The Celtics are one of many deepest groups within the NBA, possibly most so with their large males rotation. They’re going to wish each little bit of that depth early-on this season. Over the summer season, the Celtics have seen three of their large males get surgical procedure – Xavier Tillman with a knee scope, Luke Kornet with a wrist operation, and, most notably, Kristaps Porzingis having surgical procedure to restore his torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon.
Porzingis is the one one who is anticipated to overlook time, together with his return scheduled for a while in December. Brad Stevens gave constructive updates on the three of them, noting that Kornet and Tilman can be able to go for coaching camp, and that Porzingis has been progressing effectively in his rehab.
With Al Horford anticipated to take the beginning spot in Porzingis’s absence, the bench rotation opens up fairly a bit. Assuming Luke and Xavier are good to go, they’ll be anticipated to take nearly all of these minutes, although neither has solidified themselves as being the clear-cut “greatest” choice, and it’s nonetheless potential that they want time to ramp up because the season will get underway. That leaves the door open for Neemias Queta to earn significant minutes.
Throughout his Media Day interview with NBC Sports activities Boston, Kayla Burton requested Neemi how he takes benefit of the chance. “Clearly, it begins with the preparation you do in the summertime. Understanding how significantly better you will get and simply working laborious throughout the summer season understanding that you simply get an even bigger alternative this yr,” he advised her. He continued by saying, “the mindset is to go in there and simply assist the crew win in any sort of method. Whether or not it’s taking part in 2 minutes, whether or not it’s taking part in 40 minutes, it could all go up and down so I’m simply ready for any sort of play that’s thrown my method.”
Queta is simply 25 years previous, and after becoming a member of the Celtics on two-way contracts over the previous couple years, Brad Stevens lastly signed him to a multi-year deal shortly earlier than final yr’s playoffs. The crew is clearly investing in him – now could be his time to point out us that they’re making the fitting selection.
Joe Mazzulla on Neemias Queta: “He is a type of youngsters that does not understand how good he could be. He hasn’t been within the league a very long time. He’s solely performed like 300 minutes within the NBA, and he is beginning to see when he performs with a sure presence, we’re a distinct basketball crew.” pic.twitter.com/H7VdfaFAS9
— Taylor Snow (@taylorcsnow) January 18, 2024
With Neemias splitting time between Maine and Boston, his NBA minutes principally got here in blowouts. He performed slightly below 12 minutes per sport throughout 28 video games, averaging 5.5 factors, 4.4 boards, and 0.8 blocks. He did that whereas solely trying 3.7 FG per sport on 64.4% capturing. He’s been a wonderful rebounder, an athletic finisher, and is usually a nice rim protector.
The potential is clearly there, however Neemy nonetheless has a variety of work to place in earlier than he could be seen as a dependable choice. The 2 best weaknesses in his sport proper now are his offensive capabilities when he’s not on the rim, his means to change on protection, and his total basketball IQ and sport really feel.
In line with monitoring knowledge, Queta solely tried 2 of his 104 photographs from outdoors of the paint final season. Each had been catch-and-shoot mid-range photographs, and each had been straight money, surprisingly. He has nice total effectivity, thanks partially to him being such a lob risk, in addition to his means to seize offensive boards and return up rapidly with them, although he struggles at creating his personal photographs on the rim. Neemy may gain advantage from including on a little bit of muscle, however possibly extra importantly, by growing a bit extra poise across the rim, he may discover himself taking greater high quality photographs.
Along with his effectivity, growing an outdoor sport isn’t a necessity, although it may undoubtedly serve him and the crew effectively. A semi-reliable mid-range shot would open up the courtroom and permit the crew to extend their spacing. The way in which Bam Adebayo has grown his sport is an ideal instance of what Neemias ought to attempt to emulate.
Celtics two-way participant Neemias Queta training his three-point shot.
Queta isn’t historically a shooter, however he’s clearly been engaged on it. pic.twitter.com/LN1ws7PWTy
— Jack Simone (@JackSimoneNBA) November 26, 2023
As for the defensive finish of the courtroom, I wouldn’t count on any middle to be as versatile as Adebayo, however him and Anthony Davis set the gold commonplace for learn how to be an elite defender on the 5 place whereas dealing with all of the switches of the trendy NBA. Neemy is a superb shot blocker, however he can wrestle to maintain up with switches and perimeter protection. He can be taught so much from Bam and AD by learning their physique positioning, their means to learn offenses, and slowing down the sport for himself.
Neemy was in a position to determine the deficiencies in his sport, and appeared to handle them over the offseason. In his interview with NBCS Boston, Eddie Home requested Queta what he added to his bag this summer season. He answered, “I really feel like with the ability to change defensively, grow to be extra versatile offensively, lengthen your sport – your vary, too. So, I really feel like with the ability to grow to be extra versatile in my sport, that may enable you keep on the courtroom for longer.”
By watching his personal movie from earlier video games, he says he can break down the technicalities on each ends of the courtroom, and may get a greater understanding on learn how to reduce down on turnovers and fouls, learn to change higher, and start to ingrain the muscle reminiscence on learn how to enhance in these departments when he will get on the courtroom.
Having yet one more offseason below his belt possible isn’t going to make a drastic affect on Neemias’ total sport. That being mentioned, the little issues add up. Having extra sport movie from earlier years, as effectively now having a possibility to get significant minutes early on is usually a actual distinction maker in his growth. Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown had been each excessive picks with excessive expectations, however they each undoubtedly benefited from being compelled into greater roles early of their careers whereas the Celtics had been coping with accidents. This can be the golden alternative for Queta to play with the core guys and degree up his sport to satisfy the crew’s wants.
