The Boston Celtics’ Big Men Issues

This Boston Celtics core was set in stone, so the absence of big-man depth and size was concerning.

Still, the Celtics are one of the strongest contenders to win a championship and are off to a fast start.

Additionally, Kristaps Porzingis has shown himself to be a perfect fit and starting center. But if there is one weakness that stands out, it would have to be the Celtics’ lack of depth at the center position.

The Boston Celtics’ Big Men Problem

Recent loses 

The Celtics’ record is an impressive 11-3. Nevertheless, their primary weakness has been exposed in each of the three defeats. The season’s opening setback for Boston came in a thrilling overtime match against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Among the many large men in Minnesota are Rudy Gobert, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Naz Reid. The Timberwolves were able to turn the tide of the game thanks to Gobert’s rim protection, Reid’s inside scoring, and the presence of Jaden McDaniels, a tall, long two-way wing.

Boston also dropped the rebounding battle 56-43 against the Philadelphia 76ers, losing by just three points. Joel Embiid was largely contained by Boston’s defense, which resulted in multiple turnovers and poor shots from him.But as an inside scorer and shot blocker, Embiid was able to punish the Celtics, particularly in a dominant third quarter that turned the tide of the game.

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the shorthanded Celtics in overtime yesterday. The big-man situation was already concerning because Al Horford was not playing for the Celtics. Miles Bridges and Mark Williams each pulled down 15 and 16 rebounds. In addition, the Hornets were extremely successful in scoring inside during the Porzingis-free minutes. It will be crucial for them to get past their size and depth problems going forward, especially against the Milwaukee Bucks and Orlando Magic.

The Celtics’ Depth 

The lack of depth rather than the lack of talent in the Celtics big man situation is what worries the most. Both Horford and Porzingis are elite centers who complement the team well and provide two-way value. Horford is a superb spot-up shooter and high-IQ defender, while Porzingis is an outstanding shooter and shot blocker. Outside of those two, though, the big men on the Celtics are a worry. Neemias Queta and Luke Kornet aren’t nearly rotation players, especially on a team with this level of competition. But in the event of an injury or foul trouble, Boston will need to rely on these kinds of players.

This is particularly troubling in light of Porzingis’ past injury history and Horford’s advanced age. I am not very concerned about it at this time, and I don’t think it will hurt their chances of winning. In the end, no team in the NBA today has a flawless roster, and every team has its shortcomings. If Porzingis or Horford sustain an injury, though, the Celtics will have less chances of winning the championship unless they can find a strong replacement.

Misusing Porzingis on Offense 

While three-point shooting is Boston’s obvious strength, they need to increase the variety of their offensive shots. Shot diversity is still an issue, despite the fact that things are not as bad as they were the previous season and Jayson Tatum’s improved finishing is encouraging. Increasing Porzingis’s involvement within is the main area that needs to be improved. With just 4.8 shots per game, he is hitting an amazing 79.1% of his shots from five feet or closer to the hoop.

Although the Celtics have a potent offense, there should be no excuse for Porzingis’ touches and volume inside given his amazing play. Compared to Porzingis, Evan Mobley is much less skilled and plays on a team with a lot of offensive players. Mobley is shooting 65.6% from the same distance on 9.3 attempts per game.

It’s difficult not to argue that Porzingis should receive more inside looks given this significant difference. In addition, the Celtics can match up with larger teams more effectively and their offense becomes far less predictable with more usage of Porzingis. Especially on nights when shots aren’t falling, getting Porzingis involved on the interior should be a top priority.

With 30 seconds remaining in a tie game against the Hornets, Porzingis was wide open down low. Jaylen Brown, though, decided to take a contested three. The Celtics would eventually lose as a result of his miss. This play demonstrates how detrimental it is for the team to place too much emphasis on three-pointers.

The Last Word