The Celtics’ top-6 is set in stone. Tatum, Brown, White, Pritchard, Queta, and Hauser will play in every single playoff matchup. After that is where things get interesting.
A few weeks ago, Luka Garza and Hugo Gonzalez seemed well-positioned to be the first big and wing off the bench. Now, it feels more likely that their best chance of seeing the floor is in garbage time.
Between March 2nd – Gonzalez’s last start – and March 30th, Hugo averaged 14.8 minutes per game. He was called on as a nightly burst
of energy, defense and rebounding. During the first four games in April, Gonzalez has played a total of seven minutes, including a DNP in the most recent playoff-level matchup with the Hornets.
The change has been swift, but the cause is not a mystery. Jordan Walsh has been elevated back into the same energy role. Walsh has picked up 14.3 minutes per game over the last three, providing a spark.
Walsh and Gonzalez have overlapped, and alternated places in the rotation at different points this year. With more wing minutes available, it wasn’t difficult to find extended run for both of them in the same game. Now that Tatum is back, and the rotation shrinks down to playoff size, the same opportunity is not there.
It is noteworthy that with just three games left in the season, the rotation is still shifting.
It could be a sign of where trust levels are at. Possibly, a move to the more experienced player. Or it’s just a good opportunity to make sure both players stay ready. One can never be too sure with Mazzulla. While it could be a sign Walsh gets the first look in a playoff series, how long he keeps that spot could be entirely impact dependent.
Baylor Scheierman has carved out a role for himself that feels the most secure of this group, but there’s still a reasonable chance that his minutes could be siphoned to Walsh or Gonzalez. In the four April games, he’s only been over 20 minutes once – and logged nine against Charlotte. He played over 20 minutes in 15 out of 16 games in March.
We’ve seen playing time flip-flop between each of these three at different points. The front court tells a simpler story.
When Vucevic is healthy, Garza is stapled to the bench. That’s been consistent before the injury, and it’s held immediately upon his return. From arrival to his injury, Vucevic averaged 23.4 minutes per game. Garza dropped to 8.8 MPG in that time. Now, he’s DNP’d in both games since Vucevic’s return.
It’s clear the team views Vucevic as a ceiling-raising option. He’s logged 516 playoff minutes to Garza’s 45 — a notable experience gap. Vucevic also brings a level of scoring gravity built over time. Defenses are more inclined to account for him as a scoring threat, even in lower-usage moments.
Garza has been exactly what this team needs from a backup center. He’s made himself valuable without needing the ball — a good screener, reliable roller, and a legitimate three-point threat who does the dirty work on the boards.
The decision makes sense. It just doesn’t make Garza’s contributions any easier to shelve.
Vucevic has looked rusty in his two games back. With the regular season winding down, now is the time for him to find his footing.
While unpredictability became an advantage for Boston in the regular season, things tend to crystallize heading into the playoffs. The margin for experimentation shrinks. The line between trust and impact narrows.
These last three games offer a chance for the rotation to take shape. The recent shifts suggest Mazzulla may already have his answers. When the playoffs tip off, we’ll find out if he’s locked his rotation in or left space for it to stay flexible.
