Celtics balance downtime with sense of urgency
The Celtics are taking advantage of a slower game schedule as the upside to getting bounced early from the NBA Cup.
“It’s been, definitely, a different place than when you’re every other day playing a game,” center Luke Kornet said after practice Tuesday. “It’s been a silver lining to take a step back, of sorts. I think in a weird sense, even being removed from the NBA Cup now and bringing your focus back to yourselves, where you’re at and focus where you’re trying to go, how we’re trying to improve. I do feel like this kind of period has been a nice time for that assessment.”
Because Boston did not advance beyond Group Play in the tournament, they’ve had just three games in the last ten days.
“Obviously, you get healthy, you get your rest in. But you also get to practice. So you get to work on the things you want to get better at in the short term, and then dial up some things you want to get better at in the long term,” Coach Joe Mazzulla said. “But it’s also dangerous. Sometimes too much time off can hurt you. So you want to make sure you take advantage of it, and make sure you’re ready to play.”
NBA team practices are typically most infrequent during the regular season with two to three games schedule a week. The tournament has afforded Boston an unusual back draw of rest and self-scouting.
Kristaps Porzingis hits weights after heel pain
Mazzulla reported center Kristaps Porzingis as “day-to-day” after he exited Monday’s game against Washington with heel pain.
“He’s in the weight room right now. He’ll go through some shooting and then we’ll just see how he is,” Mazzulla said following Tuesday’s practice.
Porzingis played 11 minutes against the Wizards and was listed with right heel pain. He underwent surgery and missed a significant portion of the beginning of the season on his lower left leg.
Sam Hauser remains consistent with shot mechanics
Sharp shooter Sam Hauser’s numbers haven’t quite matched his previous season-long performances. His field goal percentage sits at a career-low 43.7%, and his 3-point percentage is also a career worst 37.3%.
Hauser sounds as confident as ever in his stroke.
“I don’t look at the results until the season’s done, to be honest with you, to see where I stand. It’s just a daily grind,” He said. I’m not too worried about percentage-wise. I’m more worried about the process of how I’m getting shots, am I shooting the right ones? Am I doing things to be prepared for a pass to come my way, and to shoot it? If you live results-based, I feel like that’s not a great way to live, just in general, especially in basketball.”
He said while he’s worked to improve his catch-and-shoot moves, he’s never altered his shot mechanics since his start in the league.