As Jayson Tatum works his way back into the Celtics’ lineup and the team rounds into form for a playoff run, there have been a lot of positive signs that they can truly compete with anyone in the league. That was on full display on Wednesday night when they handled the defending champion Thunder in one of the most impressive victories of this NBA season.
Now that we’re just 10 games away from the end of the regular season, it’s time to start thinking about playoff matchups and what that may look like. The starting lineup seems to be pretty well settled, with Tatum slotting in alongside Jaylen Brown, Derrick White, Neemias Queta, and Sam Hauser.
But the bigger question is, who will be in the closing lineup when things get tight at the end of games? It’s safe to say that Tatum, Brown, and White are locked. Those are the three core players on the team, and when the chips are on the table, they’ll be on the floor.
Beyond that, it’s a bit of a mystery. The bench and role players have all stepped up this year, and we’ve seen a number of guys rise to the occasion when called upon. The competition for minutes has become intense, but that’s a great problem to have.
Joe Mazzulla has many options for closing lineup
To round out the team’s five-man lineups to end games, Mazzulla will likely be trying to fill two spots with some combination of Queta, Hauser, or Payton Pritchard, but we can’t rule out the possibility of seeing Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza, Nikola Vucevic, or even Hugo Gonzalez.
It’s all circumstantial, and each player can fill a slightly different role depending on the situation, not to mention the ability to play a hot hand or even sub on a possession-to-possession basis for offense and defense.
Hauser is the best shooter and spacer, but he’s not an elite defender, and if his shot is off, he may not be the best option. Payton Pritchard can crack guys off the dribble, is a reliable ball-handler and shooter, and can body up guards on defense, but he can also get picked on due to his size in certain matchups.
Scheierman and Hugo are options for switchable wing defenders who can crash the glass, but they are young and unproven, and they could become liabilities on offense as teams will dare them to beat them.
Opponents won't know what to expect from Celtics
Then there are the centers. Queta is easily the best defender, but he can only play drop, and could get ignored on offense. Garza and Vooch bring more spacing and have some touch in the midrange, but they could both be massive liabilities on the defensive end.
There’s always the option of going small as well if the team wants to switch everything and go with JT at center. The point is, there is no clear and obvious choice, and that’s a good thing. They have versatility, and they have options, and they have arguably the best coach in the league making the decisions and pushing the buttons. In a way, it could even be seen as an advantage, because opposing teams have no idea what’s coming and how to prepare.
They can keep teams on their toes, and be proactive in adjusting to be constantly creating advantages on both ends. There’s still a lot to be proven, and we don’t know exactly what it will look like until we get there. But they’ve earned the benefit of the doubt, and there’s no reason not to trust this organization.