Jrue Vacation, whose arrival in 2023 helped push the Celtics over the championship hump, returned to TD Backyard on Monday for the primary time since his offseason commerce to Portland.
Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla raved in regards to the unselfish mindset Vacation dropped at Boston’s locker room throughout his two seasons with the franchise.
“The most important factor that stands out is who he’s as an individual,” Mazzulla mentioned pregame. “You check out a man who was a champion and an All-Star, and he is available in and accepts a very totally different function and does it with a smile on his face, and does it with a stage of respect and professionalism and is keen to do what it takes to win each evening. … It was nice having him for the time that we did.”
Vacation, who was traded to Portland in change for Anfernee Simons, missed almost two months this season with a calf harm, however he’s been productive for the Path Blazers when energetic. The 35-year-old guard has a a lot bigger offensive function than he did with the Celtics — with whom he was a defense-first participant — averaging 15.4 factors and seven.1 assists over 18 video games (16 begins).
“He’s large for us,” Blazers interim head coach Tiago Splitter mentioned. “What he brings to the locker room, to the court docket, his expertise. He’s taken care of end-of-the-game conditions, life conditions, locker room conditions — the entire issues that we preach about as a employees, as a company, he’s on level with the gamers. It’s a pleasure to have him in our locker room.”
Vacation mentioned he totally anticipated to be traded given the precarious luxury-tax scenario Boston confronted final offseason — and that he’s “not that shocked” his outdated staff is succeeding with out him, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, Luke Kornet and the injured Jayson Tatum. Led by Jaylen Brown, an All-Star starter for the first time this season, the Celtics entered Monday with the second-best file within the Jap Convention and the third-best web ranking within the NBA.
“I knew that they’d be effectively, they’d do effectively, figuring out the kind of dedication that this teaching employees and group has,” Vacation mentioned. “Being with this staff for a few years now and figuring out the kind of gamers that they’re and the way to put together, I figured that they’d be good. After which clearly, figuring out Jaylen, really feel like he takes plenty of issues personally. He doesn’t settle for rather a lot, particularly in terms of being unhealthy.”
What does Brown take personally?
“Simply dropping,” Vacation mentioned. “I feel individuals counted them out as a staff. Not simply Jaylen. I do know Payton (Pritchard), Sam (Hauser), Neemi (Queta), Joe, the entire teaching employees — I really feel like when individuals say that they will’t do one thing, they show them unsuitable.”
Time Lord returns
Vacation wasn’t the one ex-Celtic going through his former staff for the primary time Monday evening.
It additionally was Robert Williams III’s first recreation in opposition to Boston because the Celtics traded him to Portland 2 1/2 years in the past to accumulate Vacation. The groups had performed 5 instances since then, however the oft-injured Williams didn’t costume for any of these video games.
Williams is averaging 6.0 factors, 6.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per recreation this season as former UConn middle Donovan Clingan’s backup.
“He’s been large this 12 months, in fact taking part in greater than earlier seasons,” Splitter mentioned. “He’s not taking part in back-to-backs, so we’ve obtained to be just a little cautious with him. It’s working thus far for us and for him. However he’s huge a part of our staff, simply serving to our second unit defensively, rebounding, working, setting guys open. He’s essential participant for us.”
Minott wholesome, two bigs sit
An sickness hit the Celtics’ locker room in the course of the lead-up to Monday’s recreation. Massive males Luka Garza and Chris Boucher each had been dominated out earlier than tipoff, and beginning middle Neemias Queta was listed as questionable earlier than being upgraded to obtainable.
Queta, whose sickness first appeared on Boston’s harm report late final week, got here off the bench in Saturday’s loss to Chicago, with Mazzulla opting to begin rookie two-way participant Amari Williams in his place.
One Celtics reserve made his return to the lineup in opposition to Portland: fourth-year wing Josh Minott, who was cleared to play after sitting out 10 straight video games with an ankle sprain. Minott has been used as a small-ball middle at instances this season, however he fell out of Mazzulla’s rotation earlier than his harm. He’s performed simply three whole minutes since Thanksgiving.
The Path Blazers had been lacking a key piece Monday in potential All-Star Deni Advija, who was dominated out with a again harm.
Porzingis gained’t play
The Atlanta Hawks introduced Porzingis, who has sat out 9 straight video games with Achilles tendonitis, will miss not less than one other week, that means he’ll be unavailable for what would have been his first recreation again at TD Backyard on Wednesday evening.
Because it was throughout his two seasons in Boston, availability has been a problem for the previous Celtics huge man since his offseason commerce to Atlanta. Porzingis has suited up for simply 17 of the Hawks’ 48 video games. Earlier than his present Achilles problem, he additionally handled a knee harm and missed 10 consecutive video games in December as a result of signs from the viral sickness he contracted late final season. He watched final Saturday’s C’s-Hawks recreation — a 132-106 Boston rout — from the bench in avenue garments.
Porzingis, Vacation and Horford — important gamers on Boston’s 2024 championship squad — all have performed in lower than 60% of their new groups’ video games this season.
Off the rim
Mazzulla, who visited Patriots coaching camp final summer season and hosted Mike Vrabel on the Celtics’ follow facility, was requested for his ideas on the Tremendous Bowl-bound Pats. “I feel if you simply check out it, they’re a staff that’s developed an id over the course of the season,” he mentioned. “And each coach, whatever the sport, is in search of that — creating that kind of id and consistency, and taking part in to that all through a complete season. I feel they’re an excellent instance of that this 12 months.” … Standout rookie Hugo Gonzalez was not chosen to take part within the 2026 Rising Stars recreation, which might be held throughout All-Star weekend. Boston’s lone consultant within the younger participant showcase might be two-way wing Ron Harper Jr., who was one among seven designated G League gamers chosen.
