On a team level, the season couldn’t be going worse for the Boston Celtics. Three games after the start of the NBA season, the Celtics have suffered three defeats, one of them on their home court.
After losing to the Philadelphia 76ers (116-117), Joe Mazzulla’s team was beaten by the Knicks (105-95) and the Pistons (119-113). In the three games, Neemias played a total of 73 minutes (an average of 24 minutes/game), but how has the 2.13m centre looked?
Efficiency in the paint
Looking at the total figures for this start to the season, Neemias has 29 points, the sixth best record in the squad. The current scoring leader is Jaylen Brown’s 89, and which, in this respect, has felt the absence of the injured Jayson Tatum, who underwent surgery on his Achilles tendon and is practically out for the season.
However, Neemias has other statistics in which he excels and is even the leader in Boston. The most efficient shooter (70.6%), the Portuguese player’s numbers are far superior to those of the other starters and to the competing centre Luka Garza – 25% efficiency.
In addition to his ability to attack the basket, the Portuguese player has shown the physical strength that made him stand out in Eurobasket. He’s currently the player with the most offensive rebounds for the Celtics (seven) and the second most defensive rebounds (14), while also adding four blocks (3rd best record on the team).
Statistics to correct
Despite the positive numbers and a good start to the season, Neemias’ first-team status is far from convincing Celtics fans. The Portuguese has a considerable weight on his shoulders, having to replace the Latvian Kristaps Porzingis, who left for the Atlanta Hawks, and in the face of the departure of Luke Kornet, who never convinced in Boston and went to the Spurs.
One of Neemias’s long-standing faults is the number of fouls he has accumulated, which often limits his minutes on the court. This season, after just three games, the Portuguese player has already racked up 14 fouls and is the Celtics’ leader in this statistic, even being the second NBA centre with the most accumulated fouls, only behind Jakob Poeltl (16 fouls for the Toronto Raptors).
Finally, his six turnovers are the second worst on the team, only behind Jaylen Brown, the player who is forced to take the biggest risks in Joe Mazzulla’s team, a coach who has already recognised that the Portuguese player has a demanding mission this season.
“It’s not easy and we’re going to be tough on Neemias. I’m looking forward to coaching him throughout the year, but as I told him, ‘this is what you’ve worked your whole life for, to have the chance to be a starter for the Celtics’,” he said after the end of pre-season.
For now, the individual assessment is positive, but if the Celtics continue to struggle this season, Neemias’s place in the starting five could be in jeopardy. A convincing display against Zion Williamson’s Pelicans would be a good step towards affirmation.
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