Kristaps Porzingis may be gone from Boston, but the Celtics’ fingerprints are still showing up in Golden State.
The Warriors have steadied themselves after an uneven start, and one of the quieter reasons is Charles Bassey. The former Celtic has carved out a real role in a frontcourt that also features Draymond Green and Al Horford, while Yaxel Lendeborg has added another boost to a team that has already been forced to adjust on the fly.
Bassey isn’t a headline name, and he wasn’t one in Boston either. He played just five games for the Celtics last season before landing with Golden State, but he’s giving the Warriors exactly the kind of minutes they need from a reserve big. That matters even more with Porzingis no longer in the picture, because replacing a player like that is never simple.
There have been flashes that show why Golden State has leaned on him. Against Phoenix, Bassey scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds on 7-for-10 shooting. He’s not going to fill up a box score every night, but for a limited contributor, those are the kind of outings that can swing a rotation spot from temporary to trusted.
Through seven appearances in Golden State’s first nine games, Bassey has averaged seven points, 5.3 rebounds and one block while shooting 65.5% from the field in nearly 12 minutes per game. He’s brought energy and physicality, and the Warriors have clearly benefited from that edge.
The numbers get even louder when he’s on the floor. Golden State is a team-best plus-21.4 with Bassey playing, with most of that advantage coming on the defensive end. For a team that entered the season with plenty of uncertainty, that kind of impact is hard to ignore.
It also says plenty about Boston’s talent evaluation. Bassey’s stint with the Celtics was short, and nobody was devastated when he moved on, but he fits a familiar pattern. Boston has kept finding useful pieces in unlikely places, and Bassey is another example of that approach paying off.
He joins a list that includes Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, Luka Garza, Ron Harper Jr., and maybe even Devin Carter not too far down the line. The Celtics have made a habit of uncovering value where other teams might not look twice.
And there’s a strange little wrinkle to all of this: Golden State now has three former Celtics bigs on the roster. Porzingis and Horford are the bigger names, but Bassey may end up being the one who gives the Warriors the most useful minutes.
In Other News...
Celtics Injury Scare Faded Fast But One Bigger Concern Still Looms
Payton Pritchards brief scare in Wednesdays game turned out to be exactly that, a scare. The Celtics guard left after a right eye abrasion affected his vision, but he was back in the mix by Friday at Charlotte, easing immediate concern around a player who has become a steady part of Bostons rotation. Pritchard also dealt with a right shoulder contusion, and he spoke about the teams progress this season as the Celtics continue sorting out their early rhythm.
The larger question around Boston, though, still sits with Jayson Tatum and the long road back from his Achilles injury. Tatum has been managing occasional rest nights as he works through the recovery process, a reminder that the Celtics are still balancing short-term availability with the bigger picture of getting their star fully right. For a team trying to build momentum, Pritchards quick return helped, but the more important health storyline is still the one that will shape Bostons season for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Luka Garza Is Forcing A Celtics Rotation Decision
Luka Garza has quietly given the Celtics something they did not necessarily expect this early in the season: a reserve big who can stretch the floor and hold his own enough to stay on the court. In limited minutes, he has looked efficient as a scorer, knocked down threes at a strong clip and shown enough defensive improvement to make him more than just a situational option.
For a team always balancing depth, spacing and frontcourt fit, that kind of early production can force a real rotation conversation. Garza has done enough to make a case for a larger role, and the Celtics now have to decide whether what he has shown is a small-sample spark or the start of something they should lean into more often. [Read more 🡒]
Derrick White Just Gave The Celtics What They Need Most
Derrick White gave the Celtics a needed lift in the win over the Hornets, blending the kind of joy and aggression that has made him such an important part of Bostons rotation. He finished with 18 points, knocked down four 3-pointers, and added five assists, four rebounds and a steal while looking every bit like the steady two-way presence the Celtics lean on when the offense needs a jolt.
Whites value goes well beyond the box score, though his shot-making was especially welcome after an uneven start to the season from deep. Boston has long counted on him as both a playmaker and a defender, and nights like this are a reminder of why his game fits so cleanly alongside the teams bigger stars. [Read more 🡒]