Celtics starting lineup announced, ‘regular minutes’ to close out preseason

Celtics starting lineup announced, ‘regular minutes’ to close out preseason

originally appeared on

NBC Sports Boston

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has revealed his starting five for the preseason game against the New York Knicks. The Celtics will showcase a small ball lineup consisting of Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porzingis.

Notably absent from the starting five is 37-year-old Al Horford, who averaged 9.8 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 3.0 assists last season, marking his 16th year in the NBA. Mazzulla’s rationale for this lineup decision may provide insights into the team’s future plans.

“We are gradually increasing their playing time,” Mazzulla explained, “to bring them closer to their regular season minutes.”

This explanation suggests that the small ball lineup could become the preferred choice for the Celtics in the upcoming regular season.

“[We want to] establish some consistency over the next two games,” added Mazzulla. He also confirmed that the Celtics will be utilizing regular minutes in the remaining preseason games.

It’s worth noting that Mazzulla has never stuck with a single primary lineup. Last season, the Celtics experimented with 26 different lineups, with the small ball lineup of Marcus Smart, White, Brown, Tatum, and Horford being the most frequently used, appearing in 30 games.

Continuing with the small ball strategy, which proved successful in 20 out of 30 games last season, Horford is replaced by Porzingis as the team’s sole big, while Holiday takes Smart’s position as the other guard.

Mazzulla has a history of adjusting the lineup based on the opponent’s size. Last season, we saw Robert Williams and Grant Williams earn starting spots to better match up against bigger teams. With both players now gone, the Celtics are likely to rely on Horford, with Luke Kornet being another option. Neemias Queta, a center who has performed well in the preseason, may also be called upon for assistance. Currently on a two-way deal, Queta could potentially play in up to 50 games for Boston.