What options Celtics have at center with Neemias Queta out

BOSTON — The Celtics have enjoyed fortunate injury luck to open the season, but that won’t be the case when they face the East-best Pistons on Wednesday. Neemias Queta was downgraded to out due to the left ankle sprain he suffered Sunday in the win over the Magic. It’s unclear how long Queta will be sidelined going forward.

That means the C’s will be without their center for the first time this season. Queta has been a reliable starter to open the year as he’s had one of the best defensive ratings in all of the NBA. The Celtics will need to be flexible as they face a Pistons squad that leads the league in points in the paint.

“We don’t really have a guy that like to replace what Neemi does for us,” Derrick White said. “It’s gotta be just a group effort, obviously (Xavier Tillman), Luka (Garza), Chris (Boucher), like they’re going to get a bigger chance, and we’re going to need a lot from them. But it’s also on us. We don’t have Neemi back there to kinda take out some of the problems or the mistakes we make on the perimeter. It’s gonna be a team effort, rebounding and everything.”

As White noted, the next big man options are Tillman, Garza and Boucher. Garza has been the primary backup big man this season, playing in a career-high 14.8 minutes in 15 game. Boucher and Tillman got some early run this season, but they’ve mostly fallen out of the rotation. Rookie two-way big man Amari Williams was also called up for Wednesday’s game, though he figures to be an emergency option for the C’s.

When the Celtics do go small, like they did Sunday against the Magic, they’ve relied on some of their wings to play at center. That includes Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott, two lengthy guys who create some havoc. It certainly changes the equation for the Celtics when they go small, but it’s at least one option.

But the Pistons pose a threat inside with their physicality and size. Jalen Duren is a Most Improved Player candidate, averaging 20.3 points and 11.5 rebounds. Isaiah Stewart is also a bruiser and plays physical. It’s a tough matchup for the Celtics as they will be without Queta on Wednesday.

“Obviously, he provides a lot of shot blocking down,” Sam Hauser said. “His presence down there, we’re gonna make up for another ways, being aggressive, just keeping guys out of the paint, rebounding really well. Just trying to be playmakers on defense.”

More Celtics content

• Celtics call up versatile two-way center after Neemias Queta injury

• Celtics injury report: Starter downgraded for Pistons game Wednesday

• Former Boston Celtics guard dealing with troublesome calf injury

• Boston Celtics facing unknown territory with upcoming Pistons game

Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.