3 Celtics who improved their stock, 3 who flopped on Abu Dhabi preseason trip
By Jack Simone
Improved stock: Luke Kornet
Through the Celtics’ first two preseason games, Luke Kornet has played well enough to warrant regular minutes and spot starts throughout the course of the regular season.
With Al Horford sidelined, Kornet has been playing with the starters, and he’s been excellent. It’s clear the Celtics trust him, and rightfully so.
Kornet’s ability to make plays out of the short roll has stood out, and the rest of the team looks super comfortable with him on the floor. His screening and rebounding have been stellar as well.
Kristaps Porzingis is going to miss a lot of time, but Kornet looks more than ready to fill the gaps.
Flopped: Neemias Queta
This is probably a bit harsh for Neemias Queta. He wasn’t terrible in Abu Dhabi, but he wasn’t impressive enough to steal the show from Kornet, which is something to note.
In the first game, Queta’s minutes with the Celtics regulars weren’t ideal. He ran into some foul trouble and wasn’t able to make a noticeable impact on the game.
Once he got into his minutes with the end-of-the-bench guys, Queta found a rhythm. He didn’t commit any fouls in the second game and found some success cutting to the rim with ease.
However, if Queta’s goal this season was to supplant Kornet in the rotation, he’s not off to a great start. (And it’s not completely his fault, as Kornet has been great.)