The Detroit Pistons returned to TD Garden and avenged their loss on that same parquet the day before Thanksgiving. The visitors handed the Boston Celtics a 112-105 loss. The defeat drops the latter to fourth in the Eastern Conference standings. They're half a game from moving back into third but one game from falling to ninth.
Going up against the powerful tandem of Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, the Celtics kept Neemias Queta on the court for 34 minutes. When he was off the floor, just as they've done for much of the season, they went small.
That option, deploying Josh Minott or Jordan Walsh at center, has worked well this year. It's a dynamic that Joe Mazzulla addressed before Monday's loss, praising both individuals.
“It’s more about how our opponent perceives them as opposed to us.”
— Bobby Krivitsky (@BobbyKrivitsky) December 15, 2025
Given the Celtics small-ball success with Josh Minott at the 5, Joe Mazzulla addresses whether the team now views him as a center. pic.twitter.com/M6WBWv5SrA
"It's really not about what we think, and that's kind of what he's learning," Mazzulla said about Minott's growth in that role. "It's about what others think and being able to recognize that in real-time. That's also something Jordan has gotten really good at -- having an understanding of who he's being guarded by, what the coverage is, what the matchup is, [and] how to impact the spacing on that. So, continuing to get better at it, but it's more about how our opponent perceives them as opposed to us."
The Celtics need a more reliable traditional center
In the first half, Boston got brutalized on the boards. The Pistons parlayed six offensive rebounds into a 10-2 advantage in second-chance points. Detroit generated just as many second-chance opportunities in the two periods after intermission. However, those only translated to six points.
What helped the Celtics limit the Pistons' second-chance scoring after halftime was keeping Queta on the floor for most of the final two frames. He played 18:31 of 24 potential minutes.
That also highlighted how vulnerable this team is at the center position. They don't need to acquire a new starter. Queta is thriving in this opportunity. And while the following isn't strictly a reflection of him, at +6.5, he boasts Boston's highest plus-minus rating. Allowing him to hold onto the job throughout this campaign before re-evaluating whether to upgrade is a practical path forward.
However, the roster is ill-equipped to handle if he gets injured and is out for an extended period. Furthermore, as evidenced in Monday's loss against Detroit, small-ball won't always work.
They'll need a more reliable traditional option to complement Queta. That will matter most in the postseason.
Day'Ron Sharpe is a player the Celtics reportedly expressed interest in this summer. After re-signing with the Brooklyn Nets this offseason, he is now trade-eligible.
That's merely one option; Boston could take a more aggressive approach and see if it can acquire a player like Ivica Zubac from the Los Angeles Clippers. Or it could opt for an addition more comparable to Sharpe in terms of talent and cost to bring on board.
The bottom line is that Dec. 15 marked the unofficial start of trade season. The Celtics have a glaring need. They can't snap their fingers and get a deal done, but the sooner they find a solution, the sooner Boston can move forward with more balance and better play when Queta's off the court.