Mitchell Robinson is about to get the kind of test that tells you a lot about where he really is for the Celtics.
After a rough start to the season, Robinson has started to settle in over the last few games, and Sunday night against Milwaukee felt like the first real turning point. He wasn’t just surviving out there anymore. He was a difference-maker, exactly the kind of presence Boston was hoping to see after he had looked well behind Neemias Queta and Luka Garza early on.
Now comes the assignment that matters most: Joel Embiid.
Boston will see Embiid and the 9-2 Philadelphia 76ers tomorrow, and while the Sixers own the best record in the league, there’s some obvious context there. Their schedule has not exactly been a gauntlet, and a lot of their wins have come by the slimmest of margins.
Still, Embiid remains a force. He may not be the same player he once was, but he still carries serious offensive gravity, and after what happened in last year’s series between these teams, the Celtics need all the help they can get.
That’s where Robinson enters the picture.
Robinson already showed what he can do against Philadelphia in the playoffs, and it came a year after he helped swing the Celtics’ series in the Knicks’ favor. He didn’t completely shut Embiid down, but his impact was clear in New York’s sweep.
The Knicks posted a plus-27.3 net rating with Robinson on the floor in that series, the best mark on the team. He spent 10 of his 47 total minutes guarding Embiid - he missed Game 2 - and Embiid went 7-for-13 from the field while turning it over twice.
If Robinson can give Boston that kind of resistance, it would mean plenty for the Celtics’ confidence heading into this matchup. Nobody is asking him to be Al Horford. The bar is simpler than that: keep Embiid from taking over the game the way he did against Boston in May.
And while Embiid is the headliner, he won’t be the only variable. It would help Boston if Paul George can deliver one of those occasional scoring bursts, especially against his only team. But if Robinson helps keep Embiid in check, the Celtics will like where they stand against Philadelphia.
In Other News...
Neemias Queta Just Gave The Celtics A Real Embiid Answer
Neemias Queta has spent the season looking more and more like a useful piece for Boston, and his latest work against Philadelphia only strengthened that case. In the Celtics win over the 76ers, he chipped in 4 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists while giving the team a sturdier presence in the middle, the kind of minutes that can matter against a frontcourt centerpiece like Joel Embiid.
What stood out was not just the size, but the discipline. Queta showed the benefits of his offseason development by moving with better control on defense and making smarter decisions as a passer, helping Boston keep Embiid from getting comfortable and preserving the kind of edge that comes with beating a direct conference rival. The result also helped the Celtics stay in first place in the Eastern Conference, which is exactly the sort of payoff they need from a young big finding his footing. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Are Forcing A Bigger Title Debate Than Fans Expected
Bostons early-season start has already pushed the Celtics into a bigger conversation than most people expected this soon. After the win over Philadelphia, they sit atop the Eastern Conference at 9-2, and the numbers back up what the eye test has suggested so far: this group has looked balanced, deep, and difficult to play against on both ends.
What makes the discussion more interesting is how complete the profile has been across the board. Basketball Reference has the Celtics near the top in offensive, defensive and net rating, a combination that usually belongs to teams with real championship traction rather than clubs still settling into November. It is early, of course, but Boston has done enough to make the title debate feel less like hype and more like a legitimate question. [Read more 🡒]
Celtics Suddenly Have A Paul George Concern Fans Can't Ignore
The Celtics head into their next stretch with a small but notable wrinkle on the injury report, as Paul George will sit out the upcoming game against Toronto because of an illness. It is a brief absence, but it comes at an awkward time for Boston, which has leaned on Georges steady production early this season and has seen him settle in as one of the teams most reliable options.
George had just been at the center of Bostons win over the 76ers, and his recent form has only reinforced how important he has become to the rotation. He has missed only one other game this season, so this will amount to a rare pause, with extra recovery time now built in before the Celtics see Dallas next. [Read more 🡒]