Paul George’s first missed game in a Boston Celtics uniform could hand Ron Harper Jr. the kind of opening he has been waiting for.
George is set to sit Monday night against the Houston Rockets, his first absence of the season, as Boston works through a back-to-back and possibly keeps him fresh for three games in four nights. However it shakes out, the vacancy on the wing gives Harper a real shot to make noise.
Harper has barely seen the floor this season, but that has as much to do with Boston’s depth as it does with the shoulder injury that slowed him down. Now, with George out, the Celtics have a chance to see whether Harper can pick up where he left off against Houston last season - the same team he broke out against.
That game stuck out for a reason. Harper didn’t pile up eye-popping numbers, but he put in the kind of defensive work everyone noticed against Kevin Durant. Boston won in convincing fashion despite being without Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, in what may have been its most impressive blowout of last season, even if Houston was also shorthanded.
Monday gives Harper a chance to answer a few questions at once. First, that his performance against the Rockets last year was no one-off.
Second, that he deserves steadier minutes. Third, that he should be in the conversation for a starting role.
The Celtics have seen flashes from Harper before, but not on a consistent enough basis to fully lean on him. Outside of George and Tatum - with Sam Hauser also standing out - Boston’s wing group has not produced a clear answer. That’s where Harper comes in.
If he gets extended run and makes the most of it, Boston gets a clearer picture of what he can offer. One game won’t settle everything, and he would need to back it up over more than one night. Hugo Gonzalez and Jordan Walsh have had their moments too, but not the kind of steady production that changes the rotation.
Still, Harper’s case is straightforward: he has shown he can defend, he can contribute offensively, and he has already done it against a high-level opponent like Durant. Expecting him to replace George outright would be unrealistic, but if he can handle the opportunity and keep producing, Boston will have a hard time keeping him buried.
For Harper, this looks like the first of several chances to prove he belongs in a bigger role. If he comes through, the Celtics may have no choice but to give him one.
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Joe Mazzulla Loved What Jayson Tatum Did In Celtics Win
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Afterward, Joe Mazzulla singled out Tatums poise and aggressiveness, clearly pleased with the way his star attacked the game. The free-throw line was a big part of that edge, and it fit with the broader theme of Tatum dictating the action rather than waiting for it to come to him. For a Celtics team looking for that kind of assertive rhythm, it was the sort of performance that stood out beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]