PHOENIX — Ron Harper Jr. will start his second game of the season when the Celtics face the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. The Celtics are without Jaylen Brown, who is out with a right knee contusion, and Harper is slotting into the starting lineup alongside Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Sam Hauser, and Neemias Queta.
Harper, who is on a two-way contract with the Celtics, has appeared in 12 games this season, averaging 9.9 minutes per night. He’s also been one of the G League’s best players; he’s
averaged 24.3 points and 3.1 assists on the Maine Celtics this season.
Harper previously started on February 4th, when the Celtics blew out the Houston Rockets with Brown and Hauser both sidelined. In that game, a 114-93 Celtics win, he tallied 11 points and 9 rebounds, both career-highs.
After that game, Joe Mazzulla said he had full confidence in Harper.
“You feel just as comfortable starting him as you do anyone else,” said Mazzulla. “Because you know he’s ready to go.”
Outside of Harper, the rest of the Celtics starters have held a level of continuity. Scheierman has started four consecutive games for Boston, while White and Queta have started every game they’ve appeared in this season. Hauser became a regular starter on January 3rd.
For the Phoenix Suns, Collin Gillespie, Jalen Green, Ryan Dunn, Royce O’Neale, and Mark Williams will start. The Suns’ two leading scorers — Devin Booker and Dillon Brooks — are both sidelined with injury.
