Celtics Lean Into Small Ball Experiment-and It’s Working (For Now)
The Celtics rolled into Monday night’s game against one of the NBA’s most physically dominant frontcourts with just one rotation center: Neemias Queta. That’s not a typo. With Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman out of the mix and Josh Minott stepping into backup big-man duties, Boston has been leaning heavily into a small-ball identity that few could’ve predicted would have them tied for third in the Eastern Conference loss column by mid-December.
Even rookies Jordan Walsh and Hugo González have found themselves logging minutes at center-on paper, at least. In practice, it’s more about how the Celtics are manipulating matchups than sticking to traditional positions.
“I thought we answered the call,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game. “They’re one of the bigger, more physical teams in the league. I think we’re right there.”
And he’s not wrong. Boston may have lost that game, but it wasn’t because they got bullied inside.
They conceded the offensive glass to Detroit, sure, but the real culprits were turnovers, missed free throws, and a second straight cold shooting night. Since shifting away from Garza and embracing a smaller lineup, the Celtics have ranked second in offensive efficiency and 21st in defense-a formula that still nets them the league’s fourth-best net rating.
Queta’s been the anchor in this stretch, offering just enough traditional big-man presence to let Boston get creative. They even beat Cleveland with Tillman starting in Queta’s place, showing that there’s some flexibility in who holds down the five. Over their last eight games, the Celtics have gone 5-3, ranking fourth in both shooting percentage and offensive rebounding rate.
But here’s the rub: their defensive rebounding has cratered to dead last. The defense overall has dipped, and the offense has cooled off this past week. So the big question now becomes: how sustainable is this small-ball approach?
“There has been good and bad to the lineup,” Mazzulla said Wednesday. “We’ve had moments of forcing more turnovers, we’ve had moments of being able to play with a higher pace, our layup attempt percentage has gone up.
Our offense is obviously a little bit better. Our defense has to be better.”
That defense took a hit against Detroit’s zone, which disrupted Boston’s rhythm. But Mazzulla’s point is clear: this team is still figuring out how to adapt night to night, depending on matchups.
The numbers back up the shift. Boston was losing Garza’s minutes by 9.3 points per 100 possessions early in the season.
With Queta on the floor, they’re +14.6. And when they go full small ball-no traditional center-they’re still a respectable +5.3.
That’s mostly been with Minott at the five, and some lineups where Walsh has taken on the role of screening and defending bigger bodies.
That’s not just holding the line. That’s forcing opponents to adjust.
After Wednesday’s practice, González walked away with a scratch across his neck-a battle scar from defending in the post. He didn’t say who gave it to him, but it’s clear he’s been thrown into the fire.
Earlier this month, Boston trusted him to guard Karl-Anthony Towns. On Monday, he was their biggest body at times against Detroit.
That doesn’t mean the Celtics see him-or Minott or Walsh-as true centers. It’s more about how these guys can bend defenses and create mismatches.
González even found himself setting screens and rolling to the rim-something new for him, but a role he handled with poise. Foul trouble eventually cut his night short, but the experiment is clearly in full swing.
“It doesn’t really matter how we look at [Minott],” Mazzulla said. “It matters how our opponents look at him… It’s about what others think and being able to recognize that in real time.”
That’s a key part of this new-look Celtics identity. Players like Minott and Walsh are learning to read defenses on the fly-who’s guarding them, what coverage they’re seeing, and how to space the floor accordingly. It’s less about traditional roles and more about adaptability.
Minott, for his part, was ready for this. He told reporters before the season that he was comfortable playing some center.
Last year in Minnesota, he logged 14% of his minutes at the five. This year?
That number’s jumped to 45%. Walsh has only played 3% of his minutes at center, and González hasn’t officially logged any, but Monday’s zone defense had him standing in the middle with Minott defending to his left.
In Queta’s 34 minutes that night, the Celtics were +5. Without him? -12.
They lost the offensive rebounding battle 12-7. Just four days earlier, the Bucks had dropped 50 paint points on them.
So yeah, the size issue is real. But as Queta continues to grow into his role-especially in the pick-and-roll and as a screener-the Celtics may be able to ride this small-ball wave a little longer.
There’s always a chance Garza, Tillman, or even Chris Boucher could re-enter the picture. And Jayson Tatum’s return would be a game-changer, boosting their rebounding, defensive versatility, and ability to play small without giving up too much size.
On the trade front, Boston isn’t exactly flush with assets or cap flexibility. And there aren’t many centers on the market who’d crack the rotation anyway. Brad Stevens didn’t rule out a move on Wednesday, but he acknowledged that the league’s been quiet so far.
So for now, it’s next man up-and next body in the paint. The Heat come to town Friday, fresh off Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware combining for 29 rebounds in Brooklyn. Expect more of the same: Walsh setting screens, González defending Bam, and the Celtics leaning on the offensive firepower that’s kept them near the top of the East.
“We gotta be ready to play any position,” González said Wednesday. “We got a lot of different lineups… it’s more about who’s guarding you.
You gotta know everything. If you’re being defended by a guard, we’re gonna attack.
If it’s a big man, maybe you drive on the closeout. Just try to create an advantage and space the floor.”
That’s the Celtics right now: positionless, fearless, and still figuring it out. But if this stretch has shown us anything, it’s that they’re not afraid to get creative-and it’s working more often than not.