HOUSTON — The Celtics will start a brand-new starting five in the wake of multiple absences against the Houston Rockets on Wednesday. Alongside regular starters Derrick White and Neemias Queta, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr, and Luka Garza will take the floor for tip-off.
Payton Pritchard, fresh off a 26-point outing, will come off the bench for the second consecutive game. Pritchard expressed a total willingness to come off the bench on Tuesday night in Dallas, given that Anfernee Simons has been traded to Chicago and is no longer with the team.
“You see how our team is constructed, you need somebody to bench to handle the rock, and it’s good, D-White comes out, I come in, and there’s always somebody that can bring it up, get us into the flow, stuff like that,” Pritchard said. “So, it just makes the most sense for our team.”
Jaylen Brown (left hamstring tightness, right knee contusion) and Sam Hauser (thumb sprain) are sidelined on the second night of a back-to-back, but both players are with the team in Houston. Brown, who was listed as doubtful, went through warm-ups before being ruled out.
Chris Boucher (personal reasons) is not currently with the team. Two-way player Max Shulga is also in Boston.
Multiple players get increased opportunities for the short-handed Celtics
For two-way player Ron Harper Jr, Wednesday night will mark a first-ever career NBA start. Harper Jr. has been a G League standout so far this season, but he has played just 35 minutes (across 7 games) with Boston this season.
Harper Jr. will represent the Celtics at the Rising Stars game in Los Angeles later this month. When in Boston, the 25-year-old has earned Mazzulla’s praise.
“I watch him work out when he’s with us — the side of that is the professionalism,” Joe Mazzulla said. “So, when he gets there early, he’s in the weight room doing what he’s supposed to be doing. He’s in the treatment room if he needs to be. He communicates at a high level. There’s just a level of trust there.”
Baylor Scheierman will start his second straight game, and 6th game of the season. Scheierman is averaging 13.6 minutes across 45 games played this year, while shooting 40.7% from the field and oftentimes taking on the team’s most difficult defensive assignments.
With Pritchard appearing to come off the bench in the near future, it appears likely that Scheierman could be a staple in the starting lineup for the foreseeable future.
“He’s developed into a utility guy for us defensively,” Mazzulla said last week.
Luka Garza, on the heels of a 16-point game, will start his second game of the season. Garza is averaging 7.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game, while shooting a team-best 47.6% from three. He has been a fixture of the rotation since late December, after falling out of it for a few weeks earlier this season.
Neemias Queta and Derrick White have been regular starters for the Celtics all season long.
For the Rockets, Amen Thompson, Tari Eason, Alperen Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr, and Kevin Durant will start.
Celtics-Rockets tips off at 8pm ET at the Toyota Center.