Neemias Queta didn’t just chip in Friday night against the Knicks. He may have taken a small but meaningful step toward solving one of Boston’s bigger lineup questions.
Lost in the noise of Jayson Tatum’s clutch night was Queta’s 15 points off the bench, highlighted by a corner 3-pointer that caught attention for more than just the box score. Boston has spent plenty of time working through the new center rotation, and the obvious issue is that neither Queta nor Mitchell Robinson naturally brings the stretch element that used to be part of the equation with Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis in the paint.
That’s what made Queta’s make matter. He caught the pass from Tatum and didn’t hesitate, going straight into a shooting motion that looked slow at first but ended up looking smooth and solid as the shot went down for his first three-pointer of the season.
It was only one open look from the corner, but it’s the kind of shot that can change how defenses treat him if it keeps showing up. Queta had already flashed a little more range in the preseason, and if this becomes an occasional part of his game, it could open things up for Boston in a real way.
Teams won’t start treating him like a proven shooter overnight. That part takes time, repetition, and a lot more than one make. But if opposing rim protectors ever have to think twice about leaving him alone in the corner or helping off on a pick-and-pop, that’s a meaningful win for the Celtics.
The larger point is that Queta already made this notable by matching his career three-point total in two games this season. Before this, he had spent five NBA seasons and attempted 11 threes, making just one across 186 games.
What stood out most wasn’t just that the shot dropped. It was the moment he took it.
With 1:30 left in the third quarter and Boston up by four against the defending champs, Queta got the ball with 8 seconds still on the shot clock. He wasn’t forced into a desperate heave.
He had room, time, and the confidence to let it fly.
That’s the kind of development Boston can actually build on. Queta is already becoming a real offensive factor. If he can add even a modest outside threat and make defenses react to him at the perimeter, that changes things for the Celtics offense and gives his game another layer.
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The catch is that Walshs offensive game is still a work in progress, which is why his long-term fit remains a live question. Boston likes what he brings defensively, and the early returns with him in the starting mix have been encouraging, but the Celtics still have to figure out how much room there is for a player whose value is built more on stopping others than creating for himself. That makes Walsh both useful right now and a little tricky to project going forward. [Read more 🡒]
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Celtics Are Winning Possessions In A Way Fans Havent Seen Recently
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Boston is forcing giveaways at a far higher clip while keeping its own mistakes down, a combination that has changed the feel of the first week. It is still only two games, of course, but the early numbers suggest the Celtics are starting to create the kind of extra opportunities that can steady everything else, from their transition game to how much pressure they can put on opposing offenses. [Read more 🡒]