Celtics Notes: Brown, Bench, Walsh, Roster Opening
Jaylen Brown reacted in disbelief to the NBA’s announcement that Knicks guard Jalen Brunson was selected as Eastern Conference Player of the Month for December, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe relays in a subscriber-only piece. The Celtics star responded to the Twitter post with “Smh,” which is online shorthand for “shaking my head.”
Himmelsbach points out that Brown had better numbers during the month than Brunson, and the teams finished with similar records as Boston went 9-3 and New York was 10-4. However, the Knicks captured the NBA Cup, which may have tilted the race in Brunson’s favor.
Brown also lamented that so much of the discourse surrounding the game, especially in the media, is focused on offense. He argues that his overall value should be considered in awards balloting.
“On any given night I can pick up guys full court,” he said. “I guard a (power forward), I can guard a (small forward), I can guard a (shooting guard). And I’ve guarded (point guards), so being able to be versatile on offense but also versatile on defense. There’s not a lot of guys who are the top of our league who can do that, who is capable of even doing that. And night to night, it’s difficult.
“Any given night I can take over a game, defensively, and take over a game, offensively. We don’t measure the game like that. It’s however many points you score, how many threes you hit. I guess that’s how good you are. I think a real impact on the game of basketball is if you can dominate on both offense and defense and, any given night, I think I can do both.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Improved bench play may change the team’s outlook heading into the trade deadline, suggests Brian Robb of MassLive. Coach Joe Mazzulla relied heavily on his starters early in the season, but lately he’s been getting production throughout the lineup. Robb points out that Luka Garza, Sam Hauser and Anfernee Simons all scored in double figures off the bench in Thursday’s win at Sacramento, while fellow reserve Hugo Gonzalez led the team with a +20 net rating.
- The bench production resulted in a five-minute night for Jordan Walsh, who started the game but didn’t return after being subbed out, notes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Walsh has played well since assuming a starting role, and Mazzulla emphasized that he didn’t do anything wrong. “It’s just we can go to so many different things,” Mazzulla said. “I think you saw what Sam was able to do in the first half. Coming out of halftime and making a change I think can throw a team off to start a game. … It’s really just taking any advantage we can with the entire roster that we have, and just trying to win segments of the game and kind of go runs and catch opponents off-guard with different matchups and different opportunities there.”
- In a mailbag column, Robb speculates that the Celtics won’t fill their open roster spot until very late in the regular season. He adds that the move will be determined by injuries or need. If they’re short on big men, Robb sees two-way player Amari Williams as the favorite if the team decides to promote from within. Otherwise, it could be Ron Harper Jr., who already has three years of NBA experience.
Celtics Notes: Simons, Holiday, Brown, Gonzalez
Anfernee Simons said it was odd to find himself in the visitors’ locker room as he made his return to Portland Sunday night, writes Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. Simons spent the first seven years of his career with the Trail Blazers before the Celtics acquired him over the summer in a cost-cutting deal that sent Jrue Holiday to Portland.
“It kind of felt a little weird,” Simons said. “Being a visitor and going to the opposing locker room, coming out of the other tunnel. But it was fun to see everybody that you built strong relationships with in the organization. It was fun embracing the moment and embracing the love … knowing that you made some type of impact here.”
Along with a new team, Simons has been adjusting to a different role. After being a full-time starter with the Blazers for the past three seasons, he’s now a sixth man for Boston, averaging 12.8 points per game off the bench and playing just 23.5 minutes per night. He expected a long future in Portland after signing a $100MM extension three years ago, but he discovered that things can change quickly in the NBA.
“Obviously, it’s a business at the end of the day,” Simons said. “And at any point you can be here and then somewhere else. So you just have to enjoy each and every moment that you spend. And I think I did that last year. I enjoyed all the moments I had with our whole team, organization, and I won’t regret anything for sure.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Holiday wasn’t surprised that he was one of the players moved in Boston’s effort to escape the second apron, Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe states in a subscriber-only piece. Holiday recognized that his contract, which pays $32.4MM this season and $34.8MM next year, was too pricey for a team with major cap and tax concerns. “I think we know basketball a little bit in terms of how the money is,” he said. “And how not everybody can stay and we knew there was going to be a change. You just don’t know what the change might be. But I don’t think I speculated or saw what was going to happen or where everybody was going to go. I think when you look at the business side of it, you kind of know that some changes are going to happen.”
- Jaylen Brown scored 37 points on Sunday, matching Larry Bird‘s franchise record of nine consecutive 30-point games, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Brown has taken over as the team’s primary scorer with Jayson Tatum sidelined by an Achilles injury and is averaging a career-high 29.7 PPG.
- In a mailbag column, Robb examines the quick development of 19-year-old forward Hugo Gonzalez, who’s thriving in his rookie season with the Celtics after barely playing with Real Madrid last year. Robb also states that the team might be reluctant to commit big money to a center in the trade market with Neemias Queta playing so well. He cites Nets big man Day’Ron Sharpe as a potential low-cost option.
Atlantic Notes: Thomas, Powell, Gonzalez, Mamukelashvili
Cam Thomas went through a five-on-five workout for the Nets on Saturday and experienced no setbacks, writes the New York Post’s Brian Lewis (via Twitter).
A hamstring injury has limited Thomas to just eight games this season. He hasn’t played since November 5, when he left the game less than six minutes into his night. In the seven games before that, the Nets guard averaged 24.4 points and 2.9 assists on .408/.356/.875 shooting splits, including a 41-point performance in a loss to the Spurs.
Head coach Jordi Fernandez said there is still no specific target date for Thomas to suit up for the Nets, but noted that this represented a significant step toward his return.
Brooklyn entered Sunday’s game against the Raptors with a 7-19 record, the third-worst mark in the Eastern Conference.
We have more from the Atlantic Division:
- Drake Powell left the Nets‘ loss to the Heat on Thursday after playing just four minutes due to a right ankle injury. This marks the third right ankle injury Powell has suffered this season, but Fernandez says he’s not overly worried about the issue, according to Lewis (Twitter link). “Not concerned, and he’ll be back soon,” Fernandez said of last year’s 22nd-overall pick. Powell has played 19 games for the Nets this season, averaging 6.0 points in 17.7 minutes per contest while shooting 37.8% from three and hitting 20-of-21 free throw attempts.
- Hugo Gonzalez has emerged as a bright spot in the Celtics‘ wing rotation and is proving to be one of the steals of the 2025 draft, opines Brian Robb of MassLive. Gonzalez posted his first double-double in a win on Saturday against the Raptors and was only limited by foul trouble. Head coach Joe Mazzulla was impressed by the young Spaniard’s performance, suggesting he doesn’t mind that Gonzalez’ play occasionally borders on reckless. “[He’s] finding the balance of knowing how to be super aggressive versus defending without fouling so we can keep you on the floor,” Mazzulla said. “You don’t want to take that away because of his instincts and ability to make plays on both ends. He has a great knack for the ball defensively and he’s learning how to play against different matchups and coverages on the offensive end.”
- Sandro Mamukelashvili has gone from career journeyman to key contributor for the Raptors, who entered Sunday with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference, writes Michael Grange for Sportsnet. “My main focus was [always] like, ‘Just come in there and beat the odds and prove everybody that I can actually stay in this league,’” Mamukelashvili said. Grange notes that the two-year, $5.5MM deal the 26-year-old signed this summer created the most stable situation he has experienced during his time in the league. The versatile big man has responded by posting career highs in points and assists while shooting 39.8% on 3.1 three-point attempts per game. He has been an important part of the Raptors’ season as starting center Jakob Poeltl has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries. That trend continued on Sunday’s game against the Nets, as Poeltl exited early with back stiffness.
Celtics Notes: Hot Streak, Pritchard, Walsh, Tillman
The Celtics‘ recent hot streak has changed expectations for the team, which now looks capable of competing for a top-four finish in the East rather than merely a spot in the play-in tournament, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required). They’ve won nine of their last 11 games after blitzing the rival Lakers Friday night, and Washburn sees them as legitimate challengers amid an ordinary-looking group of Eastern contenders.
This was expected to be a “gap year” in Boston after two starters were traded over the summer and two other rotation players left in free agency as the team focused on moving below the second apron. However, the roster newcomers have meshed quickly with the remaining talent, and the Celtics have notched several impressive wins over the past two weeks.
“We have a bunch of guys figuring it out for the first time,” Jaylen Brown said. “Of course you all expected it to sink right away, but we had five or six new players and we were all figuring it out. I know you guys don’t care about that. We’ve been getting better every single day and it’s coming together a little bit now, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do.”
There was speculation coming into the season that the front office would try to move below the tax threshold, likely by trading Anfernee Simons or Sam Hauser. However, Washburn claims it would now be “negligent” if president of basketball operations Brad Stevens doesn’t try to upgrade the roster by the trade deadline.
There’s more from Boston:
- The Celtics’ offense has been surprisingly successful, posting the second-best rating in the league, notes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Payton Pritchard believes there’s still room for improvement and said it’s “exciting” to be a part of. “If everybody’s just focused on, ‘How can I just get a little bit better each day, each game, no matter win or loss?’” Pritchard said, “then eventually we’ll become the team we want to become.”
- Jordan Walsh has provided a strong defensive presence since moving into the starting lineup, and he made an impression on Lakers star Austin Reaves Friday night, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Walsh has also been scoring lately, posting 17 points in 26 minutes against L.A. after a career-high 22-point night Thursday at Washington. “He just plays hard as crap every single possession,” Reaves said. “You don’t take a possession off. His ability, his length, his athleticism. He’s physically gifted. Moves really well. I could see him being one of the best defenders in the league for many years to come. He made shots tonight. Good player.”
- Xavier Tillman has barely played over the past month because coach Joe Mazzulla has been using Josh Minott as his backup center instead of a traditional big man, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. Robb endorses the move because it creates more playing time for young wings Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman.
Celtics Notes: Mazzulla, Queta, Gonzalez, Kalkbrenner
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has gotten used to contending for championships, so he wasn’t exactly eager to have a roster filled with unproven players, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. His team may be overachieving somewhat with a 6-7 start, but Mazzulla calls it more of a “fulfillment” than an “enjoyment.”
“I don’t enjoy being in the position that we’re in and I don’t enjoy some of that, but I’m fulfilled because at the end of the day we know where we are and we know what we’re trying to get to,” he said. “And we’re doing it with a group of guys that have a competitive care factor that can pay dividends in the long term.”
Boston was already heading toward a roster overhaul because of second apron restrictions, but the process was sped up by Jayson Tatum‘s Achilles tear in the playoffs. Four rotation members of the 2024 title team were lost during the summer, and Mazzulla is now trying to maximize young players, several of whom weren’t able to succeed elsewhere. There have been a few bright spots such as Josh Minott, Jordan Walsh and Hugo Gonzalez, and the team is taking on the competitive attitude of its head coach.
“We haven’t played perfect but there has been a care factor to the process of ‘I’ve got to get this right, I’ve got to get this detail right. I have to execute. I have to understand my role. I’ve got to execute it every single night,’” Mazzulla said. “Those things have come easy to guys because of their work ethic.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Neemias Queta has gotten plenty of advice from Tatum as he’s taken over as the team’s starting center, according to Brian Robb of MassLive. Queta has adjusted to the role and currently ranks 12th in the NBA in plus/minus. “Yeah, he’s been on me from the moment I got here in Boston, and we’ve been able to build that relationship,” Queta said of Tatum. “He’s always trying to help me figure out why I could do better, figure out how I can get my teammates open, and just trying to be a kind of coach, so to speak, as he can’t play right now. But I feel like he’s been one of the most vocal guys, and he’s always trying to lead us away the way he can see.”
- Gonzalez has played so well to start the season that a G League assignment doesn’t seem to be under consideration, Robb adds in a separate story. The 19-year-old has appeared in 11 of the team’s first 13 games and is averaging 12.4 minutes per night. “I haven’t thought about that, no,” Mazzulla responded when asked about the possibility of Gonzalez spending time with the Maine Celtics. “He just came into the season with an open mind through training camp and preseason, and I think he showed and proved, one through his work ethic, his maturity, but really his defensive instincts, that he could play at this level. And so I think that’s more valuable than anything at this particular time. We’ll assess it as it goes on but he’s proven he can play and can impact winning. He’s got to get better at continuing to do that.”
- Boston traded away the pick that the Hornets used to select Ryan Kalkbrenner, but there’s no guarantee the Celtics would have taken him if they had stayed at No. 32, Robb states in a mailbag column. He points out that it’s too early to make a definite judgment on Kalkbrenner, an early standout, and the benefits they got in the deal — four extra second-round picks, one of which was used to unload Georges Niang‘s salary — make it worthwhile.
Celtics Notes: Walsh, Simons, Garza, Tillman
The Celtics used unconventional lineups to close out Sunday’s win at Orlando, as Jordan Walsh, Hugo Gonzalez and Luka Garza all saw more fourth quarter playing time than Jaylen Brown, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. All three players contributed to the 111-107 victory, but the biggest shot belonged to Walsh, who sank a three-pointer with 12.4 seconds left that gave Boston a five-point lead. Walsh, a 27.8% three-point shooter for his career, assumed Brown would take the crucial shot and was surprised to get the ball.
“I was like, ‘Oh, my goodness,’” he said. “I didn’t even celebrate it or anything. I was just in the moment.”
With four rotation players gone from last season’s team and Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, coach Joe Mazzulla knew coming into the season that he would have to rely on unproven talent. He has been experimenting through the first 11 games of the season, with lineups looking much different from one game to the next, and he recognizes the need to give young players a chance to succeed.
“That’s just what we have to do to build trust in those moments, and it’s a credit to those guys,” he said. “They delivered, and that’s it.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Anfernee Simons bounced back from a poor game on Friday by scoring 25 points in his first 14 minutes to help Boston build an early lead, Himmelsbach adds. Simons didn’t score in the second half, but Mazzulla said his early outburst forced Orlando to change its pick-and-roll coverage, which created better shots for other players. “He’s one of those guys when he gets in a rhythm like that, there’s nothing you can do to stop him,” Garza said. “So we’re just trying to feed him and give him actions so he can stay comfortable and stay in a rhythm.”
- Garza enjoyed his best game since joining the Celtics with season highs of 16 points and eight rebounds, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Robb notes that Garza shot just 1-of-10 in his past four games and Boston was outscored by 43 points in his 46 minutes, so he needed a good performance to ensure continued playing time. “We all want to get out there, all of us, you know, we all play this game for a reason,” he said. “We want to be on the floor and we know when we are on the floor, that to make an impact we gotta play hard. Effort is a non-negotiable, so that’s what we try to bring every time we step on the floor and do the best of what we got.”
- Backup center Xavier Tillman didn’t play on Sunday, but he was back on the active roster after missing Friday’s game for personal reasons, per Souichi Terada of MassLive.
Celtics Notes: Simons, Minott, Brown, Gonzalez
Anfernee Simons enjoyed his best game since joining the Celtics in Monday’s win at New Orleans, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Boston hasn’t needed Simons to be the primary scorer like he was in Portland, so he has been adjusting to a new role as well as a new team. He delivered a vintage performance against the Pelicans with 25 points off the bench, including six three-pointers, in 32 minutes.
“It’s been for sure a transition, but I’ve been enjoying it,” Simons said (YouTube video link). “Just asking a different side of me. I’ve been trying to, each and every day, improve on things I need to improve on to help the team win. It’s been fun, for sure, learning from each and every game. Applying to the next game, seeing what you can do better. Maybe be more aggressive.”
Terada notes that Simons has talked about winning and making himself a more complete player since the trade with the Trail Blazers was announced. He has accepted a reserve role without complaining and is working to improve defensively.
“He’s just a graceful guy and he just wants to win and he wants to be a part of something,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “So you just have to balance that. But you kind of saw tonight obviously what he’s been able to do in this league for a long time. It’s on me to make sure that he feels comfortable. It’s on his teammates to get the best version of him like we did tonight.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Josh Minott delivered 15 points and nine rebounds as he started Monday for the first time in his NBA career, per Brian Robb of MassLive. Minott had a strong performance in the fourth quarter Sunday against Detroit, and Mazzulla rewarded him with a start as the team’s rotation continues to evolve. Boston outscored New Orleans by 42 points in Minott’s 28 minutes on the court. “It’s just been exciting,” he said. “I don’t really even know how to put it into words. … I’m still kind of high on life from the game right now but the opportunity to be out there and contribute to winning and the team’s success, I can’t take that for granted.”
- Jaylen Brown has been dealing with a strained left hamstring, but even though Monday was the second night of a back-to-back, he was determined not to miss any games until the Celtics started winning, Terada states in a separate story. A lopsided victory gave him the luxury of limited playing time, and he finished with 15 points and seven rebounds in 24 minutes. “I had to get on the floor,” he said (YouTube video link). “We had to find a way to get the win, so I was going to play until we figured that part out. From my body standpoint, just managing it. Just trying to stay within myself, not overextend myself too much. I’ve had some hamstring injuries in the past, so it’s given me some good information to still be effective without using too much explosiveness or too much athleticism.”
- Mazzulla’s changing lineups can mean radically different roles for players on different nights, notes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (subscription required). The latest example is rookie forward Hugo Gonzalez, who didn’t play at all Monday after starting Sunday at Detroit. “We have a lot of guys; we have a lot of depth,” Mazzulla said. “We can go to offensive lineups, defensive lineups. I thought (Gonzalez) did a great job in the 18 minutes he was out there. But you also have to think about matchups. He’s answered the call. It really is a testament to where he came from, he’s well developed in the system that he played in.”
Atlantic Notes: Z. Williams, Thomas, Demin, Edgecombe, Gonzalez
Injuries continue to pile up for the Nets, who dropped their third straight game Sunday in San Antonio and saw Ziaire Williams leave with a lower back contusion, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. Williams landed hard on the court after a collision, and his status for tonight’s game in Houston is uncertain.
“Yeah, it definitely hurt. I would never leave the game if I could play,” Williams said. “It just got real tight. I couldn’t really move out there. So I’ve just got to go over it with the medical staff. They’re already going over a game plan for me. I’ve already iced and started my recovery now. So hopefully, with this early game and some recovery and I get back to hotel, hopefully, I’ll bounce back.”
Brooklyn was already without Haywood Highsmith, who is recovering from right knee surgery, along with rookies Drake Powell and Danny Wolf, who are day-to-day with sprained ankles. Cam Thomas is dealing with a nasal fracture, but he’s opting to play without a mask.
“Just gotta keep playing, keep pushing. If I’m good enough to play, I’ll be out there playing, so no worries. Just basketball,” Thomas said. “Yeah, I considered it, but at the end of the day, it wasn’t that bad. … If I wanted to wear a mask, I could. But at the end of the day, I’ll just take my chances.”
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Nets guard Egor Demin is showing promise early in his NBA career, but he understands that he has to drive into the lane more often to be fully effective, Lewis adds in a separate story. Demin is answering doubters about his outside shot, but he needs to break down defenses to create opportunities for teammates. “We have a lot of shooters, and for me getting to the paint is an opportunity to make their lives easier and create something good for them,” he said. “So that’s something I’m really having in focus. And I’m really planning to work on it even more and trying to adjust myself so I can be able to do that more.”
- Sixers rookie VJ Edgecombe has already won over Joel Embiid, per Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). After scoring 34 points on opening night, Edgecombe has found multiple ways to help the team, posting 15 points, six rebounds, eight assists and three steals in Saturday’s win over Charlotte. “You’ve got to keep being aggressive, but also letting the game come to you,” Embiid said. “And that’s what he did tonight. Every night, I said it after the first game, every night — it might be Tyrese (Maxey). It might be me. It might be him. It might be someone else, but you’ve still got to play the right way. Some nights, you’re not going to score. How else are you going to contribute? He’s doing it defensively and sharing the ball.”
- Guarding Cade Cunningham was part of the assignment on Sunday as Celtics rookie Hugo Gonzalez made his first NBA start, notes Brian Robb of MassLive. Gonzalez got plenty of recognition from teammates after holding the Pistons star to three points on 1-of-5 shooting as his primary defender. “I like Hugo’s mentality. I like how he comes out; he’s ready to go,” Jaylen Brown said. “He knows his role. And he can play. So, we’re gonna need more of that. He’s gonna continue to learn as he gets better, as he grows, but that’s what we need.”
Celtics Notes: Gonzalez, Simons, Scheierman, Tatum
Rookie forward Hugo Gonzalez looks like a strong contender for regular playing time after an impressive NBA debut Friday night, writes Souichi Terada of MassLive. Gonzalez energized the Celtics when he entered the game midway through the first quarter with a blend of athleticism and aggressive defense. Coach Joe Mazzulla trusted him to guard Knicks star Jalen Brunson and gave him heavy minutes in the second half as Boston tried to stage a comeback.
“Stepping on the floor was good,” Gonzalez said. “But still, I’m not having a great memory of this day because we lost the game that we could have won. We’re working on details, gotta get better there.”
Terada notes that Mazzulla’s rotation is still unsettled as Gonzalez, Baylor Scheierman and Jordan Walsh all saw minutes in the first half, while Josh Minott wasn’t used at all after playing in the season opener. Gonzalez is only 19 and didn’t play much last season with Real Madrid, but he could establish a regular role with the Celtics as a defensive stopper off the bench.
“He understands what it takes,” Mazzulla said. “I think he has a clear understanding of what his role is, and it’s to defend at the highest of levels and play with a level of effort on the offensive end. And he’s able to do that. There are things he needs to clean up, obviously, but I thought he did a great job of helping accept that third-quarter tone of his effort and his toughness.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Anfernee Simons, who spent four years playing for Chauncey Billups in Portland before being traded to Boston his summer, couldn’t believe that his former coach was arrested this week in a federal investigation of illegal gambling, Terada adds in a separate story. “Just in shock, obviously, I have a great relationship with Chauncey,” Simons said (Twitter video link). “Speaking even after the trade, he’s checking in on me, I’m checking in on him. We have a great relationship. It’s an unfortunate situation for him to be in, especially with him and his family. All the media attention is coming in, the scrutiny.”
- The Celtics need more production from their three best players to remain competitive while Mazzulla figures out his rotation, observes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. In the season’s first two games, Payton Pritchard missed 12 of his 14 three-point attempts and Derrick White is only shooting 7-of-24 from beyond the arc and 12-of-38 overall. Jaylen Brown is scoring consistently, but he committed seven turnovers on Friday.
- Boston will probably pick up Scheierman’s $2.7MM salary for the 2026/27 season, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column. The decision is due by the end of the month, and Robb believes it’s a low-cost gamble for a team that still has to watch every dollar it spends. He views it as less certain that the Celtics will exercise their option next year for the final season of Scheierman’s rookie scale contract, when he’ll earn nearly $5MM.
- In the same piece, Robb speculates that it will be sometime in March before Jayson Tatum can realistically consider returning from his Achilles tear.
Celtics Notes: Boucher, Gonzalez, Simons, Scheierman
Celtics forward Chris Boucher continued his bid for a starting spot with another strong performance Friday night, writes Brian Robb of MassLive. Boucher, who spent the past seven years in Toronto before signing with Boston as a free agent in August, posted 19 points and nine rebounds in 23 minutes against his former team. He made his second straight start at power forward and may keep that role when the season begins.
“He cares about winning, he cares about people, he takes pride in his work ethic,” coach Joe Mazzulla said. “There’s few guys who take no plays off whether it’s at shootaround, or a game, and that guy is one of them. It’s impressive, 32 years old, to have the energy that he does on and off the court.”
Boucher, who accepted a one-year, veteran’s minimum contract, has been a welcome addition for a team that had significant frontcourt losses from last season. Robb sees him as a natural fit for the up-tempo approach that Mazzulla wants to bring to the offense, and he’s willing to shoot from beyond the arc whenever he gets an open look. Boucher is probably most effective in a double-big lineup, Robb adds, but he can handle some minutes at center if the Celtics want to go smaller.
“I’m really excited,” Boucher told the Toronto media, including Josh Lewenberg of TSN Sports, about his decision to sign with Boston (Twitter link). “I talked to them and had a great conversation about what my role could be and the opportunity I could get on this team. So, for me, it was an easy decision to make.”
There’s more on the Celtics:
- Rookie forward Hugo Gonzalez is already proving to be a strong wing defender and may challenge for rotation minutes, Robb states in a mailbag column. Robb points out that Jordan Walsh’s adductor strain might create an opportunity for Gonzalez to play right away, unless Mazzulla is hesitant to give a regular role to a 19-year-old with no NBA experience.
- Mazzulla took issue with a report this week that Gonzalez has struggled to grasp some team concepts because of a limited understanding of English, according to Eurohoops. He said Gonzalez is fluent in several languages and is aware of everything that is being presented to him. “At this point, I only yell at him in Spanish — but we also have conversations,” Mazzulla said. “He can speak both languages and does a great job understanding what’s going on out there. Right now, we argue in Spanish, but we’ll get to the point where we’ll do other stuff too.”
- Anfernee Simons made his preseason debut on Friday night, finishing with 18 points and three assists after committing three fouls in the first five minutes, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. Simons, who was acquired from Portland in the Jrue Holiday trade, was concerned about making a good impression on his new coach. “I was a little nervous at first, but I think in the second half I calmed down and started to play my game a little bit more,” he said. “I was nervous about being back out there and a new team. (Mazzulla) didn’t say nothing about the fouls, but I knew I needed to chill out with the fouls.”
- The preseason continues to be a learning process for Baylor Scheierman, who was pulled from Friday’s game early in the fourth quarter after committing two live-ball turnovers and missing three contested three-point shots, Washburn adds in the same piece. Mazzulla reacted angrily to the mistakes, but sent the second-year shooting guard back into the game 98 seconds later. “He’s a smart guy and he plays really hard,” Mazzulla said. “But that segment was an important segment for a young player to understand, especially at the start of the fourth quarter. Those momentum swings regardless of the game, you have to play really hard, but you also have to have situational awareness.”