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Boston Celtics: C’s center rotation moving forward to the playoffs

By Justin Trombino

MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 8: Head Coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images)
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 8: Head Coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics speaks to the media Game Five of the Eastern Conference Semifinals against the Milwaukee Bucks during the 2019 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2019 at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Gary Dineen/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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If and when the Boston Celtics have a clean injury report, what would the big-man rotation look like for the Celtics moving forward this season?

The Boston Celtics have four centers on the active roster that have never all been healthy at the same time. Daniel Theis has been the team’s most reliable big man all season, but he can’t do it alone as the team is progressing towards the playoffs. Considering everyone is 100 percent healthy after the NBA hiatus, what will the center rotation look like for the Boston Celtics moving forward?

Theis has carried this group of centers on his back this season. He has played in the most games out of the bunch and is arguably one of the team’s most important players heading into the playoffs. He has been able to create scoring opportunities for all of his teammates, as well as, handling the dirty work of containing the opposing team’s big man. Theis is leading the team with 1.3 blocks per game this season. He has solidified himself as the number-one option at center for the Celtics moving forward.

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After signing with the Boston Celtics over the summer, Enes Kanter was brought in to improve the center rotation for the C’s and give the team more scoring opportunities with his impressive rebounding skills. Kanter has played in 51 games, averaging 8.2 points and is leading the team with 7.7 rebounds per game this season. Not to say that he won’t make an impact throughout the playoffs, but there have only been a handful of games this season that Kanter has made a strong influence on the game.

Robert Williams could arguably be the secret weapon for the C’s. Williams, when healthy, is the most athletic and versatile center on the roster. He provides different and more hybrid qualities to the center position than Theis and Kanter. Hopefully, with this unplanned and extra time off due to coronavirus, Williams is healing and regaining his strength and overall confidence in regards to his most recent left-hip bone edema.  The athleticism of Williams from the center position could really start to spread the Celtics apart from other teams around the league. He has only played in 23 games this season and is averaging 4.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.

The signing of Vincent Poirier was premature and has been in question all year as the season has progressed. Poirier has dealt with a few minor injuries throughout the season and has only played in 21 games for the Celtics, as well as being assigned to the Maine Red Claws a few times this season. He has been unimpressive and is averaging 1.9 points and 1.6 rebounds in 5.4 minutes per game this season. At this point, Poirier is the team’s security blanket for the center position when all else fails.

From time to time, we’ll see the Celtics utilize the versatility of Grant Williams and Semi Ojeleye inserted to the center position. Williams and Ojeleye give Brad Stevens the best opportunity for a big-man defender in a small-ball lineup. Both players have proven to hold their own when defending ball handlers around the perimeter and down low while up against an opposing team’s big-man.

It’s worth mentioning while everyone has criticized the Celtics and their lack of upgrading their center position, the C’s have been grooming Tacko Fall with their G-League affiliate team, the Red Claws. Fall is on a two-way contract with the Celtics and technically cannot be part of the Celtics throughout the course of the playoffs. His improvements with the Red Claws this season has been a promising sign for the Celtics moving forward and could also be a reason they have been reluctant to make more investments to the position. Fall is currently the tallest active player in the NBA.

In a perfect world with everyone healthy, strong, and good to go, the rotation for the center position on the Boston Celtics would most likely be: Theis, Robert Williams, Kanter, Ojeleye, Grant Williams, and Poirier.

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