How a Breakout Season is Shaping One Celtics Starter
For the Boston Celtics, opportunities rarely come without pressure, especially for players stepping into meaningful roles on a contender. This season, Neemias Queta has found himself learning that reality in real time. It is his first time holding down a starting role during a breakout campaign, and each game has accelerated his development. Those experiences are quickly becoming the foundation of his growth and the reason his season has taken a significant step forward.
That progress was on full display during the Celtics’ previous matchup last Wednesday, when they secured a blowout win over the Indiana Pacers, 119-104, and Queta delivered one of his most complete performances of the year. He finished with 17 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks, consistently altering shots at the rim and controlling the paint defensively. His presence was felt beyond the box score, as Indiana drivers repeatedly hesitated when attacking the basket. For Queta, the improvement is rooted in familiarity and repetition. “I feel like the repetition and consistently seeing different looks,” Queta explained. “Everything’s just becoming clearer for me and I’m getting better at it.”
Queta’s rise has come with understandable skepticism. Entering the season, questions surrounded whether the 26-year-old could be trusted as Boston’s starting center, especially after the Celtics lost their entire top-three center rotation from last year in Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford, and Luke Kornet. Queta, once a two-way player, became the last traditional big man standing. While he showed flashes during his first two seasons and carved out a role as a reliable backup last year, stepping into a starting role represented an entirely different challenge. The margin for error is thinner, and every mistake is magnified.
Queta’s defensive impact has become clearer with experience. “By being present early and communicating to my teammates that I have their backs, it’s just so much easier for our defense, and I think our role just gets clearer,” Queta said. That understanding of timing, positioning, and communication reflects lessons learned through sustained minutes and repeated defensive reads at the NBA level. Rather than chasing highlights, Queta has focused on controlling space, staying vertical, and trusting team schemes. Teammates have taken notice of that growth and reliability. Jaylen Brown emphasized Queta’s importance to the group, saying, “We rely on Neemi a lot. He’s just got to keep working.” That trust signals Queta’s transition from a situational big to a dependable part of Boston’s defensive identity.
As the NBA season reaches its midpoint, it is clear Queta’s breakout is built on more than numbers. The Celtics are watching a player grow into responsibility through experience, accountability, and trust. Those lessons are irreplaceable, and they are shaping not only Queta’s present role but his future in Boston. For a team with championship ambitions, that kind of internal growth could prove just as valuable as any external addition.
