Mitchell Robinson’s early run with the Celtics has been a slow burn, and the patience around him is already being tested. Boston brought him in with real expectations, but Robinson himself said on Media Day that it would take time to settle in, and that part of the story is starting to show up on the floor.
The good news for the Celtics is that there are signs, however small, that he’s beginning to absorb what they want from him. Boston has been pairing him with another big - either Neemias Queta or Luka Garza - and Robinson seems to work better alongside Garza, where the fit looks less crowded than it does with Queta. That’s not a full breakthrough, but it is a step.
Against the Hornets, Robinson didn’t drive the blowout, but he did enough to matter. He grabbed three offensive rebounds, finished lobs and blocked a shot. More than anything, there was some pop to his game, which has been missing at times earlier in the season.
Boston also appears to be sorting out where he belongs in the rotation, and the answer has come into focus pretty quickly: off the bench. Since that move, Robinson has shown some chemistry with Garza and Baylor Scheierman. It’s still not a clean fit, but it’s better than what came before.
Even in a 39-point win, Robinson’s plus-6 can still make you squint a little. But in this case, a positive number is a lot easier to live with than the alternative. It’s progress, even if it’s only progress in small doses.
That’s really the question hanging over him now: is this a one-night blip or the beginning of something more stable? His start has been rough enough to raise eyebrows.
Not merely uneven - bad. He’s looked heavy moving up and down the court, and Queta and Garza have both looked far more effective.
Still, the Celtics have enough breathing room to keep working with him. They’re 7-2, and even if the schedule has been soft at times, that’s right where this group expects to be.
If Robinson can keep stacking games like this, it would mean more than a decent box score. It would show that he’s learning the system and giving Boston what it wants from him. That’s the version the Celtics are hoping to see, even if the preferred outcome was for him to hit the ground running.
For now, though, it’s just one game. He still has a long way to go, and it’ll take a real stretch of solid play to change the conversation.
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 🡒]