The Celtics have a roster complete enough to win without Kristaps Porzingis. But they missed their rehab big man in one important area this season: rim protection.

Through twelve games, Boston ranks 18th in the NBA in blocks per game, 20th in blocks per 100 possessions, 18th in opponent field goal percentage in the restricted area and 20th in opponent field goal percentage defended within six feet.

His ranking in these categories last season: first, first, seventh and second respectively.

After the Celtics were outscored 68-20 in the paint and gave up 20 offensive rebounds in a game Tuesday 117-116 loss to Atlantahead coach Joe Mazzulla said his team’s defense at the rim “absolutely” needs to improve.

“We had crossover games against them a few times, but (the Hawks) got rebounds and layups on everyone,” Mazzulla said. “Large ones, small ones, medium ones. They just dominated us, on both ends of the pitch.

Last season, the Celtics’ opponents’ shooting percentage on shots at the rim was 6.1% worse with Porzingis on the court than off it, according to Cleaning the Glass. This disparity is in the 95th percentile of all NBA players.

Boston doesn’t have another player capable of replicating Porzingis’ rare skill set, and with him unlikely to return from offseason leg surgery until December at the earliest, Mazzulla has tried several different configurations in the front zone in his absence.

Recently, he has relied more on emerging center Neemias Quetawho edged out Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman as the top option behind Al Horford. The loss to Atlanta was Queta’s fifth straight game with at least 20 minutes played.

Kornet, meanwhile, has logged just 10 total minutes over the past two games after missing one with a hamstring injury, and Tillman has largely disappeared from the rotation despite starting last Friday against Brooklyn, with three healthy DNPs in the last seven games and 18 total minutes. played during this period.

Queta has been Boston’s most effective rim protector so far this season, having a much lower opposing shooting percentage in these situations with him on the floor (-7.0%) than Kornet (-2.3%) , Horford (+3.9%) or Tillman (+7.9%).

But his defensive rebounding numbers have been lacking. Opponents picked up offensive boards at a 7.7% higher rate with Queta in the game, according to Cleaning the Glass, which ranks in the fourth percentile in the league. Horford was much better there: -7.1%, 93rd percentile. Kornet is even at 0.0%.

The Celtics will get Porzingis back soon enough and improvements in those areas should follow. But until then?

“Individual defense is the most important thing,” Mazzulla said. “We play smaller, so we have to be better in our individual defense.”

Originally published: November 13, 2024 at 10:45 a.m. EST