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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 12: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla looks on from the bench during the second quarter against the Memphis Grizzlies at TD Garden on November 12, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Maddie Meyer\/Getty Images)<\/p>\n
The Boston Celtics<\/a> started this season in search of answers. Roles were fluid. Lineups changed most nights. Without Jayson Tatum<\/a>, the team leaned on structure and collective effort to stay steady. In the middle of that uncertainty, one of the quieter stories on the roster has begun to take shape.<\/p>\n Josh Minott<\/a> has given the Celtics something they didn\u2019t expect this soon: reliability built on energy, maturity and a calm understanding of what each game needs.<\/p>\n He hasn\u2019t forced his way into the spotlight. He\u2019s simply earned it.<\/p>\n Josh Minott tonight:<\/p>\n \u2618\ufe0f 16 PTS Minott: From Opportunity to Adversity and Back Again<\/p>\n Minott\u2019s early-season rise came fast. He worked his way into the starting lineup in a road game versus the Pelicans<\/a> and stayed there for nine straight games, turning that stretch into some of the most confident basketball of his young career. His 21-point night<\/a> against the Wizards<\/a> was the highlight, a performance full of activity and poise.<\/p>\n But he never treated the role like it belonged to him.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t consider that I have any staying power. I try to go out there like this can end tomorrow because it can,\u201d he said<\/a> after that career night. \u201cEvery time I go out, I assume it can be taken from me.\u201d<\/p>\n Soon enough, it was.<\/p>\n Three games later against Philadelphia<\/a>, he played just eight minutes and never returned after halftime. The next few games brought similar swings. His matchups changed. His minutes tightened. A young player could have easily slipped into frustration.<\/p>\n Instead, Minott carried the same grounded perspective that helped him rise in the first place.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you were poor and I gave you 20 bucks<\/a> and then instantly took 20 bucks, you never really felt like you had it,\u201d he joked. \u201cIt was nice, but I\u2019m used to this position.\u201d \u2013 via Noa Dalzell on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n That mentality didn\u2019t just keep him centered. It prepared him for the next opportunity that mattered.<\/p>\n Asked Josh Minott if he was upset\/if it was hard for him when he first got moved to the bench:<\/p>\n \u201cIf you were poor, and I gave you $20 bucks, and then instantly took $20 bucks, you never really felt like you had it, right?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt was nice, but I\u2019m used to this position.\u201d <\/p>\n Minott\u2019s Breakthrough and a Glimpse of the Celtics\u2019 Future<\/p>\n Minott stepped into Sunday\u2019s win over the Orlando Magic<\/a> after Neemias Queta<\/a> exited with an ankle sprain. What happened over the next stretch was the kind of subtle shift that can define a role player\u2019s season.<\/p>\n Boston went from up 4 to up 23 during the minutes Minott played as a small-ball center. His energy changed the pace. Cutting and screening gave the offense movement. Defense turned into transition chances. And his shooting, including two timely threes, kept the Magic guessing.<\/p>\n He finished with 16 points on 7-for-8 shooting<\/a>, added 7 rebounds and a block<\/a>. More than the numbers, it was the feel of his minutes that stood out.<\/p>\n \u201cI thought Josh gave us some great stuff,\u201d Joe Mazzulla said<\/a>. \u201cHis shooting, his screening, turning defense into offense. He sparked a lot of what we were doing.\u201d \u2013 via Bobby Krivitsky on X<\/a>.<\/p>\n Joe Mazzulla on Jordan Walsh and Josh Minott\u2019s impact when asked to play center as the Celtics stuck with smaller lineups to better matchup with the Magic today, especially after losing Queta to an ankle sprain:<\/p>\n \u201cI thought Josh gave us some great stuff\u2026Jordan\u2019s getting better <\/p>\n This is the version of Minott that fits exactly where the Celtics want to go.<\/p>\n He does not need the ball. He does not disrupt the structure. His pace makes the players around him more comfortable. In small-ball lineups, he unlocks speed. On the wing, he gives the Celtics another defender who can switch, chase, rebound and stay active without needing plays designed for him.<\/p>\n As the rotation tightens when Tatum returns, those qualities matter even more. Boston values versatility. They value discipline. They value players who can slide into different spots depending on what the game demands. Minott checks each of those boxes without stepping outside himself.<\/p>\n He is the kind of player who makes the team\u2019s identity stronger.<\/p>\n Josh Minott after his 5th game with Boston:<\/p>\n \u201cI just love this place so much, man. This place just brings me so much happiness. My teammates, coaches, the staff\u2026 Im talking top to bottom. I can\u2019t thank God enough.\u201d\n <\/p>\n What\u2019s Next for Minott and the Celtics?<\/p>\n Josh Minott has spent this season moving between opportunity and uncertainty, but he has handled both with the same steady approach. He understands that nothing is guaranteed, and he plays like someone who respects every minute he gets.<\/p>\n The Celtics don\u2019t need him to be loud. They need him to be present.<\/p>\n If he continues to lean on effort, versatility and a grounded mindset, Minott may become one of the most meaningful developments of Boston\u2019s season. His role doesn\u2019t require hype. It only requires more of what he\u2019s already giving.<\/p>\n And the more he gives, the clearer it becomes that the Celtics might have found something real.<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tKeith Watkins<\/a> Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins<\/a>\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\tMore Heavy on Celtics\n\t\t<\/p>\n \n\t\t\t\tLoading more stories\n\t\t<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Getty BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 12: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla looks on from the bench during…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":306337,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[574],"tags":[64,63,726,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-306336","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-basketball","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-basketball","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306336","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=306336"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/306336\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/306337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=306336"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=306336"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=306336"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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