Nikola Vucevic (4) made a strong start to his Celtics career, posting 11 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes during Friday's comeback victory over the Heat at TD Garden.
Nikola Vucevic (4) made a strong start to his Celtics career, posting 11 points and 12 rebounds in 28 minutes during Friday's comeback victory over the Heat at TD Garden.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
In one early sequence of his first game as a Celtic, Nikola Vucevic had a clear path to the basket. His first Boston basket could have been a resounding two-handed jam that would have sparked an arena worth of “Voooch” howls.
Instead, trying to make a positive impression, trying not to display a hint of selfishness, he drove the lane uncontested and then shuttled a pass to an unaware Neemias Queta who was positioning himself for the rebound. It was his first Celtics turnover and the TD Garden crowd implored their new center to stuff the ball through the hoop.
For Vucevic, it was just as much being 35 as it was an act of unselfishness. After the Celtics’ 98-96 comeback win over the rival Miami Heat, Vucevic was allowed to laugh at some of his mistakes in his debut.
He had several more highlights Friday than lowlights, but he displayed his wry sense of humor when reflecting on that one drive to the basket.
“That one, quite honestly, I felt like I had taken off too far and I wasn’t sure I was going to get to the rim,” he said. “I took off and I’m not the most high flyer in the NBA. I went in the air and I felt I had him and I saw (Queta), he had his hands ready and I tried to dump it to him. I should have finished that one. Maybe a couple of years ago, I would have gotten it.”
The Celtics plan to use Vucevic extensively as another center option, and he played 28 minutes and posted a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds, along with 4 assists and 2 steals. The integration of Vucevic into the rotation and developing chemistry with his teammates is going to take weeks, but it was apparent the Celtics enjoy having another post threat and premium offensive rebounder.
First basket as a Celtic ☘️ pic.twitter.com/LoJmZ6CizI
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) February 7, 2026
His versatility, ability to stretch the floor, and his size is why Brad Stevens traded away the popular and productive Anfernee Simons to the Chicago Bulls for Vucevic. He’s a veteran, a pro, and brings experience and savvy to clutch games in the season’s final two months that his cohorts, Queta and Luka Garza, may lack.
Sunday’s matchup against the Knicks, which features Karl-Anthony Towns and Mitchell Robinson, or a potential rematch with the Pistons, with Jalen Duren and Isaiah Stewart, are why the Celtics felt they needed more beef and savvy in the center position.
That’s why Vucevic is here. He’s languished in Chicago for the past six years as the Bulls couldn’t decide whether to contend or rebuild — so they did neither, until this week. He’s played in only 16 playoff games in 15 years and has advanced past the first round once — when he played one game as a 76ers rookie in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Celtics.
Vucevic views this an opportunity to play in meaningful games well into the postseason, to contribute to a team that’s playing for more than themselves.
“I know it motivates me to even try to get to a higher level,” he said earlier Friday. “I am 35 but I still feel like I have a lot left in the tank, and I can still play at a higher level. So have an opportunity to play in the playoffs, to play for something big.
“You know, I think it’s extra motivation for everybody, and I’m just excited to have that opportunity. I’ve never really had it in my career, so it’s something that I do wish had happened sooner, but it happens now — and so I’m going to try to make the best of it and be the best version that I can of myself and help the team.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has a few words with his newest charge, center Nikola Vucevic, before he enters his first game in Boston black and green.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has a few words with his newest charge, center Nikola Vucevic, before he enters his first game in Boston black and green.Matthew J. Lee/Globe Staff
Vucevic’s teammates and coaches spent considerable time during the game trying to get him acclimated on the fly during what became a high-pressure game. The Celtics looked flat and lethargic for most of the first half and trailed by 21 at halftime. They scraped back into the game with a 30-7 run over the third and fourth quarters, and Vucevic was playing quality minutes after coach Joe Mazzulla scrapped the two-big lineup that started the game.
Mazzulla alternated Vucevic and Queta during the fourth quarter, using Vucevic for his offense and Queta for defense and rim protection. Vucevic was plus-11 in his 28 minutes, second-highest on the team to Baylor Scheierman (plus-17).
“I felt pretty comfortable out there as the game went on,” he said. “I think the guys also felt more comfortable around me and were able to figure out certain things they want us to run. We can continue to build on it and figure things out to get a feel for playing alongside each other.”
It was the Celtics’ fifth consecutive victory as they moved a game ahead of the Knicks for the second seed, with the Knicks coming to the Garden on Sunday afternoon. After Boston trounced Houston without Brown and Sam Hauser, it notched another impressive victory on a night where it began 1 for 20 from the 3-point line and shot 29.8 percent in the first half.
But this edition of the Celtics continues to impress, and even astound, with their ability to thrive regardless of the lineup and situation. They looked porous in the first half and trailed by 18 with 7:06 left in the third quarter before that stirring run that overwhelmed the Heat.
“We’ve been playing like a team all season,” forward Jaylen Brown said. “We haven’t skipped any steps. That’s half the battle. We get along. We like each other. We play the game the right way.
“(Vucevic’s) progression is huge for us. Everybody is trying to get him involved, even if it was a little bit too much. He’s big for our team. His integration is key and I’ll be looking for that for the remainder of the year.”
Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.