Head coach Joe Mazzulla declared shortly before the Celtics left for their west coast trip that Al Horford, Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet would comprise the bench unit in Boston’s nine-man rotation when healthy. Then, Luke Kornet got hurt, and when he returned from his adductor strain in Los Angeles for the Christmas Day game against the Lakers — he stayed on the bench while Neemias Queta stood up for a first half stint at back up center.
Queta lasted six minutes in the first half, playing alongside Al Horford in a pairing that saw success through 40 minutes.