Kemba Walker, Brad Stevens Confident In Tacko Fall’s Future With Celtics

https://nesn.com/2019/11/kemba-walker-brad-stevens-confident-in-tacko-falls-future-with-celtics/




Kemba Walker, Brad Stevens Confident In Tacko Fall’s Future With Celtics



by Chris Grenham

on Fri, Nov 1, 2019 at 4:31PM



As the Boston Celtics look to extend their winning streak to four Friday night at TD Garden, Tacko Fall is roughly 100 miles north in Portland, Maine developing his game.

The 7-foot-5 center got his first NBA regular-season action Saturday, scoring four points in four minutes against the New York Knicks. But G League training camps kicked off Monday, meaning Fall and fellow two-way player Tremont Waters reported north to be with the Maine Red Claws. He’s got a long way to go in his development as an NBA player, but Kemba Walker and Brad Stevens are confident in the 23-year-old big man.

“One day he’ll be with us full time, for sure,” Walker told ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan. “He’s talented, and he works so hard. I don’t think people understand things he can do for his size. He surprised me with his ability to get up and down the court.”

That’s been a feeling across the board early in Fall’s career. He moves well for his size, which is key in today’s NBA. Stevens reiterated this as well, but also noted that the speed of the game is something he’ll need to adjust to, just like every other rookie entering the league.

“He actually does a pretty good job of sitting down, guarding the pick-and-roll,” Stevens said. “Now, there’s going to be some matchups that are very tough. And then there’s getting the speed of the game down. … I don’t care how fast you are, whether you are Kemba Walker or Jaylen Brown, there’s still a transition in learning the speed of the game. It’s the hardest part for young players.”

Fall, along with Waters, can be with the Celtics for no more than 45 days this season, per two-way contract regulations, meaning he’ll spend the majority of his rookie year with the Red Claws. He’s yet to log any days on that 45-day clock, as his time spent with the Celtics last week was prior to the start of G League training camp.



bob
MY NOTE:  He has been activated for tonight's game, with Kanter and Williams both out.  This is Day 1 of the 45 maximum two-way players are allowed to be with the NBA team during a season.  Two-way players are NOT playoff-eligible.


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dboss wrote:Bob I thought he played in one game already

dboss,

The clock starts when the G-League season begins, not when the NBA season begins. The Knick game was played a day or two before the start of the Red Claws season and, therefore, didn't count towards the 45 day max.


bob


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