The Boston Celtics’ small-ball lineups have value. They add additional speed, offensive versatility, and unpredictability to the floor. But with no bigs on the court, Boston had to find screening elsewhere. Against the Detroit Pistons, Hugo Gonzalez stepped into that role very subtly.
He wasn’t setting a screen every possession, and he obviously can’t replace what Neemias Queta brings to the table as a screener, but he did his job. Gonzalez found ways to create space for ball-handlers with off-ball cutting and impressive timing. It was the sort of under-the-radar skill that could help him provide value to different looks Joe Mazzulla wants to throw onto the court.