Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta helped lead Portugal to the Round of 16 at EuroBasket for the first time in team history. While his evening ended early due to an ejection, he still finished with a team-high 15 points.
Queta's ability to consistently convert when he gets opportunities around the rim is a focal point of conversations surrounding his offseason development leading into his chance to start for the Celtics. In Portugal's 68-65 triumph over Estonia, he went 5/8. One of those misses was on his lone attempt from beyond the arc. He also swiped a steal and registered a rejection in the win.
For the four-year NBA veteran, extending his stay at EuroBasket continues the ideal pathway for him to ramp up for his chance to join Boston's first unit.
The gauntlet he faced in the Group Phase included head-to-head matchups against three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic. He also battled Alperen Sengun and former teammate Kristaps Porzingis.
"What I can say is that Neemy has been getting better every year," said Porzingis after generating 21 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks, leading Latvia to a 78-62 win.
"Coach Mazzulla has been pretty tough on him, and I believe he's getting to a point where he deserves some real minutes, real rotation minutes. He's been putting in the work, and you can see it in how he's playing now in this tournament. I'm happy for Neemy. He's a great dude, really cool person. He puts in the time, he puts in the work, and I'll be glad to see him get a lot more minutes this year."
When will Queta play next?
After making history on Wednesday, Portugal will return to the hardwood on Saturday. Earning the final ticket from Group A sets them up for a showdown against the winners of Group B in the Round of 16.
Queta and Co. will most likely face Germany. The latter is 4-0 entering their final game in the Group Phase. They will square off against Finland on Wednesday before advancing to the Knockout Round.
Germany is 4-0 entering its final contest. The two teams closest to them in the standings are Lithuania and Finland. They already beat the former. At +134, they also have the highest point differential in Group B by a significant margin. Finland, +50, is second in that category.
A plus for Portugal is that the team won't have to travel for the next round. All knockout phase games will take place in Riga, Latvia. That's where Queta and his teammates played their Group Phase games. Riga will also host the semifinals and finals.
Still, Germany is one of the most challenging outs in the tournament. They boast a stacked roster featuring Franz Wagner, Dennis Schroder, and Daniel Theis. If that's who Portugal plays next, Queta and Co. will have their hands full on Saturday as EuroBasket shifts to a win-or-go-home format.