Boston —Xavier Tillman was hardly a standout pickup for the Celtics at the trade deadline, unlike many other transactions around the league. However, the fourth-year big man made an impact for Boston in the Celtics’ 138-110 victory over the Mavericks on Friday night.
Tillman has only played garbage time minutes in his first three weeks with his new squad, up until Friday night. Joe Mazzulla didn’t need Tillman because the Celtics had a fully healthy squad and Luke Kornet was playing well off the bench in the center role.
With a powerful offensive opponent in Dallas, Mazzulla opted for a more mobile frontcourt, choosing Tillman over Kornet for the first time this season. Tillman shone in his 15 minutes, shooting 3-for-3 from the field, scoring six points and dishing out two assists. His outstanding performance garnered him high praise from one of his new teammates.
“X looked good out there, man,” Jaylen Brown said. “It’s like, he fit right in. He came right in and made contributions on defense, got a few rebounds, got some stops. Offense, you could tell he got a good feel for the game. A good screen setter. He got big hands so I was able to find him a few times on the baseline and hit him in some of those seam passes and just reading the defense and how they were guarding. X looked real good tonight.”
The Celtics gave up a pair of second round picks and Lamar Stevens for Tillman at the trade deadline last month. The addition was largely assumed to be for depth purposes but a performance like Friday’s against elite completion shows that Tillman may be capable of more.
Tilllman remarked, “It’s been good” about joining the Celtics. “I’m having the opportunity to observe and pick up tips from guys like Al, Payton, and Oshae, who are assisting me in acclimating to our way of life, culture, and when we bring the energy and when everyone is more relaxed. Additionally, DJ McLeay, a member of the coaching staff, has been incredibly helpful to me in helping me with plays, defensive strategies, and other positive stuff.
With the Celtics likely to be resting their key bigs Al Horford and Kristaps Porzingis plenty in the final two months of the season to keep them healthy and fresh for the playoffs, Tillman looks like a guy who could carve out a role for himself.
Mazzulla remarked, “He’s a guy that can help our switchability and still have size.” We felt that switching them again tonight was the right course of action, and it’s a credit to him and the other guys for realizing that’s what matters most. “So that’s one of the things that I’m grateful for with this team, is that they keep an open mind and they have an understanding that we do what’s best for the team and what impacts winning.”
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