Celtics' high standard is helping unlock the best version of Neemias Queta

Neemias Queta is an athletic seven-footer with an impressive basketball IQ. He has barely logged over 1,500 minutes in the NBA. However, from Joe Mazzulla to Jaylen Brown and former teammate Al Horford, the Boston Celtics, past and present, praise his ability to grasp what they're asking of him and apply it quickly.

There will be growing pains along the way. That was evident during the hosts' 136-107 victory vs. the Washington Wizards at TD Garden on Wednesday night. However, the potential is there for him to make massive strides throughout his first season as a starting center.

That maturation process was on display on the parquet on Wednesday. Queta struggled against Alex Sarr in the opening frame. The former No. 2 overall pick produced 10 points on 4/6 shooting. He finished with a team-high 31, going 12/20 from the field. That includes making 4/5 threes. However, he slowed down as the game progressed. Most notably, the Celtics held him to four points on 2/6 shooting in the third quarter.

Even in the second quarter, when Sarr went 3/4 with Queta on him, two of those were open threes Boston was willing to live with. His other make was on a turnaround jumper 11 feet from the basket.

In the third frame, the Celtics' starting center was more physical and active against the Wizards' rising star. The latter went 0/3 against Queta, including a more concerted effort to contest him from behind the arc. Sarr went 1/2 vs. the Lisbon, Portugal native, in the final period. His lone make was an open three with a fatigued Queta staying back after helping at the rim in transition.

"It was important," Joe Mazzulla said post-game of Queta taking that matchup personally. "I think Neemi took the challenge, and he was great in his individual defense, his pick-and-roll defense, his timing off-ball. He's getting better and better."

The Celtics are challenging Neemias Queta

The fifth-year center didn't just increase his defensive impact as the matchup progressed, but he also generated 15 points on 7/7 shooting, showcasing the rim threat he represents. Beyond that, he grabbed 12 rebounds, including four that created second-chance opportunities. He also dished out five assists and swatted a CJ McCollum floater in his fourth career double-double.

But when mistakes happened or there were fatigue-related lapses, the Celtics were on him. After a timeout midway through the third quarter, Mazzulla stormed out to meet his starting center, passionately getting his point across.

When Queta subbed out for the final time, on the heels of not rolling to the rim after screening for Anfernee Simons and not getting out to contest Sarr's three, Mazzulla was animated as he and assistant coach Tony Dobbins delivered their pointers.

"You can't let up," Queta told Hardwood Houdini post-game about the messages he received in those moments. "You had three great quarters. The team is relying on me to keep playing that hard and not having those mental breakdowns. So, just trying to get the best out of me, and keep coaching me whether we're winning, whether we're losing, he's just gonna always be hard on me and trying to get the best out of me."

It's not just the coaching staff who aren't letting up, demanding the best of the 26-year-old center at every moment.

"We will continue to do that because he has a lot of potential to be great," said Payton Pritchard post-game. "We need him. We need his presence down low. His rebounding. His shot blocking. And then, obviously, he shows flashes of doing things offensively that could be really great for us. He's a young player still, and he's still growing, so we're going to hold him to a high standard."

If Queta is to parlay this opportunity into becoming Boston's starting center of the future, that's the only way to foster his growth. Even if he doesn't achieve that, the early returns reinforce that this is the approach, which is one he appreciates despite its relentless nature, to help him maximize his potential.