Celtics are learning what Wolves wish they knew about Luka Garza

Luka Garza is a dynamic offensive threat. He's burying nearly 50 percent of the three's he's hoisting. He's one of the best screen setters in the NBA, ranking second in screen assists per 36 minutes [6.6], per NBA.com. The six-foot-10 center is also relentless on the offensive glass. He's grabbing 2.5 per game, which translates to 5.3 per 36 minutes, per NBA.com.

The latter two aspects of what Garza brings to the table highlight what matters most. He pours his heart into every possession. He has no choice. He doesn't have the athletic gifts most players on an NBA floor do.

That's why, despite earning multiple National Player of the Year honors while starring collegiately for the Iowa Hawkeyes, he had to wait until near the end of the 2021 NBA Draft to hear his name called. Garza didn't get selected until the 52nd pick in a 60-player draft.

After his rookie campaign, the Detroit Pistons waived him. Again, Garza did what he does best: he fought.

That landed him an opportunity with the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, playing behind Karl-Anthony Towns, Rudy Gobert, and Naz Reid, his minutes were minimal. He impressed in the G League, but he knew he had to leave to find a greater role. That led him to the Boston Celtics this summer.

Luka Garza's defiance

Before the Celtics' 132-106 win over the Atlanta Hawks, Joe Mazzulla got asked about the fifth-year center's ability to overcome the concerns about his lack of athleticism and foot speed. He drilled to the heart of the matter.

"He works really hard. So, I think if there's ever something -- someone ever tells him that he can't do something, he's probably going to work as hard as he can to make sure that gets fixed, and so that's just who he is," conveyed Mazzulla.

"So, he's got a particular skill set with his ability to shoot the ball, his ability to score, [and] his ability to rebound. He has a great knack for getting in-traffic rebounds, which I think is something that's hard to do. And he works at the things that he's not great at, consistently. So, he's been really good for us, and he's just got to continue to get better."

Garza chipped in four points, four rebounds, including two at the offensive end, and one block in 12 minutes during Boston's victory in Atlanta. Those numbers might not jump off the page, but they speak to his efficient impact in the opportunity he received. Furthermore, beyond the statistics, were the screens and slips to the basket that paved the way to points for his teammates.

It wasn't glamorous, but it was effective. It captured the approach that has fueled Garza, who leaves the complaining for the critics and works to push well beyond what they believed he could accomplish.