159 days after their season ended in historic fashion with a first-round collapse to the 76ers, the Celtics returned to game action Thursday night ... kind of.
Of their 14 players on standard contracts, eight did not play. That list includes Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta, Sam Hauser and Ron Harper Jr.
Still, there was plenty to take away from other key rotation players, as well as guys trying to make their case to stick around.
So let’s get to the takeaways from a 124-113 win for the shorthanded Celtics in the preseason opener.
Joe Mazzulla did not coach the game
Head coach Joe Mazzulla did not coach the Celtics’ preseason opener. Instead, assistant coaches Tony Dobbins and DJ MacLeay handled the duties, with Dobbins coaching the first half and MacLeay the second.
“I want to give them the opportunity to be able to just build themselves as coaches,” Mazzulla said. Both of those guys had head coaching interviews this past summer, and I want them to be able to build on that. And also, I think it’s good to watch the game from a different perspective. So, those guys will be out there, they’ll be running the show, and I’m excited for them and want them to continue to grow.”
Mazzulla wasn’t even on the bench with the rest of the coaching staff. He watched from the back with the video coordinators.
“It’s always interesting. You go back to kind of looking at coordinators and kind of seeing the game from a different perspective,” Mazzulla said. “So, I’ll watch it in the back with some of the guys that won’t play and the video guys that build the halftime edits and just really see what I don’t see when I’m out there. So, it’s just as much for me as it is for them. But I think it’s just seeing the game from a different perspective and also giving those guys an opportunity.”
Mazzulla previously allowed both Dobbins (2023) and MacLeay (2024) to coach Boston’s Summer League team.
This offseason, Dobbins was a finalist for the Dallas Mavericks’ head-coaching job, which ultimately went to former Michigan coach Dusty May. MacLeay interviewed for the Trail Blazers’ head-coaching job, which went to Micah Nori, the Minnesota Timberwolves’ lead assistant for the previous five seasons.
Dobbins is Boston’s longest-tenured assistant, having previously coached under Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka since joining the staff in 2020. MacLeay joined the Celtics as a player enhancement coach in 2021 and was promoted to assistant coach in 2022.
“We had three guys go through head coach interviews this summer, extensively. To me, that’s a huge testament to them and the work that they do,” Mazzulla said. “You’re just always looking for opportunities to give them more experience. And sometimes, the only experience is being out there on the sideline. So, I want to give that to them. They deserve it. They earned it. They’re great at what they do. I think we have one of the best staffs. So anyway I can try and help them with that, I do.”
The third coach Mazzulla was referring to was Tyler Lashbrook, who was a finalist for the Trail Blazers’ head-coaching job.
Mazzulla will return to the sideline for the Celtics’ next two preseason games, both at TD Garden: Saturday against the 76ers and Wednesday, Oct. 14, against the Hornets. Assistant coach Sam Cassell will then serve as head coach for the Celtics’ preseason finale in Philadelphia against the 76ers on Oct. 16.
Building off last year’s identity
Under Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics have built their success around winning the possession battle. A big part of that is offensive rebounding.
Last season, they posted a 33.9% offensive rebounding percentage, the sixth-best mark in the NBA, and averaged 16.9 second-chance points per game, the fifth-most in the league. Six different Celtics averaged at least one offensive rebound per game: Neemias Queta, Luka Garza, Nikola Vucevic, Jordan Walsh, Jaylen Brown and Derrick White.
They picked up right where they left off in the preseason opener.
The Celtics dominated the offensive glass, finishing with a 21-6 (!!) advantage. Ten different Celtics recorded an offensive rebound, and three had at least four: Luka Garza, Dillon Mitchell, and Chris Cenac Jr.
Of course, some of that can be attributed to the circumstances. Boston had younger players looking to earn minutes and prove they belong, while the Cavaliers played their starters in the first half and were coming off a trip to Spain earlier this week for training camp.
Nonetheless, it was an impressive showing, especially considering some of Boston’s best rebounders, including Neemias Queta, Mitchell Robinson and Jayson Tatum, were in street clothes.
The advantage on the glass helped the Celtics generate seven more field-goal attempts (99-92) than the Cavaliers, along with 19 more free-throw attempts (35-16).
In whatever video room Mazzulla was watching from, there were probably a few fist pumps and claps for his team’s effort on the glass.
Luka Garza showed why he deserves to be on the floor
In a game featuring two All-Star bigs in Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Luka Garza was the best big on the floor Thursday night.
Garza, who set career highs last season in points (8.1), rebounds (4.1), field-goal percentage (57.7%) and three-point percentage (43.3%), finished with a 22-point, 10-rebound double-double. He added three blocks, two assists, and three 3-pointers, with four of his 10 rebounds coming on the offensive glass.
With Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta ahead of him, Garza’s path to playing time, after a career-high 69 games last season, might not be as straightforward as he would like.
However, Thursday night showed why it will be difficult for the Celtics to take him off the floor.
Garza is relentless on the offensive glass, an important trait for a team that puts such a heavy emphasis on offensive rebounding. His 156 offensive rebounds last season ranked second on the team, and he was one of 10 players in the league to average at least 5.0 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes.
He can also space the floor. His 43.3% three-point percentage last season led all centers with at least 100 3-point attempts, according to NBA.com.
His three blocks in the preseason opener were an encouraging sign of defensive progress. Garza had only one game with three blocks last season, and he worked on that this offseason.
The frontcourt was the Celtics’ biggest weakness at this time last year. With the development of Queta and Garza, along with the addition of Robinson, it has now become a strength.
Growth from the young wings was on display
One of the biggest storylines of the Celtics’ season last year was the growth and development of their roster.
That was especially true for the young wings: Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh, and Hugo Gonzalez, all of whom are in line for bigger roles this season.
All three made an impact Thursday night, showcasing the skills they worked on over the offseason, particularly on the offensive end.
Scheierman, who has received high praise from his teammates throughout training camp, showed why they’ve been so high on him. He finished with 16 points (5-of-12 FG, 4-of-7 3PT), five rebounds, including two offensive, and three assists.
Walsh, who worked on expanding his offensive game this offseason, scored 16 points on 6-of-14 shooting (42.9%) from the field and 2-of-5 (40%) from three. He looked far more confident in his shot and showed off some moves off the bounce. He also knocked down a nice pull-up three.
Gonzalez, in his typical fashion, made an impact on both ends of the floor, finishing with 15 points (5-of-9 FG, 3-of-6 3PT), four rebounds, including one offensive, and a team-high five assists.
The trio played a big part in the Celtics’ 56-win season last year. The expectation is that all three will build on that this season.
Devin Carter makes his case for the final two-way spot
As it stands, the Celtics have one standard roster spot and one two-way spot remaining. Historically, under Brad Stevens, the Celtics have left that final standard spot vacant.
That doesn’t mean they won’t fill it, but it seems unlikely, especially with the two-way spot still open.
The early leader in the clubhouse for the two-way spot is Devin Carter.
The former Providence star, who was selected No. 14 overall by the Sacramento Kings in the 2024 NBA Draft, was waived by the Hawks this summer after being salary-dumped by the Kings and signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the Celtics.
As he tries to earn his next NBA opportunity, Carter made a strong case for himself in the preseason opener. The 24-year-old finished with 17 points (5-of-9 FG, 1-of-3 3PT), five rebounds, three assists, and two steals.
It wasn’t perfect, underscored by the five turnovers he committed, but he finished with a game-high +22 and looked like a player who belongs in the NBA.
