Boston Celtics: 5 takeaways from the first 5 games

2. The center position is not a cause for concern for the Boston Celtics

The Celtics have had so many elite big men in the past, and I think that’s why there has been so much pressure on them getting one over recent years. While it’s true that the Celtics don’t have a Bam Adebayo or Rudy Gobert, the center spot isn’t an area of true weakness and shouldn’t affect them to a point where it’s holding them back.

This offseason, Danny Ainge went out and got Tristan Thompson – not a player who’s going to dominate the box score like Nikola Jokic, but a player who knows what it takes to win and be a part of something bigger than yourself. Thompson won with the Cavaliers in 2016 and knows what his role is with an NBA team.

He plays tough defense, sets positive screens, and is the rebounder that the Celtics have been longing for to be competitive in that area of the game. Thompson has averaged over 10 rebounds per game over the last two seasons. It’s very possible that this could happen again this season, but it doesn’t have to. As long as he plays hard he’ll have a positive effect on this team anyway.

The Celtics then have Daniel Theis, and you know what you’re getting from him. Again, a player who plays tough, with the added ability to stretch the floor to an extent. He brings a different dynamic to the five-spot than Thompson. Then Robert Williams, an exciting prospect for Celtics fans. He has the tools to be an elite rim protector and can do a lot more.

This team doesn’t have an All-Star center, but it does have a unit that can cause big problems at both ends for opposing bigs. And that’s all you need to win.

3. Payton Pritchard looks like an absolute steal

The Celtics got what they wanted with their 14th pick in Aaron Nesmith – a scorer off the bench who plays good defense. While Nesmith hasn’t made too much of an impact yet, he looks like he’ll be a reliable player in this league eventually. All the talk surrounding the team’s draft choices so far, however, have been regarding Payton Pritchard.

Boston took Pritchard with the 26th overall pick in this year’s draft. If you followed him in college you’ll know that his performance isn’t a surprise, but for a guy who was picked that late to be having a tremendous effect on an NBA team this early on is very impressive.

Pritchard has shown a complete skillset through just five games. He makes hustle plays – eight steals in his first five games – and is able to lock down opposing guards from the perimeter. Playing with the likes of Marcus Smart will make him want to grow to another level in these areas, and he has the best mentor to make this a reality. He’s 5-of-9 from beyond the arc so far, having no problem transitioning to the NBA’s 3-point line. He also looks like he’s going to effect from a traditional point guard perspective, he has potential as a facilitator and an array of passing skills.

Pritchard called the man that drafted him the ‘Oregon GOAT’. Ainge grew up in Oregon and was a juggernaut in multiple sports throughout high school. Pritchard certainly mirrors some of Ainge’s talents when it comes to basketball. If he plays as hard as Ainge did then he’s going to be a big asset for this organization.