No starters, no problem. In their fourth preseason game of, the Celtics wrapped up their two-game homestand and stayed perfect in October with a 115-111 win over the Raptors.
In an expected move on the back end of a back-to-back, head coach Joe Mazzulla sat the preseason starters (Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Luke Kornet) and again, Al Horford who will play in Toronto on Tuesday. However, Mazzulla expressed the importance of continuity, regardless of who is on the floor.
“The message is the same regardless of who’s playing. We’re going to compete at a high level. We’re going to execute. We’re going to stick to the things and execute our system offensively and defensively and make sure we play with effort,” Mazzulla said before tip-off. “The message is always the same regardless of who’s in, who’s out, and I think that’s a reason why we have the continuity that we do, because of that standard.”
In the regular starters’ stead, Payton Pritchard, Lonnie Walker IV, Sam Hauser, Jordan Walsh, and Neemias Queta got the nod.
It’s easy to think that Mazzulla Ball is just shooting a ton of threes. And sure, Joe’s approach is rooted in the math, but it’s mainly about finding the best shot and with a roster chockful of shooters, the best shot is often a three-pointer. So, even minus their top-6 and Kristaps Porzingis, they let it fly.
Pritchard led the way, making 5-of-11 from behind the arc and finishing with 19 points and nine assists. The rest of the team was just 13-of-42; Hauser had an off day making just one of his seven threes.
Mazzulla Ball is also about finding what you’re really good at and taking advantage of (hopefully) that NBA-level skill.
If you’re Walsh and Queta, your role is as an energy shifter and attacking space. Queta finished with 15 rebounds with six coming off the offensive glass. Walsh continued his trend of improved three-point shooting — he’s now 6-of-16 in the preseason — and also attacked closeouts and the slot with strong, patient drives. He finished with an impressive 16 and 10 double double.
For a singular scorer like Walker, his fit is a little curious. Still playing on an Exhibit 10 deal and looking for a standard deal, he had his best game as a Celtic with 20 points on 4-of-9 from behind the arc. He can certainly score off the bench; it’ll just be a matter of whether or not the front office opts for some roster flexibility rather than a microwave in the second unit.
And you have to defend.
Through three preseason games, Boston boasted a 98.0 defensive rating through three games and held Toronto to 37 points at halftime. Some foul trouble in the second half and a lack of big men (Xavier Tillman didn’t play either) allowed the Raptors to crawl back into the game in the end.
The Celtics will wrap up their preseason slate with a game against these same Raptors in Toronto on Tuesday. They’ll then have a week off before Ring Night on October 22nd hosting the new look New York Knicks.
