\u201cMitch is one of the smartest players I\u2019ve been around,\u201d Mazzulla told reporters.<\/p>\n
Boston, MA – October 10: Boston Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla talks to Boston Celtics center Mitchell Robinson in the second quarter. The Boston Celtics played the Philadelphia 76ers in a preseason game at TD Garden on October 10, 2026. (Photo by Barry Chin\/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) Boston Globe via Getty Images<\/p>\n Robinson and Queta combined for 28 points, unlocking a new option for a team already built on flexibility.<\/p>\n The Celtics, much like last season, aren\u2019t committed to a fixed rotation night in and night out. Rather, as they\u2019ve shown throughout the preseason, they\u2019ll attack in a variety of ways to maximize their roster\u2019s strengths and wear down opponents.<\/p>\n Experimenting with the clipboard is a strong suit for Mazzulla that made last year\u2019s counted-out Celtics into winners of 56 games, good for second-most in the Eastern Conference.<\/p>\n Getting Robinson and Queta accustomed to playing alongside each other wasn\u2019t the end of Mazzulla\u2019s trail runs with Boston\u2019s big men. Queta, who attempted eight 3-pointers all of last season, totaled three attempts<\/a> against the Hornets, each with plenty of room but off the mark.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, the 7-footer is confident he\u2019ll turn those attempts into a reliable source of offense.<\/p>\n \u201cI think it can help us,\u201d Queta told reporters postgame. \u201cIt can be a weapon that we can use at certain points. Obviously, it\u2019s not gonna derail my attention span off what I do best on the court, but it can still be used as a weapon and a strength.\u201d<\/p>\n Needing to adjust and get a new group going comes with pressure, but Mazzulla doesn\u2019t see it that way. Giving Queta and Robinson an audition in the preseason is just a snippet of Boston\u2019s preparation and philosophy. There\u2019s a buy-in that all Mazzulla-led teams, including the 2024 championship group, need to invest in. And so far, that\u2019s exactly what last season\u2019s Coach of the Year winner has received with less than a week until Opening Night.<\/p>\n Paul George, the organization\u2019s return piece for Jaylen Brown, too, has bought in.<\/p>\n Poised for a role with greater responsibility than was demanded in Philadelphia, George has passed the eye test. Outside of shooting a combined 5-for-20 from the floor in two preseason appearances, George has played the part needed from him.<\/p>\n He\u2019s allowed team leader Jayson Tatum to shine while complementing the rest of the group seamlessly. George\u2019s shooting slump hasn\u2019t deterred him from grabbing six rebounds against the Hornets or five steals Saturday night against the Sixers.<\/p>\n![\"Boston,](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/gettyimages-2299477502.jpg\"\/)
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