Mitchell Robinson is about to give the Boston Celtics their first live look at what he can bring, with Thursday night’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers set to be the first chance to see the fit in game action.
There’s already plenty of familiarity built into the picture. Robinson has played center before, and the Celtics have already spent time with Neemias Queta in a role that offers at least some resemblance to what Robinson can do. So while the exact version of the pairing still has to be tested on the floor, the outline is easy enough to imagine.
What’s been even more striking so far is the way Robinson has already started to mesh with his new group.
“It's been great,” Derrick White told Celtics On SI. “Mitch is a really good screener, big body that can really get out, throw it up to the top of the backboard and he'll go get it.
And even if you do shoot it, like confident that he'll probably get the offensive rebound. So just having that another weapon like him has been great.”
Jayson Tatum echoed that same kind of excitement after the team’s final practice at The Citadel, praising both Robinson’s game and his personality.
“I love Big Mitch,” Tatum said. “Hilarious guy, and he just brings a different dynamic to our team.
Obviously his size and his instincts on the defensive end, and obviously being a lob threat and how great of a defender and rebounder he is. I had a hard time boxing him out for the last seven, eight years.
So now to have him on our team and just give us a different look is something that I'm super excited about.”
Joe Mazzulla has liked what he has seen, too. On his weekly radio appearance on 98.5 The Sports Hub, the Celtics coach pointed to Robinson’s impact on both ends.
“He is amazing to be around. He's a great guy,” Mazzulla said. “His way of leading is his ability to make plays on the defensive end, protect the rim, cover for his teammates on the offensive end the way he offensively rebounds the ball.”
The Celtics are keeping the details of how they plan to use him under wraps for now, but the early signs have been strong. Mazzulla said Robinson’s communication took another step during practice, and that it showed up with the rest of the group.
“Yesterday he took it to another level in his defensive communication,” Mazzulla said. “I thought that had a positive impact on his teammates …He’s got a great personality, team-first guy, wants to win, competitive, but you know also has a good head on his shoulders.”
Soon enough, the practice buzz gives way to the actual game tape. For now, though, Robinson’s first impression in Boston is already looking pretty strong.
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