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Boston Celtics lineup: Perfect 2nd unit for upcoming season

By Sam Minton

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics speaks his players during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on December 15, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - DECEMBER 15: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics speaks his players during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on December 15, 2020 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) /
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Boston Celtics
Daniel Theis #27 of the Boston Celtics (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

As the 2020-21 NBA season approaches, the Boston Celtics have the opportunity to have one of the best second units in the NBA.

The Boston Celtics played their first preseason game on Tuesday and we got to see our first look at the team and how well they could be this upcoming season.

Now the Celtics ended up losing to the 76ers, but there were some bright spots. Rookies Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard were rather impressive and so was point guard Jeff Teague who was acquired in the offseason.

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On the other end of the spectrum, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum had their struggles. The two Jay’s struggled shooting and failed to find any sort of rhythm.

The Celtics starting five is relatively locked down. Boston’s future is in the hands of Brown and Tatum. If the Celtics want to win a championship, they need these guys to be some of the best players in the NBA.

So since we know what the starting five will look like, let’s take a look at what would be the perfect second unit for the Celtics this season.

(P.S. When I say perfect, this means when everyone is healthy. Obviously, the injuries to Kemba Walker and Tristan Thompson will influence minutes.)

Boston Celtics lineup: Perfect 2nd unit – Center: Daniel Theis

As much as Celtics fans love Daniel Theis, he isn’t a starting center. He is definitely a talented player but is better suited to coming off the bench.

Theis was exposed last postseason. When he plays significant minutes he can be a liability at times. Going up against some of the league’s best talent usually ends up poorly for the big man.

Theis also isn’t the best rebounder. Averaging six rebounds a game is simply not good enough for a starting center.

But Theis can make a much better impact coming off the bench. He isn’t a player that relies on his play in the paint. Theis is able to shoot from the perimeter and open up the lane for others.

It wouldn’t be surprising to see Theis get some time in the starting five due to injuries, but at the end of the day, the Celtics are a better team with Theis coming off the bench. Hopefully, when the team is finally healthy, that’s the type of role the German will have for Boston.

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