Xavier Tillman (15:18)
Boston had a plan for Xavier Tillman when they traded for him at the deadline last year. So far, he’s been living up to the expectations placed upon him.
For the second game in a row, Tillman got to show off his improved three-point stroke. He put up 10 points, three rebounds, and two assists in this game, shooting 3-of-5 from the floor and 1-of-2 from distance.
On top of that, Tillman’s passing looked nice as well. Add in his versatile defense, and he looks like he’ll be a nice rotation piece next year. Grade: B+
Neemias Queta (16:56)
The first preseason game wasn’t ideal for Neemias Queta. He fouled too much and didn’t find a rhythm until late in the contest. This was a much better showing for the big fella.
By the time Queta found his groove, he was doing a bit of everything, but his work cutting inside and finding lanes to the rim was the most impressive part of his afternoon.
Plus, and perhaps most importantly, Queta finished the game with zero fouls. This was a huge improvement on his first game. Grade: B
Luke Kornet (14:04)
Though his stats weren’t particularly eye-catching, Luke Kornet was one of the most impressive players in this game (relative to the role he’s expected to play).
Last season, Kornet emerged as one of the Celtics’ most reliable players off the bench. He never played a solid, but he was always solid in his minutes. He could be in store for a much larger role this season, especially with how comfortable he looks with the starting unit.
Kornet did a phenomenal job making plays out of the short roll. It opened up a ton of clean looks for Boston’s offense. Expect a ton of Kornet minutes this year. Grade: A-