No Quit in Queta – Celtics Column
By Vinny Jace, Special to the15net dot com:
A loaded Celtics team faced a hidden challenge heading into the preseason: How would they manage the minutes when Al Horford wasn’t on the floor, given Kristaps Porzingis would be out until at least Christmas?
The Celtics’ offensive strategy was well-balanced this season: – They ranked among the top 3 teams in three-point attempts – Simultaneously maintained a strong post presence (2nd in post-up attempts) – Led the league in post-up efficiency (1.13 PPP)
Queta doesn’t shoot threes, but he dunks. Like, a lot. In Boston’s first seven games, Queta dunked eight times in 97 minutes(!). Playing against a team lacking in size like Golden State, Queta feasted, dunking four times in 28 minutes in his largest stint of the season. Queta dominated with four dunks in 28 minutes, his longest playing time of the season.
Boston doesn’t need to be great in the paint to win. They do need to be a credible threat so when the defense collapses they aren’t discombobulated when the threes aren’t falling and they’re being blocked from the basket.
Last season backup center Luke Kornet played the role as an effective stop-gap big man. He was a steady presence, able to use his long arms to disrupt offenses by effectively protecting the rim and jumping to block the shooters view of the basket, which became nominally known as the “Kornet Contest.” However, his ability to score efficiency fell off. His previous mark of 70% from the field now sits at 58%.
Queta: – Opponents shoot 59% from 6 feet – 5.7 attempts per game
Kornet: – Opponents shoot 62% from 6 feet – 4.4 attempts per game
The trade-offs between Queta and Kornet are: Kornet is longer, can cause disruption on the defensive side more effectively than Queta. Queta is way more athletic and provides an energy reminiscent to Robert Williams. Dunks are among the most valuable shots in the modern NBA, and Queta possessing the ability to bulldoze his way to the basket at will is a helluva ace to have up your sleeve.
Queta, not Tatum or White or Jaylen Brown, is Boston’s leader in net rating this season at plus-20.2. Sitting prettily above Shai-Gilgeous Alexander at 7th on the net rating rankings. A lot of this has to do with Tatum’s effectiveness with the all-bench lineup, where the fruits of Joe Mazzulla’s brand of basketball really takes shape. Generating clean open looks from beyond the arc, that also makes the paint more accessible for players like Queta to capitalize off lobs and PnRs.
Given these promising early returns from Queta’s performance, there’s strong reason to believe he’ll provide excellent value on his current contract. If Queta can merely do what Kornet did last season and keep the team afloat in the dog days, he’ll exceed the value of his small $2.2 million contract.
Vinny Jace appears on the Entitled Weekend podcast. He does not live in Albufiera.
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