Life got here at Noah Vonleh quick throughout the Celtics’ season-opening win on Tuesday night time.
Days after locking up one of many Celtics’ remaining roster spots, the Haverhill native discovered himself residing his dream, in uniform for his hometown workforce. But then issues moved shortly. Less than 4 minutes into the sport, Al Horford picked up two fouls – together with a flagrant – within the span of 25 seconds.
Joe Mazzulla pointed to Noah Vonleh as the primary man off the bench. After spending final season in China, Vonleh checked in and was tasked with matching up towards MVP candidate Joel Embiid.
“I was a little surprised,” Vonleh admitted. “But I mean, being a professional, you got to be ready whenever your name is called, I think I did a good job getting ready.”
Vonleh mentioned he was nervous, however ready. But his first minutes didn’t go in addition to he needed. He picked up two fast fouls, obtained blocked on the rim, and Blake Griffin subbed in for him quickly after.
But Vonleh was nonetheless in a position to end the night time giving the Celtics significant minutes. With Horford – who performed simply 23 minutes – in some foul bother a lot of the night time, Vonleh performed 20 invaluable minutes as he tried – and generally succeeded in – slowing down Embiid. He even took a shot to his face for his troubles when the 76ers star made a transfer to the basket, which despatched Vonleh to the ground for a couple of moments.
“For a quick second I was kind of out of it,” Vonleh mentioned. “I had to lay on the floor for a little bit just to gather myself and then when I stood up, I was fine.”
With Rob Williams out for the opening months of the season after his left knee surgical procedure, the C’s frontcourt depth will probably be examined prefer it was on Tuesday night time, with a rotation that features Horford, Vonleh, Griffin, Grant Williams in sure lineups and Luke Kornet as soon as he begins getting minutes. Though Vonleh arrived in Boston on only a coaching camp deal this summer season, he’s shortly earned the teaching workers’s belief to fill necessary minutes.
“He has a great attitude, works hard, really fits into our defensive identity and has the ability to do multiple things,” Mazzulla mentioned. “He switched, he was in drop, he did a bunch of stuff. He just does all of the little things for us. I think that’s where he can help us.”
After a season enjoying in China, Vonleh identified an apparent distinction as he returned to an NBA court docket on Tuesday night time.
“China’s different. I mean, they don’t have no Joel Embiids out there,” Vonleh mentioned.
But he’s additionally attacking his new probability within the NBA with a unique mindset. Vonleh, the No. 9 general choose within the 2014 draft, did some soul-searching when he was in China that appears to be already benefiting him.
“It definitely motivated me,” Vonleh mentioned. “It made me even hungrier. I really feel like I’ve obtained a reasonably good work ethic, however being out of there I used to be simply questioning why and questioning sure issues. But it simply made me extra motivated and made me work lots more durable. I ended up up getting this chance right here and simply making an attempt to take advantage of it. …
“I definitely learned that I have no quit in me. I’m just going to keep going, regardless of the situation, until the wheels fall off. So no matter what’s thrown at me, when adversity strikes I’m just going to keep going.”
Balancing act
The Celtics – particularly in Rob Williams’ absence – really feel like they’re enjoying to their strengths by enjoying small and with a better tempo offensively, and that has already translated effectively. But they need to be certain that they’re not sacrificing an excessive amount of of their defensive identification to take action.
Jayson Tatum expressed some frustration after the Celtics gave up 116 factors, “which we weren’t too happy about,” he mentioned. But though they’re enjoying sooner, which is able to naturally lend itself to giving up extra factors, they’re not shying away from their defensive ideas. And even with out Williams, they’ve the appropriate defensive-minded personnel. There simply could also be an adjustment interval.
“I think it’s just a matter of we got to a point in our system last year where we were able to do different things and I think it’s the same thing this year,” Mazzulla mentioned. “(Tuesday) night, we were able to go to a couple different coverages and we were able to look different but feel physical. I think that’s the most important thing regardless of who plays. We still have to be physical on both ends of the floor.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com