BOSTON -- On paper, offense shouldn't be too hard to come by for the Boston Celtics. Jayson Tatum is one of the best creators in the league. Payton Pritchard is a wizard with the ball in his hands. Paul George is liable to light it up, and Derrick White is an underappreciated ball-handler.
But with Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Pritchard, and White last year, the Celtics still failed to get past 100 points when it mattered most. They sputtered out in the postseason. The offensive well dried up.
Heading into this year, there may be an antidote on the horizon. Or perhaps two antidotes: Neemias Queta and Mitchell Robinson. They both look primed to thrive in this year's Celtics offense.
It's only been a couple of preseason games, and neither the Philadelphia 76ers nor Charlotte Hornets played all of their starters. But the chemistry Queta and Robinson have already displayed with Boston's ball-handlers is promising. Very promising.
"It's been great. Getting to learn their tendencies and what they like to do. So with that, that helps a lot," Robinson said post-game on Wednesday night. "Then talking to him. See what he likes, and he sees what I like, and stuff like that. So, just a lot of communication."
Last year, Queta blossomed into a starting-caliber center. Robinson was one of the league's best backup bigs. Yet both had relatively limited offensive roles.
Queta primarily showed out on defense. He was still getting used to consistent minutes, and the Celtics struggled to find him on the roll at times. Robinson was effectively the New York Knicks' rebound assassin. He was uber-efficient in the pick-and-roll, but New York rarely utilized him in that capacity.
Both guys should see a significant uptick this year. A serious increase in offensive opportunities. And based on the very, very early returns, their activity around the rim should give the Celtics a much-needed additional layer to their offense.
Though this will be just his second season playing big-time minutes, it will mark