The Boston Celtics improved to 27-16, earning a 119-104 victory vs. the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday night. It was a win that highlighted the growth of Neemias Queta, whose impact on defense is elevating a unit yielding the second-fewest points per game.
"Everything's becoming more clear for me, and I'm getting better at it," said Queta about pairing his size and athleticism with a more disciplined approach as a rim protector.
It also seemed like an ideal opportunity to rest Derrick White. The 31-year-old guard entered Wednesday's win having played the most minutes on the team, logging 62.1 more minutes than Payton Pritchard, who has registered the second-most floor time on the Celtics.
If White had sat out Boston's victory against Indiana, that would have given him three days off. Instead, with the Celtics ruling him out on their injury report for Friday's road game vs. the Brooklyn Nets, he'll have two days to recharge if he returns for Saturday's tilt with the Chicago Bulls.
The difference of potentially not having an extra day isn't worth getting worked up about, and the chance to get off his feet for a couple of days should do a lot of good for the ninth-year veteran.
Who else is on the Celtics' injury report?
As Boston travels to Brooklyn, the visitors remain without Josh Minott. He has missed nine straight games. The fourth-year wing is dealing with a left ankle sprain. Even before the injury had occurred, he had fallen out of the rotation. Before an absence that will extend to a tenth consecutive contest, he had only played in one of their previous five matchups.
Minott is averaging 6.3 points, 4.0 rebounds, and nearly a steal per contest in his first season in green. He's also shooting over 50 percent from the field.
The only other player listed on the Celtics' injury report is Jayson Tatum. While the four-time All-NBA First Team selection continues his recovery from a torn Achilles tendon, he put on an extensive on-court workout in front of the media after Boston's shootaround leading up to a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matchup against the Detroit Pistons.
Doing so was a calculated decision and his way of sharing a progress report with the public. It was an encouraging display as the physicality from assistant coach Tony Dobbins wasn't an issue. Tatum operated from all three levels, treated the viewing party to powerful dunks, and worked on everything from ball handling and screening to shooting drills.
The Celtics' star forward isn't ready to return. However, what he demonstrated during that workout should only fortify the belief that he will be back this season.