Phoenix — There were concerns regarding Luke Kornet’s potential effect in the interim when the Celtics acquired Xavier Tillman during the trade deadline. Kornet has been the third big man off the bench the whole season; however, his role may change if another big man joins the team.
The big guy, 28, welcomed Tillman as a new teammate and seemed unfazed by the deal. Meanwhile, Kornet contributes whenever his number is called in the previous games. In the Celtics’ victory over the Suns, Kornet again demonstrated this with a game-high 14 points and six rebounds.
But it’s the defensive side of the ball where Kornet sticks out with his 7-foot-1 frame, which is also why C’s coach Joe Mazzulla praised the big man.
Kornet said it feels like it’s his responsibility to protect the rim as best he can — he’s succeeded in that throughout the year, averaging one block in just 14.6 minutes per game. Kornet also represents a nice option off the bench where the Celtics can trust he’ll contribute when he’s on the court. Over the course of a long regular season, guys like Kornet are valuable for the roster.
Elsewhere, Kornet also said he understands what types of shot they want to give up to the opposition. For example, the C’s often leave non-shooters open as the C’s are content giving up those looks. Much like the Celtics search for the best shot on offense, they limit what the opposition’s best shot is on defense.
Kornet’s recent play is a great luxury for the Celtics going forward. There will be times when Mazzulla elects to go with Tillman based on matchups, like in the Nuggets loss. But the more options the Celtics have for the playoffs, the better their championship chances will be
Mazzulla declared, “He’s among the best at our defensive system.” “He can communicate matchups, adjust matchups, and adjust his coverage instinctively. He simply has a natural capacity to explain our defence mechanism. Make the appropriate defensive read as well. Luke possesses an undervalued skill, which is why we have faith in him in a defensive capacity.
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