Former Toronto Raptors big man Chris Boucher signed with the Boston Celtics in part because he wanted more opportunity to get on the court and show how he can help a team. But since joining the Celtics, the Saint Lucia native has only appeared in less than half of Boston's 17 games this season while playing the least minutes of his career sine his second season in the league -- and this with the Celtics' frontcourt as thin as it has been in years.
Asked about how Boucher is taking the reality of his stint in Boston vs. his expectations coming into it after a recent practice, Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla replied "I think he's handling it well. I think he has an understanding of (that) he could play on any given night."
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement"He has an understanding that when he's in there, it's his job to impact winning," added the Celtics coach. "I thought he gave us some energy plays. I thought he gave us some effort (against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, Nov. 23).
Nov 23, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Orlando Magic forward Jamal Cain (8) shoots the ball while Boston Celtics forward Chris Boucher (99) defends during the first half at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images"We were able to be a little bit versatile on the defensive end. And it's always hard for a guy that hasn't played in a lot of games to go in and have to execute at game speed," said Mazzulla, "and I thought he did that for us."
"So it's a credit to him, especially being in the league for as long as he has. And at the same time, it just validates anybody could help (us) win at any time -- and we all have to be ready to do that."
Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on:
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSpotify: https://tiny.ee/CdKp
iTunes: https://tiny.ee/RK47
YouTube: https://tiny.ee/cOW3
This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: It's his job to impact winning: Mazzulla on Boucher's role with Celtics
AdvertisementAdvertisement
