Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla praised Neemias Queta’s performance after Sunday’s 114-98 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. “Just great rebounding on both ends… I thought his paying presence on the offensive end, his ability to finish… getting to the free throw line, I thought he played well,” Mazzulla said about the Portuguese center.
Mazzulla highlighted Queta’s preparation over the summer. “Over the summer… the message was to play free. Obviously he had to earn it… but I wanted to see him put his head down, chip away, have professionalism, work ethic, understanding. He’s brought all that on. Credit to him,” he added.
On the team’s energy and hustle, Mazzulla noted, “Philly brought the game to us in the first quarter… I thought our ability to get rebounds, keep guys off the free throw line, especially in the fourth quarter, and offensive rebounding gave us extra possessions.”
Defensively, Mazzulla explained the strategy against Tyrese Maxey: “We didn’t give him out in transition… he had only six free throws. That’s huge against a guy with his ability. We were disciplined, defending without fouling, keeping him out of transition.”
Mazzulla also discussed the Celtics’ approach during offensive droughts. “Momentum comes from live ball turnovers and offensive rebounds… as long as we execute and take care of the ball, we’re going to get good looks. Jaylen and D-White did a good job managing the offense… trust in Neemy gave him a good game.”
Regarding offensive rebounding, Mazzulla emphasized collective effort. “Vu’s been good at that, Baylor has been good, Hugo, Jordan, Sam… it’s just a part of the crafting. We’ve got to continue to get better at it,” he said.
Even with Queta’s career night, Mazzulla stressed attention to details. “You have to have a level of gratitude and appreciation for how hard he’s worked, but we have to wake up and do it again tomorrow… if you can catch it, catch it. Don’t give the team another possession,” he added.
On Nikola Vucevic’s impact, Mazzulla noted, “He had a great second half on both ends. Tracked down a rebound in front of the bench… did a great job screening… protects the rim, is physical, and can get deflections. You saw some of that tonight.”
Finally, Mazzulla reflected on player development and Queta’s journey. “It goes into having gratitude and appreciation… a lot of people go into where he’s at now… giving him the summer to mentally, physically, emotionally prepare… he’s taken on that ownership and responsibility well. He cares about winning and getting better, and he’s got to keep it that way.”
