The Boston Celtics are unlikely to rely on 38-year-old Al Horford 25-30 minutes a night to start the season.
Kristaps Porzingis told ESPN that he hopes to return as soon as December, but the reigning champions will let the Latvian rest as much as he can.
Who’s available?
To begin the season, Boston has four players available at the center position. Those being Horford, Neemias Queta, Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman. Tillman primarily played power forward since being acquired by Boston in February.
In 2024, Horford started in 33 of 65 regular-season games, occasionally playing at center. Kornet made seven starts and Queta never did. Tillman was the starting center for the Grizzlies when the team made the playoffs in 2023.
Opening-night answer
On the Celtics’ Oct. 22 opener against the New York Knicks, Horford is expected to take the opening tip, assuming he’s healthy. The preseason likely won’t determine who will be the guy to replace the veteran off the bench.
On opening night, Kornet could be expected to replace Horford, with his playstyle suited to match up against New York’s Mitchell Robinson and Jericho Sims.
Matchups matter
During the regular season, Kornet, Tillman and Queta all played between 11 and 16 minutes per game. Kornet was typically the backup in the playoffs, though Tillman saw increased time in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Pacers.
Head coach Joe Mazulla showed that this decision could be decided by matchups. Tillman had more success against versatile bigs like Myles Turner. In the Eastern Conference Semifinals against Cleveland, Kornet was a better matchup against Evan Mobley or Tristan Thompson.
If Horford misses time due to rest or injury, Kornet could see the most minutes depending on matchups.
Mazzulla Experiments
That said, Queta may also be in the mix. He showcased his talents in the G League averaging 14.4 points, 8.8 rebounds and 1.9 blocks in 22.3 minutes a night.
Boston may use this season to give Queta more opportunities. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him log significant minutes in some early games.
Tillman has had flashes of potential with Boston and proved he can be a starting big on a playoff team, as he did with Memphis two seasons ago.
In general, Mazzulla will experiment with different lineups as the team seeks answers. Especially with Horford possibly retiring after the season.
2024-25 will determine the future of the spot
If none of the current options work out, Boston could explore the trade market to look for that spot or address the position next summer.
This is not a problem to worry about right now, but that answer could be different as the season progresses.
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