The Celtics looked like a team ready for regular season play in their dominant 127-99 victory over the Charlotte Hornets in Thursday night’s preseason finale. Boston led by as many as 40 points in the win, as Charlotte led for just 58 seconds of game time.
With Al Horford out for rest, the Celtics went with the same starting lineup as Tuesday night, turning to Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis. Each of the starters saw roughly 23 minutes.
Sixteen different players checked in for the Celtics, each recording a bucket. All five starters finished with double-figures, with Brown leading the way, finishing with 20 points on 8-of-12 (66.7%) from shooting. Eighteen of Brown’s 20 came in the first half. Porzingis finished with a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double.
The preseason finale could not have gone any better for the Celtics as they showed how dangerous they can be on both ends of the floor.
The C’s are now officially onto the regular season, with their season opener scheduled for Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden against the New Knicks.
Here are three takeaways as Boston wraps up preseason play with a 4-1 record.
Defense dominates
The Celtics are putting a strong emphasis on defense this season, and we got a glimpse of how deadly they can be when locked in. Using a mixture of man, zone, drop, and even a 2-2-1 press, the Celtics put a show defensively in Thursday night’s win.
After ranking 26th in opponent turnover percentage last season, Mazzulla has noted he wants to force more turnovers. The head coach has to be pleased with his team’s performance in that department Thursday night, as his Celtics forced 24 turnovers and cashed in with 32 points off turnovers. The Celtics finished with a whopping 22 (!) steals in the win.
To go along with their 22 steals, the Celtics also had six blocks, three of which came from Derrick White.
Boston got things going right from the start defensively, recording three steals in the first three minutes.
It was Boston’s defense that allowed them to jump out to a 26-point halftime lead despite shooting 7-of-25 (28%) from deep. The Celtics forced 10 first-half turnovers, which resulted in 14 points off turnovers. Continuously forcing misses also allowed the C's to get out in transition, leading to 27 fastbreak points on the night.
Boston’s defensive versatility was on full display on Thursday night, forcing misses all over the court. The Hornets finished the night with just 99 points on 37-of-88 (42%) shooting from the field and 4-of-28 (14.8%) from deep.
Offense continues to generate good looks
With the talent on their roster, the Celtics can hurt defenses in so many different ways, making them nearly impossible to defend. With most of their rotation serving as a scoring threat, Boston has been able to generate some fantastic looks.
Boston’s ball movement has been a driving factor behind these great looks. The Celtics finished with 34 assists on Thursday night.
The C’s were 16-4 when they recorded 30+ assists in a game a season ago. When the ball is moving it takes Boston’s offense to another level.
It’s always going to start on the defensive end for Boston. The Celtics are at their best when they turn offense into defense. When their offense and defense click in sync, it’s going to be a beautiful thing to watch.
Neemias Queta shines, Luke Kornet absent
Mazzulla has stressed not to read into preseason minutes. However, there was an interesting development regarding the third big spot on Thursday night.
With Horford out, Mazzulla opted to go with two-way signee Neemias Queta as the first big off the bench rather than Kornet. In fact, Kornet was the only Celtic that did not see the floor in Thursday’s contest.
Queta made the most of his minutes, pouring in 12 points, snagging seven rounds (Five offensive!), and a steal in just 13 minutes of work. The Portugal native dropped 10 of his 12 points in the third quarter.
Queta’s rebounding is what stood out the most. Kornet has struggled in that department and it’s another area Mazzulla has placed heavy emphasis on.
Lamar Stevens, who is naturally a wing but has played some center at points in camp, also had a nice showing off the bench. The ex-Cavalier finished with 12 points, all in the fourth quarter, three rebounds, a block, and a steal. Stevens brings a sense of energy, physicality, and toughness that could earn him some potential minutes in the regular season.
Kornet has been expected to assume the role of the team’s third big man behind Porzingis and Horford. However, the six-year vet has not been very impressive in training camp, and Thursday night only added fuel to the fire.
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