enter the season with fewer roster questions than anybody within the league, however Joe Mazzulla isn’t one to take a seat on his arms. He and his employees will likely be tinkering with methods, ways, enjoying time, and lineups all 12 months lengthy searching for even the slightest edge for the playoffs.

Under, I’ve listed a number of lineups price throwing on the wall; I’m assured not less than one will stick. Some will certainly log heavy minutes, whereas others could also be a pipe dream. Nevertheless, although the Celtics are cash to roll by means of the East once more this season (knock on wooden), it’s at all times price checking the sofa cushions for spare change.

Photograph by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe through Getty Photographs

1) Bombs away / a glimpse of the long run?

Kristaps Porzingis’ return will occur sooner or later, and as soon as it does, I’d like to see extra of arguably the league’s most potent offensive fivesome: Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, the Jays, and Porzingis.

The group solely performed 51 possessions final 12 months however sported a — good basketball gods, is that proper? — 152.9 offensive rating. Pattern sizes that small are primarily meaningless, however with numbers like that, it will be felony to not discover additional.

This isn’t meant to disrespect Jrue Vacation, a wonderful offensive drive in his personal proper and a greater general participant than Pritchard. However there’s a really actual probability that Vacation is traded after this season, a casualty of the Celtics’ ballooning bills. Pritchard is cost-controlled and acquired up half-again as many threes as Vacation (7.5 per 36 minutes in comparison with Vacation’s 5.1 per 36).

The starters aren’t higher with Pritchard, however they might be stronger offensively. Greater than something, I would like Boston to know earlier than the offseason if Pritchard is able to step into a much bigger position subsequent to the starters.

Photograph by Brian Babineau/NBAE through Getty Photographs

2) Any Tillman-at-the-four lineups

Coming into the season, I assumed the Celtics would go away from their two-big lineups. With out Porzingis’ moonballs on the ground, Horford was the one confirmed shooter on the heart place. I even pleaded with Joe Mazzulla to bring back the UniKornet!

Seems, I used to be occupied with this all fallacious. We’ve seen loads of two-big lineups this preseason, even with out Al Horford, and it’s all due to the gorgeous emergence of Xavier Tillman.

Tillman shot 6-for-11 on preseason threes and regarded noticeably extra aggressive and cozy than his 27% profession three-point capturing mark would possibly recommend. Check out the preseason shooting data Jack Anderson compiled. Curiously, solely considered one of Tillman’s makes an attempt was from the appropriate aspect, and he made a number of tries from the wing and the highest of the arc. I particularly appreciated this one, during which he lifted up from the nook simply sufficient to make a neater passing lane for Payton Pritchard:

Tillman won’t ever be Kristaps Porzingis. But when he can settle in someplace within the mid to high-30s percent-wise and drag defenders a half step out of the paint, can he fill Al Horford’s position? Given the pure considerations about Horford in his age-38 season, it’s price discovering out. Tillman is already probably the most versatile defender within the large man rotation; if the shot proves reliable, the Celtics will not be so reliant on their elder statesman.

3) The backups who blitzed the Raptors (plus Jaylen Brown)

That is one from the guts. I merely should see extra of the reserves who annihilated the Toronto Raptors in that magical preseason sport from per week in the past: Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, and Neemias Queta. Let’s have Jaylen Brown step in for the departed Lonnie Walker.

Pritchard, Brown, Hauser, and Walsh (if the 37% preseason three-point capturing is actual) can present a masterclass in ballistics, and Queta can do what he does finest: devour rebounds like a hungry, hungry hippo. There’s greater than sufficient capturing and playmaking right here to make hay on offense, and Brown and Walsh may create havoc within the passing lanes.

Will this unit ever play? Uncertain; they ran zero possessions collectively final season (primarily as a result of Walsh barely performed). Minus Walsh, the opposite 4 solely logged a paltry 74 possessions (during which they annihilated opponents).

However this group got here out working and gunning in opposition to the Raptors in a feast for the eyes, and what? My peepers are famished once more.