Potential breakout performer
Xavier Tillman
At this year's trade deadline, the Grizzlies made the notable decision to part ways with tweener big Xavier Tillman, opting to trade him to the Celtics in exchange for Lamar Stevens and the rights to two future second-round picks.
A player GM Zach Kleiman has gone on record calling one of the true "drivers of the locker room" for Memphis throughout his four-year stint with the organization, his arrival in Beantown provided Boston with a battle-tested player who has been a part of deep playoff runs in the past and has served both as a starter and second-unit contributor along the way.
Even Al Horford expressed his excitement for Tillman's addition to the rotation, noting in a post-deadline media session: "He’s a guy that's played on good teams and understands how to play. I look forward to playing with him and seeing how he can help us down the stretch."
Now, during the second round of the postseason, the Celtics may need to see what kind of benefits his presence within the lineup could have on the team, as coach Joe Mazzulla could call on his number more often moving forward what with the recent injury to and questionable availability of star big, Kristaps Porzingis.
big bucket pic.twitter.com/F52bkwmlid
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 6, 2024
Tillman is a high-energy brand of baller who uses his underrated two-way skill set and overall strength to mask his rather limited verticle measurements (6-foot-7).
Last we saw the 25-year-old logging extensive minutes within a lineup was with the Grizzlies earlier this season, where he posted averages of 6.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks while registering a stellar defensive box plus-minus of +2.2.
Should he be able to tap back into this type of productivity in round two, it would only benefit this hungry yet hobbled C's team.