The Boston Celtics are still by far the best team in the NBA. A close loss to the defending champions and a last-second defeat on a half court heave in Cleveland did nothing to diminish that. Boston is riding high and has won 14 of their last 16 games overall, with the top seed in the Eastern Conference nearly already locked up.
With one month remaining in the regular season, the Celtics are peaking at the right time. They have the best starting five in the association, and as with any serious championship contender, their rotation will continue to shrink as they enter playoff mode.
Recently, there have been several Celtics players that have improved their stock and proven themselves worthy of earning playoff minutes off the bench. Another name on the roster has seen their stock fall just a bit in the last several weeks.
Riser: Luke Kornet
After going undrafted in the 2017 NBA draft, Luke Kornet has built a career as a reliable interior rebounder and defender. He has been in and out of the Celtics organization since getting traded there in 2021.
Luke has never played heavy minutes in Boston, but he has always provided solid play when he does see the floor. This season, he is putting up 5.0 points and 4.2 rebounds in just 15.1 minutes per night. In the past week, he has erupted for 14 points against the Suns, as well as 12 points and nine rebounds in the win over the Jazz.
Everyone knows Kornet for his signature long-distance contests where he attempts to block the offensive player's view of the basket, but he does far more than just one gimmicky move. In the last few weeks, Luke's overall play has shown that he can be part of the playoff rotation.