Boston Celtics Stay Perfect in Preseason: Eight Takeways From Win Over Charlotte

BOSTON — The Boston Celtics got another great first quarter from Jayson Tatum, who played all 12 minutes and powered an eight-point lead. Derrick White got hot in the second quarter, scoring 13 points as the Celtics lead ballooned to 17. The Hornets got going in the third and closed the gap some, but the Celtics responded to hold them off and then break the game back open in the middle of the fourth. 

Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 19 points on 8-17 shooting (3-8 3pt) and eight rebounds. Derrick White added 17 points and Neemias Queta had 16. Payton Pritchard led the Celtics with 11 assists. 

Here are eight takeaways from the win.

Same Starters

The sent out the same starting five for the second game in a row, which is both interesting and potentially meaningless. 

Jayson Tatum, Paul George, Mitchell Robinson, Jordan Walsh, and Derrick White were the first five on the floor, which is a plausible starting lineup. It’s heavy on the defense, but if Walsh could find a consistent corner three-point shot, it’s a lineup that could work. 

I still don’t think this is going to be the starting lineup on opening night. Mazzulla didn’t start last year’s opening night lineup at all in the preseason, so it wouldn’t be shocking if he followed the same path this season. I think this lineup could be a viable one with a tight lead late in a game. 

Double Bigs!

Mazzulla threw Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson on the floor together for about five minutes in the second quarter. This is is just about the time Derrick White got hot to carry the offense, but their defense made it impossible for the Hornets to score and Boston extended their lead. They went to again to start the fourth quarter.

This kind of stuff is situational, but if there's a matchup where it works (Queta covered Moussa Diabate while Robinson covered Naz Reid) we could see it again. 

Neemias Queta Gets Saucy!

This might be the most fluid version of Queta I’ve ever seen. He normally gets his offense off dump-offs and lobs, but one of the byproducts of the double-big lineup was opening up a little offensive creativity for Queta. He first flashed a fun upfake/drive/spin move that drew a foul, but he then turned the corner on a lefty drive from wing and finished a poster dunk. 

He also fired up three three-pointers (really, four but his toe was on the line on the one he made from the corner). I don’t know if he’ll have this much of a green light during the regular season, but he seemed to view the double-big lineup as a ticket to unleash his offense. 

Robinson Runs Out of Gas

Robinson checked out of the game halfway through the third quarter, after 14 minutes of play, with his hands on his hips and clearly out of gas. He did come back into start the fourth quarter and he finished with 17 minutes played. 

This makes Neemias Queta extra important, and weirdly, it reinforces my thought that Robinson should be the regular starter. I’d rather have the guy whose minutes are less flexible start and then have the guy in better shape step in whenever needed. 

Better Timing

Tatum and Robinson whiffed on a couple of alley oop tries in their first game together versus the Sixers, but they connected twice in the early going against Charlotte.

They did it again in the third quarter. That's an important sign of progress in a short amount of time. Of course, they have been on the same team in scrimmages for weeks, so despite how little we’ve seen of them together, the chemistry was bound to come around at some point. 

No More Achilles Questions

Tatum attacked the basket and finished well. He’s playing with his usual confidence and aggression. Obviously, the Achilles injury is part of his life story, but I think we can officially turn the page on this. 

Derrick White’s scoring binge

He was perfect in the second quarter to extend Boston’s lead to almost 20. I like aggressive Derrick White, and I like that he showed that he can still take over a quarter when the opportunity presents itself. 

Payton Pritchard’s Passing

His shot was a little off, but his passing was on point. 

He has been dropping dimes so far this preseason, and I think there's a strong chance he can easily average more than his career-high 5.2 assists per game. I think he can average seven or eight this season. 

Once again, this is a big reason I want him to remain the sixth man. This is the kind of passing you want from a primary ball-handler, not a third option next to Tatum and White. I want the ball in Pritchard’s hands when Tatum and White are sitting, and I want him to use this dribbling and shooting ability to open up assist opportunities. 

Also, this is why I want Queta paired with him. They have a very good chemistry together and I think the second unit will thrive with those two.