Boston Celtics
Queta scored 19 factors and had 18 rebounds matching up in opposition to Rudy Gobert on Saturday evening.
Neemias Queta had considerably of a sluggish begin to his first season as a beginning heart, however his improvement over the previous few weeks has been a constructive for the middling Celtics.
On Saturday evening, Queta performed the very best sport of his profession, and did so in opposition to among the finest defensive facilities within the NBA, Rudy Gobert.
Taking up the four-time NBA defensive participant of the yr didn’t appear to faze Queta, who completed his evening with 19 factors and 18 rebounds, each profession highs.
Queta had probably the most factors of any Celtic exterior of Jaylen Brown, who dropped a cool 41 main all scorers for both staff.
However for Queta, who was extensively seen as one among Boston’s weakest starters coming into the season, nights like Saturday’s are proof that he could be a distinction maker.
“He’s getting higher, he’s giving us a shot,” Joe Mazzulla stated of Queta postgame. “We’re clearly a unique staff when he’s on the ground … on each ends, however tonight you noticed a transparent distinction offensively when he was on the market. It’s a credit score to him, he’s going to maintain getting higher.”
Queta now has 4 double-doubles this season and two within the final eight days. He logged 16 factors and 12 rebounds in Boston’s loss to the Nets on Saturday. Sadly for the Celtics, Queta’s progress isn’t translating on to wins. They’re 3-3 in video games the place Queta scores 10 or extra factors, and 5-5 in video games the place he data eight or extra rebounds.
His presence is, nevertheless, translating to raised offense for the Celtics. Having Queta close to the rim to scrub up misses on the offensive boards and create second probability factors is invaluable to Boston’s scoring success. Getting 5 offensive rebounds within the first half helped the Celtics soar out to an early lead.
Boston’s lineup appears to be like dramatically totally different with out Jayson Tatum this season. However Queta’s improve in minutes may emerge as a silver lining throughout the difficult 2025-26 season.
The Celtics received’t have a lot time to regroup earlier than one other difficult matchup. They tackle the Cavaliers on Sunday at 6 p.m.
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