The Boston Celtics' 107-103 win over the New York Knicks highlighted that the victors have the best trio of centers in the NBA.
After Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta picked up two fouls in the first frame, Luka Garza helped swing the outcome in the hosts' favor. His impact in a stint that lasted 3:30 made him an unsung hero in Friday's home opener.
Robinson also had his moments in his first game against his former team. Most notably, swatting a Karl-Anthony Towns layup attempt, then throwing down a one-handed alley-oop on a play well-designed and executed at the other end. The Celtics went from chest action, where Sam Hauser set an on-ball screen before getting a flare from Robinson, into Spain action.
With Towns having to keep Derrick White out of the paint, and Jose Alvardo not wanting to leave Hauser open on the perimeter, instead of setting a back screen for Robinson, Hauser headed beyond the arc. With no one stationed in the corner, New York didn't have a defender in position to tag Robinson and stop him from a dunk that fired up the TD Garden faithful. As electric as that sequence was, Queta was Boston's best center in their win over the Knicks.
Neemias Queta gives Celtics a starting center off the bench
The Lisbon, Portugal native was a top-10 player at his position last regular season. Now, he's helping anchor the second unit. Against New York, he finished with 15 points, tied with Paul George for the second-most on the team. He also grabbed six rebounds, including four on offense, and blocked three shots.
Queta had a block and an offensive rebound in each of the first three quarters. That included registering a rejection on Brunson at the rim in the second period. He also made a great read when Josh Hart was expecting him to set a high ball screen for Jayson Tatum. Instead, he slipped to the rim for a two-handed flush.
In the third frame, Queta delivered a dime to George on a great after-the-timeout play [ATO]. A backscreen from Payton Pritchard, while Tatum screened for Jordan Walsh on the opposite side of the floor, freed George for a thunderous throwdown.
The two highlight-reel plays the seven-foot center made late in the quarter are the ones that will stick with fans from this game against the NBA's reigning champions.
Neemias Queta shows new tool in Celtics' win vs. Knicks
With the hosts leading by four with less than three minutes left in the period, Hart had multiple cracks at a layup. The Knicks were outhustling the Celtics to keep the possession alive. However, his third try at the rim got denied by Queta.
After the seven-foot center snagged the ball, Andre Drummond shoved him in the back, sending him to the parquet floor. Boston's bench was fired up. Joe Mazzulla and Baylor Scheierman ran over to pick up Queta, and TD Garden expressed its appreciation for a play worthy of a Tommy Point. He then converted on both free throws at the other end.
Two possessions later, he buried a corner 3. It's a shot the sixth-year center has worked on for years, mostly behind the scenes or as a staple of his pregame routine. He attempted 11 before this season, making his first triple in the 2025-26 campaign. Now he wants to take more. That new addition to his arsenal will help him build on a breakout year and make the Celtics even harder to defend.
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