The Boston Celtics are giving the same starting five another run, and that alone says plenty about where things may be headed.
Against Charlotte, Boston opened with Jayson Tatum, Derrick White, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, and Jordan Walsh - the exact same group it used in the previous game against Philadelphia. With Tatum, White, and George locked in as the obvious pillars, the real question has been who joins them in the frontcourt and on the wing. For now, at least, Joe Mazzulla seems to be leaning toward Robinson and Walsh.
That matters because Boston has plenty of ways to shuffle this group. Neemias Queta was in the mix for the center spot, and Payton Pritchard’s new extension made him a name to watch as well.
But the Celtics are deep enough that almost any combination besides that top trio would have made some sense. The fact that this same five is getting consecutive starts makes it look less like a test and more like a pattern.
Robinson landing the center job would not be a shock. Even with his injury-prone reputation, he brings the kind of interior presence Boston can use.
Walsh is the more surprising call, but he has some clear selling points. He’s one of the team’s most athletic defenders, he cuts well, and there’s at least some belief in his ability to space the floor.
Offensively, Walsh isn’t as polished as some of the other options. Still, Boston may view that as part of the fit rather than a drawback. If the Celtics want that lineup to work, his value could come from the other end of the floor - especially because forcing turnovers is one of the key, and newer, elements of Mazzulla Ball.
Walsh may not have been the most obvious pick for the fifth starter, but he also wouldn’t be a disastrous one. It’s just an unconventional choice, and one that Mazzulla clearly seems willing to explore. With so many options available, Boston can keep mixing and matching without much long-term risk if a look doesn’t stick.
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