The Boston Celtics trotted out a starting lineup of Derrick White, Jordan Walsh, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Mitchell Robinson in the team’s Opening Day loss — but it might not be the team’s best.
In fact, its best might look more like last year’s starting squad, just with Paul George instead of Jaylen Brown.
The Celtics’ most effective lineup of the game featured Derrick White, Sam Hauser, Jayson Tatum, Paul George, and Neemias Queta. It’s a small sample size, obviously, but the team was steamrolling
Detroit while these five were on the floor for a 5-minute stretch in the second quarter.
At the point Queta subbed in for Luka Garza halfway through the frame and joined the others, the game was tied 39-39. By the time White and Hauser were subbed out with 1:11 to go in the quarter, Boston had broken ahead with a 18-4 run and taken a 57-43 lead. Unfortunately for the C’s, who eventually choked the lead in the second half and lost, that lineup didn’t see the court for the rest of the game. To be fair to head coach Joe Mazzulla — who was clearly experimenting with different squads throughout the game — only two other lineups saw more time on the floor, led by the starters, who played only 8 minutes together.
Over their short run together, the lineup recorded an absurd 172.7 offensive rating and an equally absurd 36.4 defensive rating, according to NBA.com. That results in a 136.4 net rating — the highest mark of the game for any Celtics lineup. Boston’s second- and third-best lineups finished with net ratings of 60 and 56.7, respectively, but only totaled 5 minutes combined. The starting lineup finished with a 146.7 offensive rating, a 106.3 defensive rating, and a 40.4 net rating. All impressive marks, but nowhere as dominant as the Hauser-Queta lineup.
The lineup’s statistical success is completely unsustainable, but its early chemistry makes sense. With four out of five of last year’s starters reprising their roles, the lineup may have the most continuity and rapport of any potential starting five Boston could roll out, especially if George is locked in as a starter when he’s healthy. And slotting him in next to the other four is easy when he is such a perfect fit for Mazzulla-ball.
Talking about Mazzulla Ball, the Hauser-Queta lineup may fit better into the scheme than opening day’s starting lineup, at least in part due to the shooting Hauser brings to the table. The starting lineup against Detroit featured only one elite three-point shooter in Paul George, who shot 39.2% from distance last year and 38.4% over his career. Otherwise, neither White nor Tatum shot better than 33% from three-point range last year and Queta is a non-shooter despite a few long-range attempts this preseason. Walsh shot 38.4% from distance last year, but has yet to shoot at the volume that may be needed for a starting lineup (he shot a career-high 1.8 attempts per game last year, whereas Hauser put up 6.5 per game). If Tatum continues to struggle with his deep shot, Hauser’s level of high-quality volume shooting might be needed to make up for it.
The difference between Hauser and Walsh is pronounced, but the same can’t be said for Queta and Robinson. The 7-footers share a similar skillset and may have some level of interchangeability. While Queta was a part of the Celtics’ most successful opening day lineup, we didn’t get to see Robinson have a chance to run with the same crew, and — despite finishing -8 for the game — he played an important role in the starting lineup’s success. The gap between the two centers’ performances in Tuesday’s game may come down to a difference in rapport with Tatum and the others. Queta’s had years to develop chemistry with his Boston teammates. Give Robinson some time, and he might be just as effective alongside White, Hauser, George, and Tatum.
All in all, it’s a long season, and a one-game sample size means very little. Nevertheless, through one game, the Celtics’ best lineup to hit the court hasn’t been the starters. But, if its level of statistical prosperity balances out into sustainable success, it might just become the starting lineup.
