Boston Celtics: 3 takeaways from preseason loss versus Magic

Boston Celtics Takeaway No. 3) The fight for the final roster spot is a two-man race

The Boston Celtics entered the preseason with a relatively clear path to select their finalized roster for the season opener. There was essentially only one spot up for grabs and the two players who are in front of the rest are Garrison Matthews and Jabari Parker.

Matthews provides toughness on the defensive end and an ability to knock down threes at a high rate. Parker, on the other hand, is not as good at three point shooting but has a more complete offensive game.

Through the first two games of the preseason it was unclear who would take the final spot but things changed with the third game.

After Wednesday’s matchup with the Magic it seems like Parker is in the lead for the final roster spot. Parker scored 10 points in eight minutes in the first half including a pair of three pointers.

Garrison Matthews did not do anything outstanding but still managed to score seven points on 2-7 from deep.

Luckily for Matthews, he has one more chance to prove he deserves the final spot on Friday in the Celtics final preseason game against the Miami Heat.

The decision to select either player will ultimately come down to how Ime Udoka sees them fitting into his scheme but hopefully Friday’s game will provide him with a clear cut answer.