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With Sam Hauser out with lower back pain, the traditional knowledge was that head coach Joe Mazzulla would faucet fellow wing Jordan Walsh to take these minutes.
Not so quick.
“Now we have the flexibleness and the depth to go a unique route,” Mazzulla mentioned earlier than tip-off in opposition to the Wizards on Thursday evening. “It might not essentially be a wing. It could possibly be a guard. It could possibly be a giant. It simply relies 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 middle 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 definitely consists of 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 crew’s second unit with out Hauser, Derrick White mentioned, “it don’t change a lot. The usual is the usual and regardless of who we put in there, we count on the identical factor. Clearly, it’s not Sam Hauser working round on the market, however there are quite a lot of alternative ways to create benefits. I assumed all of the bigs did an important job for us at this time. Regardless of who we put in, we count on them to do what they do and had a great recreation for us tonight.”
By 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 large lob goal from the dunker spot, however finally, his “do what they do” is his understanding of angles and the place everyone 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 put up 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 slightly extra comfy, slightly extra certain of himself, figuring out the place to be at within the offense. I believe perhaps final 12 months, I believe perhaps he was considering an excessive amount of, however this 12 months, he’s simply taking part in, doing what he do.”
After being promoted from a two-way to a normal deal earlier than the playoffs final 12 months, Queta signed a three-year, $7.2 million contract over the summer season. He’s nonetheless uncooked — it’s arduous to not see quite a lot of early Robert Williams III in his recreation — however he’s lively 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 nevertheless lengthy it takes for him to be 100% as a result of 1) he’s an vital piece of their championship aspirations and perhaps extra so, 2) they’ll.
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