Xavier Tillman is an effective participant who helped the Celtics run on the championship final 12 months and can assist them this 12 months. Nonetheless, Boston has a crowded middle room so what sort of function will Tillman have this season?
First let’s go over Tillman as a participant.
Tillman is a restricted offensive participant. He isn’t a pick-and-roll participant. In Memphis final 12 months, they scored simply 0.67 factors per possession when Tillman was the display setter in pick-and-rolls. That quantity was 2nd worst on the crew, with solely Luke Kennard being worse. Because of this, Boston didn’t use him of their pick-and-roll sport after the commerce.
Nonetheless, his three-point shot has improved through the preseason.
Tillman shot 55% on threes within the preseason, albeit a small pattern measurement. The three-out-4 from above the break is encouraging however it’s only 4 makes an attempt and never sufficient to make a definitive assertion. All through his profession, Tillman has been unhealthy from past the arch at simply 27% for his profession. In fact, his shot in Recreation 3 is one we’ll all bear in mind:
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For his profession, the three-point shot has not been there, however I’m hopeful that it’ll begin to come round this season however there isn’t any assure of that.
Tillman was excellent contained in the arch post-trade final 12 months, capturing 68% from two-point vary and 71% on pictures lower than ten ft from the basket. He isn’t a ineffective offensive participant — only a restricted one.
The strongest a part of Tillman’s sport is his protection. Through the 2023 playoffs, he was the beginning middle for Memphis on account of accidents to Steven Adams and Brandon Clarke. In response to PBP Stats, Memphis’ protection was 9.9 factors higher per 100 possessions with Tillman on the courtroom versus when he was on the bench. Tillman is a really versatile defensive participant; he can transfer his ft in area very nicely and can even guard facilities nicely.
Within the playoffs final 12 months, there was a noticeable distinction when Tillman was on the market and when Luke Kornet was on the market. Kornet had an important preseason and can seemingly see a bulk of the common season reps however Tillman is much less exploitable in a playoff sequence. The numbers again that up.
In 133 playoff minutes, the Celtics have been -7.0 factors per 100 possessions and gave up 114.8 factors per 100 possessions with Kornet on the courtroom. When Tillman was on the market, the Celtics have been +20.0 and gave up 100.0 factors per 100 possessions in 69 minutes. Thus, whereas the pattern measurement was small, Tillman was the higher participant within the playoffs.
So the query needs to be requested; what is going to Xavier Tillman’s function be this season?
As was talked about in my Celtics roster rankings, 21% of Tillman’s minutes after the commerce got here on the 4. I anticipate that quantity to both stay there or leap due to what number of helpful facilities the Celtics have.
It is for that reason that the crew needs Tillman to turn into extra of a menace from 3-point vary. Having 2 non-shooters on the courtroom, Kornet and Tillman, wouldn’t be very Mazzulla Ball-like, so anticipate Tillman to proceed to take extra three pointers.
It is going to be good to have Tillman with Porzingis out till round Christmas and Horford not taking part in back-to-backs however the place does Tillman get his minutes when Horford is within the lineup?
Might he be that ninth man within the Celtics rotation? This may permit the crew to make use of much less of their different facilities and play greater extra typically. Horford and Tillman solely performed 77 minutes mixed collectively within the common season and playoffs however with a +21.7 internet score within the common season and a +50.0 internet score in playoffs, there are optimistic indicators that there might be some juice to these lineups.
Lots of people need Jordan Walsh to get these minutes, however Tillman has extra expertise and is a greater participant at this stage of their careers. Although Walsh did have an excellent preseason, I’d lean Tillman to be the Celtics ninth man early within the season.
When Porzingis is again. Tillman shall be a helpful member of the keep prepared crew however till then, X has an actual probability to carve out a job for himself.
