Who closes games is where the real debate starts for the Celtics, and Paul George is right in the middle of it.
Boston figures to use George in the starting lineup whenever he’s available. That part is easy enough to project. He’s a nine-time All-Star earning $54 million this season, and the only starts he missed after his rookie year came in the first six games after his traumatic leg injury, when he was working his way back late in the 2014-15 campaign.
But starting isn’t the issue here. Finishing is.
George can absolutely become a regular in Joe Mazzulla’s closing group. He’s a six-time All-NBA pick, he fits the system, and there’s no question he still brings real value. Still, if he’s having an off night or stuck in a rough stretch, Boston has enough alternatives to avoid treating him like a permanent late-game fixture.
That matters because those final minutes are where young players can force their way into bigger jobs. Hugo Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman, and Jordan Walsh are the kinds of wings who can earn those reps if they’re impacting the game, especially when George isn’t.
Mazzulla has earned plenty of trust. He won Coach of the Year last season and did a strong job getting a reworked roster to click, both schematically and through development. The Celtics have clearly bought into his approach, and that buy-in helped them become NBA champions in 2023-24.
But Boston has also paid for rigidity before. Two years ago in the playoffs, sticking with Kristaps Porzingis instead of leaning more on Luke Kornet ended up hurting them. Last postseason, the younger wings who helped create extra possessions and offered better defense than Sam Hauser probably should have gotten more run.
That’s the tension with George. His resume gives him a path to closing games. His performance has to keep him there.
There’s a real case for him, too. Even at 36, he’s still a productive isolation scorer.
Last season, he hit 41.7 percent of the 4.5 catch-and-shoot 3s he took, according to NBA Stats. That makes him dangerous both as a spot-up threat and as a player who can attack after the ball comes his way.
He also protects possessions. In late-game situations, that matters more than ever because every empty trip carries extra weight.
And then there’s the defense. George is a four-time All-Defensive Team selection, and Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have seen firsthand what he can still do on that end when his legs are fresh.
So yes, George has every tool to be one of Boston’s best five in crunch time. He just doesn’t get that spot by default.
The rest of the closing group looks a little clearer. Tatum and Derrick White are locks if they’re available. Payton Pritchard should be there as well, and likely will be, given how much he’s expected to matter on offense once he’s back in the first unit.
At center, the initial plan has Neemias Queta starting. In late-game choices between him and Mitchell Robinson, the decision should mostly depend on the flow of the game.
Who’s been better? Who’s in foul trouble?
That one should sort itself out. Mazzulla may also want to avoid putting Robinson on the line in the final moments, which won’t decide every case but does tilt things a bit in Queta’s favor.
The last spot is where the merit test really kicks in. Boston went 16-17 in clutch games last season, which ranked 21st and tied with the Sacramento Kings.
With that kind of record, the Celtics can’t afford to treat reputation like a shortcut. Whoever is helping them most in that moment should be the one on the floor.
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