'The Place I Want to be': Celtics Have High Praise for 'Integral' Center

Rob Greene | Oct 2, 2024

Apr 5, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman (26) enters the game against the Sacramento Kings during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

With Kristaps Porzingis missing the first few months of the season and the Celtics carefully managing Al Horford’s workload, Xavier Tillman Sr. will have a significant role in stabilizing the center position for the reigning NBA champions.

The former Michigan State standout was Boston's top acquisition at the trade deadline last season, a move that paid dividends in the NBA Finals, especially with his impact in swinging the outcome of Game 3 in Dallas.

As Tillman gets more comfortable with the Celtics, who he re-signed with this summer, Horford shared his assessment of what he's seen from a player who may be his heir apparent.

“On the court, a guy that’s able to defend pretty well, that can defend out on the perimeter, that has good instincts, and then off the court, he’s blended right in with our group,” Horford told reporters at the Auerbach Center. “He’s super easy-going, it’s just nice to have him around and it’s been like a perfect fit honestly. Him being here, him being with us, he’s about the right things. He’s trying to play to win, and when you have guys like that, it’s very easy to come out here and play.”

“I thought it was a great transition,” Joe Mazzulla said of Tillman's ability to quickly learn the Celtics' system. “I thought he’s really smart, and he picked up on stuff right away. So it’s really great that we have him at the beginning of the year, because I think it helps our versatility. But the transition was great, and it’s seamless. It feels like now he’s been here for a long time. He’s great at asking questions, but he’ll be an integral part of what we do.”

At media day, Brad Stevens stated that Tillman had offseason surgery on his knee at the end of July. He sometimes had to sit when he first came over last season, dealing with some swelling, but he is more than ready to go, locked in as he was in the facility as early as August.

“I feel like when I got here, took me a couple weeks to kind of like really feel comfortable with everybody, really get to know everybody, stuff like that, where now, I feel really comfortable here,” Tillman said. “It started with coach, it started with Brad, just really welcoming me in, and then me getting to know the guys and know what everybody stands for. It made it easy to know, ‘Okay, this is the place I want to be,’ in terms of this is a place where we grind, where we work hard, where we keep basketball where it is and we don’t make it bigger than it needs to be.”

Tillman has also gotten acclimated to the city of Boston.

“We talked about it yesterday at Jrue’s house, we’re very, very comfortable, like, very, very comfortable,” said Tillman. “At first, when I got here, I didn’t know, because I was finishing up my contract, didn’t know how it was all gonna pan out for me. Now, as far as this city and everything, I feel like I know all the streets and I know where I’m going, I know about all them crazy potholes and stuff like that, I’m good. Slowly but surely I’m becoming a part of the city, so I love it.”

Tillman has the talent and intelligence to start at center. In his second season with the Celtics, he could prove as valuable as any of their options at center.

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