Patient Tyler Zeller seizes his opportunity against the Knicks
It’s hard to find a Celtics player that has been dealt a tougher hand this season than Tyler Zeller.
One year after averaging 21 minutes per game as the team’s starting center, the seven-footer had not been given the chance to play that many minutes in a single game over Boston’s first 49 contests entering Tuesday night. The constant benchings were largely due to a slow start by Zeller, a crowded frontcourt, and a focus on playing more small-ball by head coach Brad Stevens.
Despite those realities, Stevens was emphatic throughout the year that the Celtics would need to call upon Zeller at some point. That proved to be the case Tuesday night in New York with Knicks center Robin Lopez wreaking havoc on the offensive glass.
Zeller capitalized on his opportunity by posting season-highs across the box score in Boston’s 97-89 win over the Knicks. The 26-year-old had his first double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds and shot 8 of 13 from the field in 27 minutes of action.
Zeller also shut down Lopez on the glass, as the seven-footer grabbed 11 offensive rebounds on the night but none in the fourth quarter when he battled Zeller in the trenches.
“[Tyler] was great,’’ Stevens told reporters in New York postgame. “There’s not a person around here not happy to see him do well. He’s sacrificed quite a bit throughout the whole season for our team.’’
It’s unclear whether the timely performance will lead to more minutes for the big man, who is averaging just 8.8 minutes a contest over 32 games this year. His ability to shake off the rust and give his team what it needed won’t hurt his chances though.
“I really trust him. … He’s a pro,’’ Stevens said. “He’s always ready. I have so much respect for him and David [Lee] for the way they prepare every single day and the way they go about it. It’s been great to see and you root for guys that do that. He’s done that.’’
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