This was the best game queta has ever played. He was insanely good defensively and extremely patient and intentional on the offensive end.
Irrational exuberance: The Neemias Queta thread
- Thread starter chilidawg
- Start date
Played a bunch of games. Got exposed in a few ways. Sat a game. Learning is good.
He is just what they need. A big role player who is so happy to be there he busts his ass every shift. He is starting to make some 2nd option passes.
The key difference was being calm and ready to make his move on D, so that he can make a play without fouling. He was so antsy before, and he just looked composed tonight. Like some of KP's energy rubbed off on him.
His confidence around the rim on offense was also great to see. That last move, where he looked for a pass, didn't see one he liked, spun around and laid it in - that was some sweet stuff I absolutely did not expect from him.
If we get tonight's Queta even a third of the time, he is going to have a long NBA career.
Was there and focused on him entirely on D. He was great.
We also need to acknowledge they didn’t isolate him in P&R and this was such a blowout anyone showing any effort looked like a hero.
but still, an encouraging game. He had a few possessions where he could have contested a jumper near the FT like but instead stayed home instead of giving up the layups. Would love to see it again.
We also need to acknowledge they didn’t isolate him in P&R and this was such a blowout anyone showing any effort looked like a hero.
but still, an encouraging game. He had a few possessions where he could have contested a jumper near the FT like but instead stayed home instead of giving up the layups. Would love to see it again.
After the DNP-CD in the big game against the Wolves, Queta played with the highest motor we have seen out of him, and he managed to do it while playing in the proper position.
12/9/3/2/4 in 25 minutes, and a plus 29. Besides the 4 blocks, he affected a bunch of shots.
12/9/3/2/4 in 25 minutes, and a plus 29. Besides the 4 blocks, he affected a bunch of shots.
I like Queta, and last night was the most hopeful I've felt about him in a while. I watched the first half. I thought his defense for once looked solid all around. He wasn't getting lost, and he was consistently aggressive, and definitely caused the Clippers to miss a few shots they wouldn't have against an inferior/smaller defender. It doesn't hurt either that he appears to shoot foul shots better than Jaylen. One thing I find encouraging about him: he doesn't have a lot of NBA miles yet, and he's 25, and closer to 24 than 26. He just looks old (Greg Oden face). His ceiling is a fair bit higher than where he is now, I'm betting.
Tillman I find more frustrating. The first half of Sunday's game, his feet looked to be planted in concrete when he got blown by. But then in the second half, I thought he played much better on defense, with active hands and better positioning. I'm still worried about the state of his knees. When the Celts picked him up last year, he was elite in a number of defensive categories. I think he's well shy of that this year though. A big guy, with a hefty build and bad knees, usually doesn't have a long NBA career.
Tillman I find more frustrating. The first half of Sunday's game, his feet looked to be planted in concrete when he got blown by. But then in the second half, I thought he played much better on defense, with active hands and better positioning. I'm still worried about the state of his knees. When the Celts picked him up last year, he was elite in a number of defensive categories. I think he's well shy of that this year though. A big guy, with a hefty build and bad knees, usually doesn't have a long NBA career.
With KP back, the Celtics survived the KornXQ Era.
Horford/KP can share the Center position in "important" games, then have one sit in B2Bs, lesser regular season games.
KornQ will be used for back-up minutes when one of KP/Al are out. Queta is more dynamic but Luke is a solid option.
The thing to watch for now, more than any trade for a back-up 5, is for Al Horford to sign a $10MM extension
Tillman has been noticeably slower since joining the Celtics; It is either his knee, post-surgery, or weight issue (combo?).
He'll play a few games in Maine to work his way back.
Don't throw the towel in on X, all the above can be solved with some time/healing/weight loss.
Horford/KP can share the Center position in "important" games, then have one sit in B2Bs, lesser regular season games.
KornQ will be used for back-up minutes when one of KP/Al are out. Queta is more dynamic but Luke is a solid option.
The thing to watch for now, more than any trade for a back-up 5, is for Al Horford to sign a $10MM extension
Tillman has been noticeably slower since joining the Celtics; It is either his knee, post-surgery, or weight issue (combo?).
He'll play a few games in Maine to work his way back.
Don't throw the towel in on X, all the above can be solved with some time/healing/weight loss.
I don't enjoy watching him foul somebody every other defensive possession, or half-assing his closeouts... but the guy who was out there last night, holding up in the post and helping on drives and able to be respectable on the perimeter, who contested without fouling, got some beautiful block-and-rebound plays - I sure enjoyed watching THAT guy!
When I'm not really paying close attention I see Tillman and think damn, Al really has lost a step. Then I realize it's Tillman and I feel better.
You guys don’t enjoy watching a young athletic big with a ridiculous wingspan learning on the fly on a championship team where every game is on a big stage? Maybe you’re spoiled by getting to watch a total pro with almost two decades of experience at center, who is an expert on defensive positioning.
It’s unfair to try to hold Neemy to a higher standard than what he is - a young big learning every day. When he is engaged and plays with a high motor, he adds a lot to the team. When he doesn’t, he spends much of his time inbounding the ball after giving up a basket, or after a FT due to him fouling.
If Neemy can grow his game enough this season to be trusted with playoff minutes, it will be a huge win for the Celtics, especially if KP or Horford are not 100 percent. If not, his regular season minutes are akin to a middle reliever sopping up innings to keep the good pitchers fresh.
It’s unfair to try to hold Neemy to a higher standard than what he is - a young big learning every day. When he is engaged and plays with a high motor, he adds a lot to the team. When he doesn’t, he spends much of his time inbounding the ball after giving up a basket, or after a FT due to him fouling.
If Neemy can grow his game enough this season to be trusted with playoff minutes, it will be a huge win for the Celtics, especially if KP or Horford are not 100 percent. If not, his regular season minutes are akin to a middle reliever sopping up innings to keep the good pitchers fresh.
Not really singling out you but do people really think that any 25 year old on his first NBA contract after spending year(s) in the G-League isn't playing as hard he possibly can every time he steps out onto the court? I mean maybe Queta is out of position or doesn't take a great angle on a play or hesitates because of indecision or maybe he screws up the game plan and that's why someone's wide open but to the extent any young player who is trying to get established in the NBA looks like he's not playing with 100% effort, his agent - at the very least - should be on the phone with him immediately to say, "Do you understand that you're laying tape down for every team in the NBA and more?"
I think we all agree that Jrue, right now, isn't playing as hard as he can every game. But he's Jrue Holiday. While certainly Queta has had some rough nights, I never got the impression that Queta wasn't playing as hard as he could but YMMV.
I thought Neemy wasn’t playing as hard as he could the last few games before his benching. Maybe it was because he wasn’t confident in what he was supposed to be doing, or maybe he hasn’t figured out how to go all out all the time.
I don't know how much is motor and how much is focus, forgetting the assignment, whatever. Either way, he's a young player getting his first real minutes in the league, and inconsistency is basically unavoidable. He seems to be learning and improving, but that doesn't mean that he won't have some shitty shifts. Every time one of us mentions his improvement, one of the doubters in here calls out a bad 5-minute stint in the most recent game where he looked like someone who just put on a basketball uniform for the first time. Progress isn't linear. But if it's progress, on the cheap no less, then we should be glad for it.
I think people may be confusing having no idea where to be at times with a lack of effort. But its certainly possible his effort lags at times.
You were probably also thinking “Damn, Big Al went on a burrito binge this summer” too I’ll bet.
I finally thought of a comp for Queta. He’s a poor man’s Erick Dampier.
As far as effort goes I think we’ll see up and downs from here in this area since he doesn’t have a natural high motor like some guys. He was always a plodder up until recently which is probably a product of his confidence growing.
Generally, I think you're right -- except that game right before he got benched. That was the first time I've seen him where I was disappointed in his lack of effort at times.
I perceive him to play really hard but he clearly gets lost on defense sometimes. I was also thinking that Mazzulla would go away from him given Tillman's usage the game before but Joe just likes to use his match-up calculus.
Queta getting lost in rotations is probably a great problem for this team to have this early in the season because it feels fixable. Or if he keeps it up, he won't be seeing any minutes when the real season starts.
I don't think he was benched against MIN. First night of B2B; MIN is the perfect team to get X some run since Randle / Reid at the 5 when Gobert is about the best possible matchup for X to get some run. Given how Randle plays, I'd rather have X guarding hom than Queta.
Neemy highlight package from the Clippers game from Timi. The big guy entered the game when it was tied 10-10, and departed with a double digit lead. Great defense at the rim.
View: https://youtu.be/_OOMc25Ch9k?si=I3b4XnsFG0Fj7eLK
View: https://youtu.be/_OOMc25Ch9k?si=I3b4XnsFG0Fj7eLK
Neemy, for the second game in a row, enters a tie game and does a solid job defending the rim. He was inserted to start the fourth against the Bulls, and was subbed out for KP halfway through the quarter with the Celtics up seven. He didn’t put up stats, but did a solid job setting picks and playing defense
Tillman is a good fifth center if a team needs a guy who can muck up the paint. With the emergence of Neemy and with the continued solid play by Kornet, Tillman won’t be needed much this season, assuming KP and Horford are not out with injuries