Xavier Tillman

Celtics Sign Xavier Tillman To Two-Year Deal

July 2nd, 2024 at 7:08pm CST by Luke Adams

7:08pm: Tillman has officially re-signed with the Celtics, the club confirmed in a press release.

“When we got Xavier at the trade deadline, he came with the reputation of a winner and great teammate,” president of basketball operations Brad Stevens said in a statement. “Xavier is a hard worker who brings grit, toughness, and a team-first mentality that we appreciate. We are excited that Xavier has chosen to come back to the Celtics.”

4:04pm: Another free agent center is returning to Boston, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, who reports (via Twitter) that Xavier Tillman has agreed to a two-year deal with the Celtics. It’ll be a fully guaranteed minimum-salary contract, per Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe (Twitter links).

Tillman is the third Celtics free agent big man to reach a contract agreement with the team since the start of free agency, joining teammates Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta. Thirteen of the 15 players who finished the 2023/24 season on the Celtics’ standard roster now appear poised to return for ’24/25, with only Svi Mykhailiuk and Oshae Brissett unsigned.

Tillman spent his first three-and-a-half seasons in Memphis before being sent to the Celtics at February’s trade deadline. The 25-year-old didn’t see a ton of action down the stretch in Boston, averaging 4.0 points, 2.7 rebounds, and 1.0 assist in 13.7 minutes per contest across 20 regular season appearances. He then logged just 69 total playoff minutes during the team’s title run.

Still, Tillman is a solid interior defender showed in Memphis that he was capable of playing a slightly larger role than the one he had in Boston.

While the Celtics will have no shortage of frontcourt options with Kornet and Queta also returning, Kristaps Porzingis is expected to miss at least the first month or two of the season while recovering from leg surgery and the team won’t want to lean too heavily on Al Horford, so there will be minutes available.

Kristaps Porzingis Will Be Sidelined 5-6 Months Following Surgery

June 27th, 2024 at 9:42am CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics have announced that Kristaps Porzingis will be sidelined for five to six months after undergoing surgery for a torn retinaculum and dislocated posterior tibialis tendon in his left leg, tweets Tim Bontemps of ESPN. His projected recovery timeline means he’ll miss at least the first month or two of next season.

Porzingis wasn’t available for most of the Celtics’ playoff run because of a strained right calf he suffered in the first-round series against Miami. He was able to return for the start of the NBA Finals, but was knocked out of action in Game 2 with the new left leg injury that forced him to have surgery. He made a brief return as Boston won the title in Game 5, but he admitted that he probably made his condition worse by playing.

Injuries have plagued Porzingis throughout his career, but he was relatively healthy for most of the regular season, appearing in 57 games and averaging 20.1 points, 7.2 rebounds and 2.0 assists in 29.6 minutes per night. He negotiated a two-year, $60MM extension after being traded to Boston last summer and is under contract through 2025/26.

Porzingis’ early-season absence increases the Celtics’ urgency to keep at least one of their backup centers. The team will want to be careful with Porzingis when he does return, along with veteran big man Al Horford, who recently turned 38.

Boston holds a $2.2MM team option on Neemias Queta, but Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are unrestricted free agents.

Brian Robb of MassLive suggests the front office should be aggressive on the free agent market in trying to find another big man willing to accept a veteran’s minimum contract, which is all Boston can offer as a second-apron team. He lists former Celtic Daniel Theis as one possibility, along with Mason Plumlee, Andre Drummond and Drew Eubanks.

Celtics Notes: Brown, Horford, Mazzulla, Offseason

June 22nd, 2024 at 5:25pm CST by Arthur Hill

Even the fans who booed when Jaylen Brown‘s name was announced at a 2016 draft party have to admit the Celtics made the right choice, writes Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe. On his way to capturing an NBA title and the Finals MVP trophy, Brown faced plenty of doubters throughout his eight years in Boston, including those who believed he and Jayson Tatum couldn’t play together, those who wanted him traded for Kevin Durant, and those who thought he was wildly overpaid when he signed a five-year, $286MM extension last offseason.

“Just the story and the journey is awesome,” Brown said. “You know, just being drafted here in Boston, like a lot of the people probably didn’t watch me play in the Pac-12 at Cal. It led to a lot of people feeling a way about that. I just came in and kept my head down and told myself, ‘I’m going to just keep working.’ And to be here in this moment now, through all the years, through all the doubt, through all of the ups and downs, through all of the verdicts, through all of the everything, it just makes the story that much sweeter.”

Brown also addressed the possibility of repeating, something no NBA champion has been able to do since 2018. Boston is in position to keep virtually its entire roster intact, which Brown believes will provide an edge.

“I think we have an opportunity. I think we definitely have a window,” he said. “We take it one day at a time. We definitely have to make sure we stay healthy. But, you know, we’ll enjoy the summer, enjoy the moment, and then we get right back to it next year.”

There’s more from Boston:

This year’s title was especially meaningful to 38-year-old Al Horford, who discussed the bonds he has formed with fans throughout New England, per Jay King of The Athletic. Horford was grateful for the chance to return to the Celtics in a 2021 trade after leaving for Philadelphia in free agency in 2019. “I’ve been all over the country and I just haven’t seen the love, the care and the commitment from people towards not only their sports but their community,” he said.
Coach Joe Mazzulla has been dealing with a torn meniscus in his knee, but he was one of the most active figures during Friday’s championship parade, observes Brian Robb of MassLive. Mazzulla, who jumped off his duck boat and ran through the street to high-five fans, said the injury helped him focus during the latter part of the season. “I’ll tell you what, it was one of the best things that happened to me for the rest of the season because it put me in this fight or flight mentality where I could just not relax,” Mazzulla said. “I had to constantly train to keep it pain-free, had to constantly get physical therapy. My physical therapist has been great and it was just awesome. I’ve been thinking about maybe getting hurt every All-Star break.”
Any changes the Celtics make this offseason are likely to come at the margins, notes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Backup centers Luke Kornet and Xavier Tillman are both unrestricted free agents, but Himmelsbach believes Boston likes the flexibility they offer and will try to re-sign them using Bird rights. Oshae Brissett has a player option on his minimum-salary deal, while the team holds an option on Neemias Queta, and Svi Mykhailiuk will be a free agent. Himmelsbach suggests the Celtics might keep a roster spot or two open in case there are ring-chasing veterans willing to sign for a discount. He also notes that Brad Stevens will be picking in the first round at this week’s draft for the first time since taking over as team president. Boston, which holds the 30th pick, hasn’t made a first-round selection since 2020.

Atlantic Notes: Celtics FAs, White, Hauser, Raptors, Missi, Porter

June 18th, 2024 at 7:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Celtics have all of their rotation players signed through next season and they could have even more continuity, according to The Athletic’s John Hollinger. Reserve centers Luke Kornet, Xavier Tillman Sr. and Neemias Queta are headed to free agency but the Celtics are open to bringing any or all of them back if the price is reasonable.

The Celtics are also willing to do more extensions beyond a potential super-max deal for Jayson Tatum. They’re interested in locking up Derrick White and Sam Hauser and both are extension-eligible this offseason. White is eligible for a four-year, $127MM extension — including incentives — and the front office will likely need to go that high to get White’s signature.

The team holds a $2MM option on Hauser’s contract for next season. The Celtics could offer a creative deal with the second tax apron in mind. In that scenario, they’d decline the option, then re-sign him for a lower annual salary and more years than an extension that started in 2025/26.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

The Raptors hold the No. 19 and 31 picks in this year’s draft. The Athletic’s Eric Koreen takes a look at some of the guard prospects they might consider at those spots, including USC’s Isaiah Collier, Duke’s Jared McCain and Houston’s Jamal Shead.
Baylor center Yves Missi participated in a pre-draft workout for the Sixers on Tuesday at their practice facility, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer tweets. The Sixers have picks 16 and 41 in the draft. Missi is ranked No. 23 on ESPN’s Best Available list.
Canadian authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the Jontay Porter betting scandal, ESPN’s David Purdum reports. They will try to determine if a criminal investigation is warranted after evaluating information related to “online betting irregularities from the Jan. 26 and March 20 Raptors games.” Porter was a two-way player for Toronto before he received a lifetime ban from the league.

Celtics Notes: Horford, Tillman, Mazzulla

June 14th, 2024 at 7:36pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics center Al Horford has served as a key component to helping Boston potentially achieve its championship aspirations, opines John Hollinger of The Athletic.

Boston currently leads the Mavericks 3-0 in its NBA Finals series. Since being reacquired by the Celtics in 2021 via trade, Horford has helped guide the club to a pair of Finals appearances across the last three seasons.

This season, the 38-year-old has carved out a definitive role as Boston’s sixth man, backing up starting center Kristaps Porzingis and All-NBA starting power forward Jayson Tatum.

Horford has started 13 of Boston’s 17 playoff games, while Porzingis has alternately been sidelined due to injury or has been working his way back from injury.

A former five-time All-Star and All-NBA Third Teamer, the 6’9″ big man is averaging 9.5 points on .473/.352/.750 shooting splits, plus 7.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists, 0.9 blocks and 0.7 steals per night.

Horford’s abilities to effectively defend at a high level and to stretch the floor have helped him become a uniquely effective role player for this five-out club’s emphasis on long-range sniping and switchable defense, Hollinger notes.

There’s more out of Boston:

Celtics reserve big man Xavier Tillman has been grappling with the unexpected death of his father, Roosevelt, during these playoffs, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Roosevelt passed away at his Grand Rapids, Michigan home on May 19, aged 58. “It was very, very hard, especially because I love basketball and everything that it’s allowed me to do,” Tillman said of his father’s death. “But at the same time, my heart was hurting every day.”
Young second-year Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has totally reconfigured his league-wide reputation thanks to his team’s dominant 15-2 playoff run so far, writes Stefan Bondy of The New York Post. Last season, after being thrust into the head coaching role just before training camp, Mazzulla led the team back to the Eastern Conference Finals, where it eventually fell in seven games to the Heat. “Just being in the interim role was tough [for Mazzulla],” All-Star wing Jaylen Brown reflected. “Even though we weren’t making any excuses, but him inheriting that position, it was a little bit more of uncertainty about what we were doing going forward. It wasn’t his [coaching] staff.”
As The Ringer’s Seerat Sohi observes, Mazzulla’s at-times unorthodox approach to his job has often befuddled his detractors, but it seems, in his second season, as if he’s proving his doubters wrong one by one. “If you’ve ever been in a fight with someone and you think you’re about to beat them, you usually get sucker punched,” Mazzulla said. “The closer you are to thinking you’re going to beat them up, the closer you are to losing.”

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Tillman, Brown, Game 4

June 14th, 2024 at 7:48am CST by Luke Adams

Celtics forward Jayson Tatum has made just 35.9% of his shots from the floor in the NBA Finals, including 29.6% of his three-pointers. While he has contributed in many other ways, including on the boards (8.7 RPG) and as a play-maker (7.3 APG), those poor shooting numbers have made teammate Jaylen Brown the odds-on favorite to be named Finals MVP, assuming Boston finishes off the Mavericks. That’s just fine with Tatum, as he tells Chris Haynes of Bleacher Report.

“Man, I want everybody to be at their best. I want everybody to contribute. Winning will take care of everything,” Tatum said. “Finals MVP or whatever, a champion is a champion. That’s the goal. I want for my teammates what I want for myself. I want everybody to shine. There’s enough attention for all of us. And so, I want everybody to give us theirs.”

Tatum has earned no shortage of individual accolades over the course of his seven-year career, including five All-Star berths, four All-NBA nods (including three as part of the First Team), an Eastern Conference Finals MVP (in 2022), and an All-Star Game MVP (2023). The one thing he feels as if his résumé is missing is a championship.

“I’ve been here before, and I know what it felt like to lose [in the Finals] and that was the worst feeling ever,” Tatum told Haynes. “That was the worst summer I ever had. I made the All-Star team five times. I’m All-NBA first team year after year. The only thing they said I haven’t done is win. I just vowed to myself that if I ever got back to the Finals, then I would literally do whatever I needed to do to ensure that we have a different outcome.”

Here’s more on the Celtics ahead of a potential close-out game on Friday:

Backup center Xavier Tillman averaged just 13.7 minutes per game after being sent to the Celtics at the trade deadline and hasn’t been a regular part of the postseason rotation, appearing in just six of the club’s first 16 playoff games. However, he came up big in Game 3 with Kristaps Porzingis unavailable, hitting a three-pointer, grabbing four rebounds, and blocking a pair of shots. Boston outscored Dallas by nine points in his 11 minutes of action. Al Horford said Tillman was “ready for the moment,” while Derrick White said the big man gave the team “big-time minutes,” per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports. “Obviously we’d love to have KP out there,” Brown said, according to Jay King of The Athletic. “We are different when he is. But X stepped in that role, and I thought he was great.”
Within his story on Tillman, Fischer says that more than a dozen teams had legitimate interest in the big man prior to the trade deadline. Tillman had heard the Suns were another “strong possibility” if he didn’t end up in Boston, Fischer adds.
After nearly letting a 21-point fourth quarter lead slip away in Game 3, the Celtics credited their past experiences on this stage as the reason they were able to buckle down and hang on for the victory, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. “All year long we’ve been hearing about the Celtics are the past, for the last six to eight months, that’s all we’ve been hearing is all the different shortcomings we’ve had in the past,” Brown said. “This is a new team, you know what I mean. We’ve learned from those experiences. And in these moments, you can see that we learned from it. We stepped up to the plate, and we found a way to win.”
Both Brown and Tatum also pointed to last year’s postseason experience – which ended with a home loss to the No. 8 Heat – as a source of motivation this time around. “I mean, last year, just falling short on your home floor, it definitely hurt,” Brown said, per Bontemps. “It was embarrassing, in my opinion. I felt like the team was relying on me. JT got hurt in Game 7 and I dropped the ball. To me, it was embarrassing. It drove me all summer. Drove me crazy.”
Bontemps, Chris Herring, and Brian Windhorst of ESPN shared their biggest takeaways from Game 3 and weighed in on what to expect in Game 4.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Mazzulla, Porzingis, Stevens

June 13th, 2024 at 5:49pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum told reporters that Boston, now leading the Mavericks 3-0 in the Finals, is hardly satisfied after the team nearly surrendered a 21-point second half lead in Game 3 on Wednesday night, writes Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

As Tatum notes, Boston itself fell into an 0-3 hole against the Heat during the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, and ultimately pushed Miami to seven games. Tatum sprained his ankle during the first quarter of that Game 7. The Heat eventually won and advanced to the Finals.

“We really felt like we were going to come back,” Tatum said. “We almost did. You know, we were a sprained ankle away from having like a real shot. So, you know, we are not relaxing or anything like that.”

There’s more out of Boston:

Second-year Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla‘s unique approach to the game has the club on the verge of capturing its record-setting 18th championship, notes Jared Weiss of The Athletic. “Anytime you’re developing a new philosophy or a new style, it just takes time for understanding and execution,” Mazzulla said. Per Weiss, Mazzulla’s philosophy is all about preparation, as well as read-and-react basketball in a variety of situations. As Steve Buckley of The Athletic adds, Mazzulla rose quickly in the ranks from a second-row assistant coach under former head coach Ime Udoka to his current position. Mazzulla takes an unorthodox approach to his film sessions with his team, going so far as to use UFC clips to motivate players.
Some of Celtics coach-turned-team president Brad Stevens‘ less heralded team-building transactions have helped pay dividends for Boston as the Finals have worn on, according to Brian Robb of MassLive.com. With starting center Kristaps Porzingis out in Game 3, Mazzulla opted to use deep-bench reserve big Xavier Tillman behind newly elevated starter Al Horford. Tillman delivered, notching one critical three-pointer, four rebounds and two blocks. Robb also lauds Stevens for his decision to keep the faith in Jaylen Brown, who was frequently mentioned as a possible trade candidate for a more established star earlier in his career.
Kristaps Porzingis wasn’t able to play in Game 3, but there’s a chance he’ll be available in Game 4, Shams Charania of The Athletic said on FanDuel’s Run it Back show (Twitter video link). Mazzulla stressed that Boston’s commanding 3-0 lead won’t impact whether or not Porzingis will try to play on Friday, according to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps (Twitter link). Porzingis is dealing with a posterior tibialis dislocation in his left leg, suffered during Game 2. The 7’2″ center did get an opportunity to put some shots up during practice on Thursday while wearing a brace on his left ankle, per Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe (Twitter links).

Celtics Notes: Game 3, Tillman, Tatum

May 26th, 2024 at 4:20pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

Thanks to an impressive comeback from an 18-point deficit, the Celtics were able to improve their Eastern Conference Finals series edge over the Pacers to 3-0 on Saturday, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. The decisive moment came when All-Defensive guard Jrue Holiday stole the ball from Indiana guard Andrew Nembhard and drew free throws on the other end, helping put Boston up for good. The Celtics would go on to win, 114-111.

After the game, Celtics All-Star shooting guard Jaylen Brown was still reveling in the moment, per Jay King of The Athletic.

“Hang it in the f—ing Louvre,” Brown said of Boston’s winning rally. “Like, it was crazy. We just had a great grit win tonight.”

Brown singled out Holiday for his excellent perimeter defense, writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe.

“Jrue is different,” Brown said. “Nothing really else to say. Jrue is just different.”

There’s more out of Boston:

Celtics big man Xavier Tillman, who will be an unrestricted free agent this summer, helped give Boston a defensive spark off the bench in the Game 3 victory, posting a team-best plus-12 in his 13 minutes of action, notes Souichi Terada of MassLive. “He’s a great screener, he creates separation and he has the gift defensively to be able to play both drop and switch,” head coach Joe Mazzulla said. “So we were able to change our coverages when he was out there pretty frequently. He can guard different matchups because of his ability to play and drop and in switch, and so he just gave us some versatility.”
Celtics All-NBA forward Jayson Tatum submitted a terrific effort in leading the club to the brink of its second NBA Finals berth in the past three seasons, scoring 36 points, grabbing 10 rebounds, and dishing out eight dimes without a turnover. Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports writes that Boston’s cohesion as a unit, highlighted by the efforts of Tatum, Holiday and center Al Horford, seems to suggest the team could be ready to finally earn its first title since 2008.
For more on Boston, be sure to check out our Celtics team page.

Celtics Notes: Tatum, Game 3, Porzingis, Kornet, Holiday

May 25th, 2024 at 7:03pm CST by Arthur Hill

With the Celtics down two centers, Jayson Tatum is ready to spend time in the middle in small-ball lineups, writes Khari Thompson of The Boston Globe. Luke Kornet, who was initially listed as doubtful after spraining his left wrist in Game 2, has been downgraded to out. He’ll be on the bench alongside Kristaps Porzingis, who hasn’t played since April 30 because of a strained right calf.

That leaves Boston with few options behind starter Al Horford. Xavier Tillman played just three minutes on Thursday after missing Game 1 for personal reasons, and Neemias Queta has only made two brief appearances during the playoffs. Tatum admitted that he’s not used to playing center, but added that the team has prepared for this scenario.

“At this point in the season, it’s whatever you’ve got to do to help the team win,” he said. “It doesn’t feel unnatural, but it is something different that we’ve worked on and talked about throughout the season in practices and things like that. So, it’s not like a shock or anything like that.”

Despite a size disadvantage, the Celtics were able to out-rebound Indiana by a 40-37 margin in Game 2, holding 6’11” Myles Turner to just four boards. Tatum said rebounding is a team effort that starts with boxing out the Pacers’ big men.

“We’ve got to rebound. And maybe, it’s not always, ‘I’m getting it,’” he explained. “I’ve got to make sure I’m boxing out (Isaiah) Jackson or Turner, whoever I am guarding and you know five guys got to be in the paint and it’s your job to put a body on a man and somebody else to grab the ball.”

There’s more on the Celtics:

Tatum warns that a series can change quickly, which happened after the Pacers fell behind New York 2-0 in the second round, Thompson adds. Indiana is unbeaten at home in the postseason, and the Celtics will enter hostile surroundings tonight. “I think Game 3 is always the toughest just because you are going to a new environment, their first home game,” Tatum said. “Obviously they’re excited to be back home and we expect a great atmosphere. They’ve been really good at home, so we’ve got to be that much better.”
In his pregame meeting with reporters, coach Joe Mazzulla didn’t offer any clues about when Porzingis or Kornet might be able to return, tweets Jared Weiss of The Athletic. Mazzulla responded to questions about both players by saying he has “no idea.”
The Celtics have determined that Jrue Holiday will be able to play tonight, according to Brian Robb of MassLive (Twitter link). Holiday, who was listed as questionable with a non-COVID illness, went through a pregame warm-up before a final decision was made.

Celtics Notes: Brown, Tatum, Kornet, Brissett

May 24th, 2024 at 7:03pm CST by Luke Adams

After earning All-NBA honors for the first time a year ago as a member of the Second Team, Celtics swingman Jaylen Brown wasn’t included on the 2023/24 All-NBA teams that were announced on Wednesday. Brown responded on Thursday by performing like the best player on the court in Boston’s Game 2 win over Indiana, racking up 40 points on 14-of-27 shooting in 38 minutes of action.

Asked after the game if the All-NBA snub served as extra motivation entering Thursday’s contest, Brown initially responded, “No I wouldn’t say that. I mean, we’re two games from the (NBA Finals). So honestly, I don’t got the time to give a f–k.”

However, as Brian Robb of MassLive.com writes, when reporters pressed Brown on his thoughts on the All-NBA voting results, the Celtics star admitted to feeling as if not everyone fully appreciates his game.

“I watch guys get praised and anointed who I feel are half as talented as me on either side of the ball,” Brown said. “But at this point in my life, I just embrace it. It comes with being who I am and what I stand for, and I ain’t changing that. I just come out and I’m grateful to step out onto the floor each and every night, put my best foot forward and get better each and every year. Whether people appreciate it or not, it is what it is.”

While Brown didn’t get enough votes from media members to make an All-NBA team this season, his teammates certainly believe he deserved a spot, as Jay King of The Athletic relays.

“I don’t know what they missed, but Jaylen Brown is one of the 15 best players in this game,” Celtics guard Derrick White said. “The whole season, both sides of the ball, he just did so much for us to help us win games, which is the meaning of the game. It’s a shame.”

Here’s more on the Celtics:

Jayson Tatum, who made the All-NBA First Team for a third consecutive year, referred to the honor as “special” and said he doesn’t take it for granted, per Karen Guregian of MassLive.com. “I’m thankful to everybody that’s helped me along the way,” Tatum added. “Success is not something you can achieve by yourself. There’s a lot of people that deserve credit in helping me get to where I’m at.”
In addition to officially ruling out Kristaps Porzingis (calf strain) for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference finals, the Celtics announced today (via Twitter) that Luke Kornet is considered doubtful to play on Saturday. Kornet sprained his left wrist in Thursday’s victory. Assuming Kornet is unavailable, the Celtics could rely on smaller lineups when Al Horford rests or could turn to backup center Xavier Tillman, who returned on Thursday and played three minutes after missing Game 1 for personal reasons.
With Kornet unavailable for most of Game 3, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla gave playing time to forward Oshae Brissett, who provided a surprise spark after not playing for nearly two weeks, Robb writes for MassLive.com. Brissett scored just two points in his 12 minutes off the bench, but he recorded three steals and matched Brown’s team-high +18 plus/minus mark. “Just trying to do everything I can to get the win,” Brissett said. “Try to do everything I can to give us some energy. We were playing really well. But going into that time, we could definitely turn things around, positive or negative. So I feel like I did a good job of turning us in the positive way and keeping that energy up.”

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