Team focus helped Celtics’ Luke Kornet stay ready ahead of big Raptors tilt

It can be especially hard to stay mentally prepared and focused on what the team as a whole requires when defining where you fit in that mix is not always clear.

There isn’t a role on the court for an NBA player that doesn’t come with its own unique stresses, but for deep rotation players like Boston Celtics big man Luke Kornet, it can be especially hard to stay mentally prepared and focused on what the team as a whole requires when defining where you fit in that mix is not always clear.

Injuries and competition for the role complicate the situation as much as matchups, injuries, and whether the game is the second half of a back-to-back. But after his best game of the season with the Celtics vs. the Toronto Raptors on Friday night, Kornet shared how keeping what the team needs in mind helped him through that process.

“It definitely does (help),” said the Celtics backup center via The Athletic’s Jay King.