“It’s really just having a mindset of staying ready,” said first-year Celtic Aaron Nesmith. “Even in highly competitive games where I might not play as much or I might not get into the game, still just always being ready and having that mindset so that if my number does get called, I can come into the game to contribute and make plays to help us win the game.”
Nesmith fancies himself a sniper. He has long held a belief in his 3-point stroke, but opened his professional career with a cold streak. The rookie, who made more than half of his 3-point attempts as a sophomore at Vanderbilt, went 3 for his first 16 with the Celtics. In college, he would have racked up that many shots in just two games. He probably wouldn’t have been very bothered by such a small slump. But in the NBA, that rough spell took a full month to unfold. Nesmith played sporadically during that stretch. He appeared in fewer games than he missed due to DNP-CDs. He hasn’t earned a regular spot in the Celtics rotation yet, so he’s trying to stay ready for whatever chances he does receive.
“I’m just studying the game that’s being played in front of me,” Nesmith said. “Watching guys at my position, watching the way they move, the way they defend actions, tendencies of other players. Just making sure I’m mentally locked in and ready to go as soon as my name is called so I can contribute.”