Boston Celtics big man Daniel Theis returns to action for the Celtics, making his preseason debut after missing Tuesday’s opening loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, and with it, a return to the starting lineup.
Second-year wing Javonte Green will get a second start, and the rest of the starters from the Philly friendly will remain the same, though two way center Tacko Fall will sit with an irritated eye. Speaking with the media ahead of the game, coach Brad Stevens shed noted most players will get a similar range of minutes to what they had in the 76ers preseason loss on Tuesday.
The Celtics coach did not pull punches when he explained what the focus would be, however.
#NEBHInjuryReport update:
Tacko Fall (right eye irritation) – OUT
Romeo Langford (right wrist surgery) – OUT
Tristan Thompson (right hamstring strain) – OUT
Kemba Walker (left knee strengthening) – OUT— Boston Celtics (@celtics) December 18, 2020
“We need to get good work in from a conditioning standpoint and clean some things up from the other night,” he said bluntly.
Boston will be facing former star point guard at TD Garden for the first time since he left in free agency to join Brooklyn, and will have a healthy Kevin Durant in tow, just his second game of pro basketball since tearing his achilles tendon more than a season ago.
“Kevin has been one of the great players of this generation, and Kyrie is super special,” reflected Stevens, who holds the Celtics’ Atlantic Division foe in high regard.
“They’re super deep. I like their additions in the offseason adding Landry Shamet and Jeff Green,” he added.
Nets’ Kyrie Irving reportedly likely to play at TD Garden vs Celtics https://t.co/zkOTcqlDDx
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) December 18, 2020
New Nets coach (if they even have one — we kid, mostly) Steve Nash responded with a similarly lofty view of his team’s opponent when asked to assess the Celtics’ utility as an early high-level test, exhibition or not.
“It is great for us to play a really good team,” Nash began.
“This is a contender that’s been deep in the playoffs repeatedly. Great talent, great coaching, culture. They have those common experiences, so you know they’re running this back for years … it’ll be a great challenge for us to see a team is a little more formed than we are, that’s been there, done that.”
Still down two of their likely five best players, Boston may not be the team Nash is describing just yet, but with Theis back in the rotation, they just got a little closer to getting there.
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