Luka Garza was not in Boston's lineup for Game 1 against the 76ers on Sunday, a sharp shift after he started the Celtics’ regular-season finale against Orlando just over a week earlier.
Garza had 27 points, 12 rebounds, one assist, one steal and three 3-pointers in 38 minutes on April 12, helping Boston beat Orlando 113-108. On Sunday, he was set to serve in a backup role behind Neemias Queta and Nikola Vucevic as the playoff opener arrived. Rotations tend to shrink once the postseason begins, and that usually leaves fewer minutes for players who had larger roles late in the regular season.
The move shows how quickly a team’s needs can change when the games matter most. Garza’s production against Orlando made him a notable option entering the playoffs, but the opener against Philadelphia made clear that Boston was leaning elsewhere as it sorted out its rotation.
For Garza, the immediate question is not whether he can contribute — he already answered that in the finale — but whether there is room for him once the playoff minutes tighten.
