Twenty-six seconds into the second half of final week’s preseason recreation towards the 76ers, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla made a surprisingly fast substitution. After the primary play, he despatched Lamar Stevens to the scorer’s desk to take out Dalano Banton.
As Banton walked again to the bench, Mazzulla had some phrases to say to him. He wasn’t blissful.
On the earlier play, Banton didn’t dive on a unfastened ball, which resulted in a leap ball and an additional 76ers possession. Mazzulla used the chance as a instructing second to emphasise to the brand new Celtics guard the significance of enjoying exhausting. While the substitution was uncommon, Banton felt it was warranted.
“I can’t say it was surprising,” Banton instructed the Herald. “I feel like it was deserving.”
To his credit score, Banton processed the second nicely. When he re-entered the sport later within the third quarter, he performed with vitality. Mazzulla later praised Banton’s reception to a tough second.
“He has a chance to be a really good player in this league, and I just love the mentality that he brought to being coached and then responding,” Mazzulla mentioned. “That’s super important, and thankful that he allowed me to coach him.”
Banton was grateful for the way Mazzulla coached him in that second.
“I appreciate Joe and how he coaches me,” Banton mentioned. “I simply really feel like he holds me to a excessive expectation, to a excessive customary to have the ability to play exhausting and play for each possession. Make each possession rely. So, whether or not that’s diving on a unfastened ball or operating to the nook, I really feel like I want to do this 100% after I’m on the ground, and that’s what’s going to assist me achieve success. …
“It’s a good feeling as well. You never want to get subbed out of the game, but to go back in and try to do what your coach is asking of you and try to make up for it. So, it’s never something to hang your head on. He always preaches, ‘You can have a bad moment. It’s just how long you stay in that moment.’”
For Banton, it was reminder of the constant effort that will probably be required of him to be able to fill a job on this championship-ready Celtics workforce. At 6-foot-9, Banton possesses a singular ability set on each ends. He can play level guard. He can fill some backup wing minutes. He’s an extended, versatile defender. He flashed his scoring skill with a 20-point effort towards the Knicks final week. He’s earned some minutes alongside the Celtics’ regulars throughout the preseason. The workforce clearly thinks extremely of him.
But nothing is assured. The 23-year-old’s contract is partially assured. The Celtics have high-end expertise with a transparent prime six, and there’s an actual battle for taking part in time behind them. In Tuesday’s preseason win over the Knicks, which gave the impression to be a full costume rehearsal, Mazzulla’s rotation behind these six included Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet. Banton didn’t seem till the fourth quarter, when the starters rested. His function is unclear at this level, however getting on the ground begins with constant effort on each ends.
“It’s something that I know I need to do,” Banton mentioned.
Banton performed the primary two seasons of his profession with the Raptors, the place enjoying time was inconsistent. The guard – who went to highschool in Massachusetts on the MacDuffie School in Granby and Redemption Christian Academy in Northfield – joined the Celtics this offseason with an eye fixed on being a part of one thing higher as a part of a historic franchise.
“You come in, you feel the history,” Banton mentioned. “It feels like you have to work hard. It feels like you know what was here before you, so you have to take pride in being a Celtic. It’s not just an organization, you have to really live it.”
Banton, a Toronto native, mentioned he initially considered enjoying for Team Canada on the FIBA World Cup earlier than he realized it was extra vital to get to Boston early to get acclimated together with his new workforce. He arrived shortly after summer time league in July when he began figuring out on the facility with a number of different Celtics gamers who handed by means of over the summer time.
“It was definitely a priority to get here early,” Banton mentioned.
Banton definitely hopes that further work will repay for him. What does he suppose he can add to the Celtics?
“Being versatile, being able to switch on defense, playing aggressive, playing hard, playing with pace,” Banton mentioned. “How hard I play is going to get me on the floor, and being able to guard, taking some of the pressure off these guys. Just being able to put my best foot forward every day.”
With a worthwhile instructing second alongside the way in which.
“I learned my lesson,” Banton mentioned. “I’ll dive on every loose ball from here on out.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com