What happened
Boston finished the preseason 4-0 and used a developmental starting five in its finale, then waived the camp players who started that game a few hours later. The article says Joe Mazzulla has shown he can mix and match lineups, which leaves several regular-season roles unsettled.
Jayson Tatum looked close to his pre-injury form, while Payton Pritchard said he cares more about minutes than whether he starts. The piece also notes that Mitchell Robinson and Neemias Queta are expected to split most of the center minutes, but the fifth starter could vary by if
That matters because Boston may not have a fixed starting five right away, and its wing and center rotations could change by matchup. The main unknown is whether Mazzulla prioritizes defense, spacing, or bench balance when he fills the last starter spot.
Automated brief based on the linked report. Lineup context is analysis; official starting-five labels come separately from our game data provider.
Original reporting: Five reasons for optimism about Celtics, and some lingering questions — Yahoo Sports ↗