Daniel Theis was trapped on the bench for a while, but was the most impressive player when he got on the court
The Boston Celtics got a victory in their first preseason game of the season, and there were a few things to start getting excited about. The starting unit looked good, and the passing was phenomenal, but no player really stood out in a way that we did not see coming.
Instead, it was backup bigs fighting for playing time and a spot on the starting unit that really excelled. It took some time before he saw the court, but the moment Daniel Theis got his opportunity, he did everything right.
He had the put back dunk, he caught the alley opp, he was active on defense, he was keeping the ball moving and he knocked down the three point shooter.
Of course, it is no where near big enough of a sample to trust anything, but with the chaos that is the Celtics front court this season, Theis has earned more chances to prove he can maintain that level of play throughout the preseason, and hopefully into the regular season.
More from Hardwood Houdini
- Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
- Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
- ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
- Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
- Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?
I do not expect Theis to get into the actual starting unit, but I would expect Brad Stevens to give Theis a chance to see what he can do with some of the starting unit players, and provide the optimal shooting lineup.
Being undersized will drastically hurt Theis’ chances to be starting every day in the front court, but he showed the team that he can bring everything you need from a traditional big, while providing floor spacing. He was a great presence inside, as a scorer and a rebounder, and hit the three with all the confidence you want to see.
We will have to wait and see how the shooting holds up, but imagining an offense with two guys as talented as Kyrie Irving and Gordon Hayward, with two bigs that stretch the floor in Al Horford and Theis is just impossible to defend. Throw in his defense, and that may be the lineup with the highest potential for this team.
Theis looked like the most dynamic option to play next to Horford in his preseason debut, and it would be a shame if we did not get a chance to see him with those starters, even if it is just limited minutes.
Theis also looked incrediby comfortable. He was not making the mistakes, and was playing with the kind of effort and activity that is essential to this team. He looked like he will fit in just fine, and he has the most to offer playing next to Horford in small ball situations.
Theis may not have the same kind of stability and consistency as Aron Baynes, who was also very impressive in his debut, but he is a better option to insert a spark in the lineup, offering a good level of stability while having that potential to break out and do a lot of damage on either end.
Theis is one of the great mysteries on this team, but he looked a lot like the knock down three point shooter who won the defensive player of the year award overseas. That kind of dynamic impact is hard to find, and that first preseason game went about as good as anyone could have expected.
The starting front court is something that could be total chaos for the preseason, and is unlikely to be settled before the regular season. When you take into account that Marcus Morris should also be getting an opportunity to earn that spot, it is going to be all over the place and constantly in flux during the regular season.
Next: Five Players to Watch in the Preseason
For now, it is clear that Theis is someone we need to be paying attention to, with an opportunity to surprise some people and get that spot in the starting lineup.