The Celtics didn’t need their starters to put Charlotte away Wednesday night. They got solid work from the first five, sure, but the real hammer came from the second unit.
Boston rolled to a 21-point win over the Hornets, and the bench was the reason the night turned lopsided. The Celtics used nine players off the bench, and every one of them finished at least +4. That group included the end-of-bench names and rookies Chris Cenac Jr., Dillon Mitchell, Ron Harper Jr., and Luka Garza, who were mostly out there in mop-up time.
What stood out most was how Boston’s reserves turned a game that stayed close through three quarters into a runaway. With the starters done for the night, the Celtics’ bench ripped off a 29-16 fourth quarter and overwhelmed Charlotte’s reserves at both ends.
Sam Hauser led the charge at +23, with Payton Pritchard right behind at +19 and Neemias Queta at +16. Those aren’t just filler pieces, either. Pritchard may be the Celtics' second-best player this season, and certainly is on offense.
He started last season until the team dealt Anfernee Simons away, and he had already won Sixth Man of the Year the season before. Whether he opens games or comes in later, he’s producing like a star and looks poised to feast on opposing backups.
Hauser and Queta bring even more punch to that second group. Both were regular starters on a 56-win team last season, and if Joe Mazzulla keeps them on the bench, they become matchup problems in their own right. Neemy was a borderline elite defensive big man last season with serious screening and rim-running chops, and he’d immediately be one of the better backup centers in the league.
Hauser gives Boston a sharpshooter who fits next to just about anybody, stays in the right spots, and punishes even the smallest lapse in attention. Add the two-way impact of Baylor Scheierman and Hugo Gonzalez, and the Celtics can roll out a second five that stacks up with plenty of teams’ starting units.
And that’s before getting to the fact that Garza, RHJ, Mike Conley, Devin Carter, and the rookies aren’t even in the team’s top 10. That kind of depth is outrageous, and it gives Mazzulla a roster built to grind teams down night after night.
Whether the rotations change once the regular season starts or not, the larger point is hard to miss: Boston is set up to win a lot of games just by wearing opponents out and avoiding much of a drop-off no matter who’s on the floor.
In Other News...
Mitchell Robinson Is Giving Celtics Fans A Real Reason To Watch Him
Mitchell Robinsons arrival in Boston has already added a different kind of energy to Celtics camp, and it has not taken long for him to get a feel for Joe Mazzullas demanding approach. The big man is adjusting to a system that asks a lot of its players, and the early returns have given Celtics fans something to keep an eye on as the preseason unfolds.
In Sundays win over Charlotte, Robinson showed a glimpse of what he can bring when he is comfortable and active around the rim. He logged 17 minutes, finished with 12 points and 7 rebounds, and did it while shooting cleanly in a 114-93 victory that also featured strong work from Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. The more interesting part may be how Robinson responds as the games and the coaching pressure keep building. [Read more 🡒]
Payton Pritchard May Have Forced A Celtics Offensive Rethink
Payton Pritchard has always been valued for his energy and shot-making, but a preseason performance like this hinted at something more useful to Bostons new-look offense. In the Celtics win over Charlotte, he kept the ball moving, helped tilt the flow of the game and gave the staff another reason to think beyond the usual guard rotations as they sort through a roster built around Jayson Tatum and Paul George.
Pritchards passing touch matters because Boston is still figuring out how all the pieces fit together, and a reliable table-setter can change the shape of those decisions. The Celtics are 3-0 in the preseason and still have time to test different combinations before the opener, but this was the kind of outing that can push a team to reconsider where its offense should begin. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics May Have A New Answer For Last Year's Offensive Problem
Boston spent much of last season looking for cleaner offense from the front of the floor, and the early preseason signs suggest the Celtics may have found a different way to get there. The addition of two centers with limited offensive resumes could still matter a lot if they can make life easier for the ball-handlers, and Neemias Queta has already shown a willingness to fit into that flow. Early on, the fit has looked promising enough to keep the team interested in what this next version of the attack might become.
Mitchell Robinson has been part of that same early feel, giving Boston another big who can potentially change the shape of possessions even without needing touches called for him. His comments pointed to the work behind the scenes, with the adjustment centered on understanding teammates and staying in constant communication as everyone learns the Celtics style. If that keeps building, the team may have a more reliable answer to one of last years nagging offensive issues, even if the full payoff is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]