Neemias Queta delivered by far his best performance of the preseason in Wednesday night’s last-second win over the Raptors.
It’s the kind of play the Celtics will need, head coach Joe Mazzulla said, out of their new starting center.
Mazzulla, who’s been cagey about how he plans to structure Boston’s overhauled starting lineup, seemed to confirm after Queta’s [eight-point, 12-rebound, four-block showing](https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/15/jaylen-brown-leaves-with-injury-as-celtics-beat-raptors-in-preseason-finale/) that the 7-footer will be the top-choice big man to open the season.
“Tonight was good,” Mazzulla said. “It’s hard. We’re going to be hard on Neemi, and I’m really looking forward to coaching him throughout the year, but as I’ve told him, this is what you’ve worked your whole life for: a chance to start for the Celtics. And I think you see this with players when they step into different phases of their career, where it’s easy to be the rookie, and then it’s kind of easy to be the fourth-string big, and then it’s kind of easy to be the backup, and now it’s like, hey, you’ve got to develop the mindset to deliver every night, and I think he has that.”
Queta, the Celtics’ fourth-string center behind Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet last season, was viewed as the most likely starter entering training camp. But he did not have an especially impressive preseason before Wednesday’s finale, scuffling in his first start against Toronto and then playing the fewest minutes of any Boston big in Sunday’s win over Cleveland.
The 26-year-old finished with a strong all-around outing, however, posting a stellar stat line that also featured five offensive boards, two assists, one steal and one turnover in 21 minutes. Queta turned it over seven times in 24 minutes over his first two preseason appearances.
“I think it took some time,” Mazzulla said, “but (Tuesday) in practice, two days ago in practice and (Wednesday night’s) game, he showed what he’s capable of, and we just have to hold him to that standard. And he takes pride in that. He works at it. But what we saw tonight is, like, I think he could be better than that, but that’s the guy we need more times than not.”
Chris Boucher, Luka Garza and Xavier Tillman — whose [game-winning floater](https://www.bostonherald.com/2025/10/16/can-xavier-tillmans-preseason-game-winner-be-springboard-for-celtics-big-man/) on Wednesday rescued Boston from a late-game collapse — also are expected to see minutes in the Celtics’ unproven frontcourt. The veteran Boucher was the only Celtic to start all four preseason games, joining Queta in a double-big look against Toronto while Sam Hauser got the night off.