The Boston Celtics may have exceeded all expectations this season, but they have done so without ever solving their center problem. Their lack of frontcourt depth didn't become an issue in the regular season, but it may come back to bite them in the postseason. The Game 2 loss to the Sixers on Tuesday night gave us a glimpse of the problems the Celtics may deal with throughout the playoffs due to their center issues.
On Tuesday, Luka Garza was the odd man out in the center rotation. Neemias Queta played 28 minutes, and Nikola Vucevic saw 18 minutes off the bench. Garza only saw the court in garbage time. The Celtics lost Queta's minutes by four points, losing Vucevic's by seven points.
At this point, it's clear that Queta is the best center on the roster. He should and will play as many minutes as he can handle. What options the Celtics have behind him is the real question.
Celtics Have to Consider Radical Changes in the Center Rotation
Through the first two games of the playoffs, Vucevic seems to be ahead of Garza in the rotation. Whether that remains the right decision, however, is up for debate. In Game 2, the 35-year-old center finished with nine points, five rebounds, and one assist while shooting 3/7 from the field. In Game 1, he had three points, six rebounds, and three assists on 1/3 shooting.
The issue with Vucevic isn't about his offensive production. He hasn't been very productive on that end so far, but it's safe to assume that he is a positive offensive player thanks to his shooting and passing. His defense, however, remains a large problem.
In Game 2, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe were getting to their spots off the dribble, allowing them to walk into their shots due to Boston's deep drop coverage.
That may be more the Celtics' defensive scheme than Vucevic's defensive ability, but the fact that the veteran center can't really play any other coverage remains true. Vucevic can't switch onto smaller players and guard out on the perimeter. He can't blitz and recover due to his lack of speed and athleticism. So, the Celtics try to keep him closer to the basket, which means they give up a ton of mid-range jumpers and off-the-dribble 3-pointers.
Garza wouldn't be a panacea here, either. He has similar defensive concerns, but it's hard to imagine him being worse than Vucevic on either end of the floor. Plus, he plays with more hustle and intensity, which could give the Celtics a boost.
The real alternative Mazzulla has to consider is playing small. The Sixers don't have any big men who can play bully ball or take advantage of mismatches. This could allow the Celtics to play centerless lineups with Jayson Tatum or Jordan Walsh at center. Putting more solid wing defenders like Hugo Gonzalez and Baylor Scheierman in these smaller lineups could help Boston still guard at a high level despite a size disadvantage.
The Celtics should win this series regardless of any significant adjustments by Mazzulla. It may still be a good decision to experiment with going smaller for later rounds, though, because Vucevic is slowly proving himself not up to the task for a team chasing a championship.
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