Joe Mazzulla shares his takeaways from the Celtics’ first loss of the season
Right before the start of the 2024-25 season, it all finally started to hit Neemias Queta.
The previous 400 days had been an absolute whirlwind that saw his basketball journey rise from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs. A season that started with him being cut before training camp ended with him raising the Larry O’Brien Trophy.
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"It's been kind of surreal how fast everything has came through and came along,” said Queta. "Right about a year ago, I wasn't sure where I was going to be at. And then [signing a two-way deal with] Boston, getting converted [to a standard contract], winning a championship. It's been a hectic year. So I just want to keep it going.”
A second-round pick (39th overall) of the Kings in 2021, Queta was waived by Sacramento on September 12, 2023, leaving his NBA future uncertain. The Celtics swooped in with an open two-way slot to add the 7-foot big man.
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An early-season injury to Luke Kornet, coupled with the need to pace both Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford, helped Queta stick around the parent club at the start of last season. In mid-December, with Kornet sidelined for an eight-game stretch, Queta played an elevated role that essentially set into motion him being rewarded with an elevation to the parent roster later in the season.
This summer, Queta inked a partially guaranteed three-year extension with the Celtics that offers the sort of security that certainly didn’t exist when Sacramento showed him the door. And now he’s eager to prove that there’s even more than what we’ve seen from Queta thus far in Boston.
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"I want to see a lot of growth in myself,” said Queta. "I want to be able to come in there and just impact the game. Just being as versatile as I can be. Because I feel like that's one of the things that can keep you on the court for longer.”
Queta played only 333 total minutes in 28 appearances (11.9 minutes per game) with Boston last season. He was a ball of energy in his floor time, and his per-36 minute stat line -- 16.6 points, 13.2 rebounds, 2.3 blocks -- shows his impact despite limited time. Boston’s offensive rating was a robust 128.7 with a plus-20.4 net rating in Queta’s minutes.
On Wednesday night, with the Celtics stumbling through an uninspired effort in Indiana, coach Joe Mazzulla dispatched Queta looking for an energy jolt in the fourth quarter. And, boy, did he get one.
Queta helped fuel a furious 24-point comeback before Boston fell in overtime. He was plus-18 over 13 minutes and 39 seconds of floor time while playing much of the final 14 minutes. Queta’s fingerprints were all over Boston’s comeback, based largely on just playing hard. He finished with two points, nine rebounds, and a block.
Queta is a MENACE pic.twitter.com/ZF384FE4zw
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) October 31, 2024
“I thought Neemi did a great job on both ends of the floor,” said Mazzulla. “His activity, his physicality gave us a spark. It was great stuff by him and I appreciate that.”
The question now is whether Queta’s strong outing could open the door to more time alongside Boston’s core players. With Porzingis sidelined until at least December and the Celtics needing to pace Horford -- including planned rest with a back-to-back in Charlotte this weekend -- there will be chances for Queta to show how much he can thrive alongside those veteran players.
Early returns are encouraging. Queta has a plus-19.3 net rating in 33 minutes over four appearances. The team’s defensive rating plummets to 87.5 during his floor time. Boston’s rebound rate is a team-best 53.2 percent in Queta’s minutes.
There’s still room for growth, particularly in making sure he’s in the right spots on the offensive end. But his energy, activity, and physicality are undeniable. The next month of play should give Queta a real chance to show his progress.
