The 2025-26 NBA season is more than two months old and the Boston Celtics have largely exceeded expectations so far, entering Monday third in the Eastern Conference standings at 19-12.
One of the biggest reasons for Boston’s first half success has been Jaylen Brown’s All-Star caliber play, but the casual basketball fan may not know about one of the other key parts of the Celtics’ hot start.
Boston center Neemias Queta has shaken off an early season ankle injury to have the best season of his career through the team’s first 31 contests.
ESPN’s Zach Kram named Queta as one of the top three contenders for the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year award on Monday, putting him behind only Jalen Johnson of the Atlanta Hawks and Deni Avdija of the Portland Trail Blazers.
“Among at least a dozen other reasonable candidates for the final spot on this early ballot, Queta gets the nod because of his importance to an overachieving Celtics squad,” Kram wrote. “In the first extended starting stretch of his career, as a fill-in for the departed Al Horford, Kristaps Porzingis and Luke Kornet, the Celtics have a plus-6.6 net rating with Queta on the court, versus just plus-2.6 without him.”
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The former second-round pick has played in and started 29 of the Celtics’ first 31 games this season and leads the team in rebounds (7.9) per contest and field goal percentage (.654).
Featured image via Trevor Ruszkowski/Imagn Images
