Wednesday’s Boston Celtics 147-129 win over the Miami Heat was full of strong performances. Jaylen Brown scored 43 points. Jayson Tatum logged a 25-point triple-double. Sam Hauser caught fire for 23 points.
Lost in all of the contributions was Neemias Queta, who posted a 16-point, 11-rebound double-double, with three blocks on the side. The bulk of his scoring came later in the game and helped the Cs seal their 51st win of the season.
Queta logged 14 points and eight rebounds in the second half alone, once the Heat committed more attention to the three-point line in response to the Celtics’ 14-24 start from long range.
“Our ability to shoot and knock down shots just opened up the paint for me,” Queta explained postgame. “You know, we started the game off [hot and when] you hit that many shots, teams start playing the three-point line. So I can get the ball in the pick-and-roll, off of pocket passes, [and so on]. From that point on, it's just me trusting my skill set, my touch trying to go score.”
The offensive side of the floor only showcased half of the Portuguese big man’s impact. He helped limit Bam Adebayo’s impact, too. Yes, Miami’s star center tallied 29 points and 10 rebounds, but he only added two assists to the stat sheet.
Queta’s teammates were able to stay committed to their defensive assignments because they were able to trust Queta with his -- something that may have been an issue in the past as he would often find himself out of position and committing fouls.
“Bam is a player who puts a ton of pressure on you, because he could shoot now, gets the free throw line, and forces two on ones,” Joe Mazzulla pointed out postgame. “So [Queta helps with] his defensive discipline and the commitment that he has to the game plans offensively.”
Neemias Queta continues to impress as the Celtics' starting center
Queta’s impressive outing at Kaseya Center was just one of many this season. He’s taken on the starting role with grace, after the three centers slotted ahead of him in the rotation, Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet, all headed to new homes last summer.
With the added opportunity, he’s posting career-highs across the board through 71 appearances with 10.0 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game on 63.5% shooting.
The Celtics continue to look more and more genius for believing in Queta as the games go on.
“He's continuing to get better and better, and he has to play on a high level for us to be good,” Mazzulla added. “And he understands that, he takes responsibility for that. And, you know, I thought you saw a great version of him tonight.”