On one of metal beams that hangs over the Auerbach Center weight room is the word “KAIZEN.” Here’s our friends at First to the Floor talking about that Japanese philosophy of “good change”:
There are the obvious examples of steady, patient development in the Brad Stevens era: the rise of both Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown as drafted cornerstones, the steady improvements of players like Robert Williams IV, Grant Williams, and Payton Pritchard, or the blossoming of unknowns in Maine from Luke Kornet to Sam Hauser.
However, there are the more mundane, incremental advances that can go largely unnoticed.
Kristaps Porzingis hurt himself in Game 2 of the Finals back in June. And after a brief cameo in the clincher and a championship parade, he had surgery and embarked on a six-month rehab.
When the team announced that he had advanced to the “next phase of his recovery,” it only added more anticipation for his return. But not every small victory is greeted with such fanfare or even certainty that it’s leading to something at all. Sometimes, it’s just about playing ball. When it was announced that Porzingis was going to join Maine’s scrimmage at The Auerbach Center, Xavier Tillman was also listed as a participant with the G League club.
“He just wanted to play. It was an opportunity to play. He’s obviously done a great job of doing what we’ve asked him to do. It’s a credit to him,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said of Tillman’s voluntary willingness to get some reps in. “I have a lot of respect for him for making that decision. He’s just gotta keep getting better and better. He’s brought great character and work ethic to it.”
Tillman had his knee scoped in July and after a solid showing in the preseason, was part of the Celtics rotation to start the season. After Neemias Queta helped spark a comeback in Indiana on October 30, Queta has effectively claimed those backup big minutes. So, with a chance to get some run in, Tillman jumped at the opportunity.
“I was a hooper long before I became a NBA player and had an ego,” Tillman told CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning. “So, I just want to play basketball, so if I have an opportunity to play five-on-five, imma do that.”
And then there’s Queta. After posting a +18 against the Pacers, he’s averaging nearly 8 points, 6 rebounds, and a block in 23 minutes a night. He’s had some warts here and there, including some noticeable missteps against the Cavaliers, but he’s amassed a +45 plus/minus since joining the rotation, and even on a night when the Celtics wanted to make a statement against a previously undefeated Cleveland team, Mazzulla was willing to give him space to go through those growing pains.
“I thought some of the shots they hit were tough. Some of the stuff we gave up, he’s gotta work on. But if we’re going to believe in our guys and get them to a level where we need to get to, these are things we have to go through. You just gotta continue to get better and better,” Mazzulla said. “If you’re going to believe in your guys, you gotta do it in critical moments as well.”
There’s that phrase again: “get better.”
Heading into the season, Boston’s frontcourt depth was viewed as a roster strength. With five versatile bigs that also includes the veteran Al Horford and Luke Kornet, the Celtics could weather injuries and play different styles.
What maybe wasn’t as self-evident was their depth of character and commitment to the long game to Banner 19.
