SAN ANTONIO — Torrey Craig hasn’t gotten an excessive amount of run since he signed with the Celtics in early March. However you gained’t discover him complaining concerning the scenario.
Up to now, Craig’s tenure in Boston has been every part he anticipated, “and way more,” he advised CelticsBlog at shootaround in San Antonio on Saturday morning.
“The blokes are nice, the coaches are nice, and it’s a successful tradition,” Craig mentioned. “I’m glad to be part of it.”
This season, Craig has appeared in 12 video games with the Celtics, averaging 8.9 minutes an evening. He’s capturing 40% from three-point vary and has made crashing the glass a precedence, averaging 4.1 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes, good for second-best on the crew.
Above all, he’s made an impression amongst Celtics followers as one of the crucial raucous sideline celebrators.
“I get caught up within the sport,” Craig mentioned with a smile when requested about his endless vitality on the sidelines. “I be excited for my teammates, for our crew, and I similar to to have enjoyable.”
Adjusting to a brand new crew midseason
It’s not the primary time Craig has joined a brand new crew in the midst of the season — in 2021, he was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Phoenix Suns midseason, and subsequently turned a key member of the Suns crew that went to the Finals.
However every crew and every acclimation course of is completely different, and with the Celtics, the most important adjustment has been studying all the crew’s defenses.
“Coming right here, there’s extra consideration to particulars of switching defenses on occasion, and the way in which they guard guys and the way in which they sport plan for groups,” he mentioned. “In order that’s been essentially the most tough half — making an attempt to study every part on the fly. However, I’ve been right here lengthy sufficient now, I just about obtained to understanding of how they do issues, and I’m just about caught up.”
Torrey Craig has nearly instantly turn out to be one of many Celtics’ autograph-signers
One thing I seen as quickly as he signed with the crew pic.twitter.com/m4MCe677l8
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) March 15, 2025
Joe Mazzulla has favored what he’s seen from the veteran wing.
“I all the time admire guys like him — been within the league a very long time, come to a brand new scenario, and simply have persistence and type of understanding what we’re making an attempt to do,” Mazzulla mentioned Saturday earlier than the Celtics beat the Spurs.
“He’s performed in significant minutes, he’s performed on the finish of video games, and he actually simply needs to play and desires to compete at a excessive stage. He’s understanding our defensive schemes higher, making reads, speaking, performs with a ton of vitality, and accomplished job pulling down open photographs.”
Nonetheless, it’s rookie Baylor Scheierman who has crammed in backup wing minutes for the Celtics, averaging 18.9 minutes throughout 9 video games in March. Scheierman is capturing 47.4% from three in March and has proven off his playmaking, too.
The rookie’s emergence has meant that Craig on-court alternatives have been restricted. So, at any time when he does get an on-court stint, he’s been useless set on discovering a method to contribute to successful, no matter what that appears like.
“If I do know I’m not taking part in that a lot, I simply need to work out methods to impression the sport, whether or not it’s offensive rebounds, getting a block, getting a steal, making a shot, taking part in protection, getting the deflection,” he mentioned.
“I need to impression the sport in each approach I can. So, if I’m not making photographs, then I’m gonna have an effect on it one other approach. If I’m not getting rebounds, then I’m gonna do that. I simply attempt to discover other ways to impression the sport immediately.”
As Craig mirrored on his evolution with the crew, Jordan Walsh, the Celtics’ youngest participant at 21-year-old, interrupted the interview.
“OG!!!” he belted, squeezing Craig’s shoulders.
The 2 backup wings have fashioned good rapport on the bench, each recognized for his or her wild celebrations when the Celtics rating.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s regular strategy has made it simpler for a man like Craig to search out his footing on the squad.
“I simply admire their demeanor, how they arrive to work every single day,” Craig mentioned. “They don’t get too excessive, get too low. They type of keep the identical, you realize what I’m saying? They’ve been round for a very long time, and been in plenty of clutch video games — been in plenty of video games, interval. They simple guys to suit together with.”
Craig might see postseason minutes if the matchup requires it. His intensive playoff expertise (75 video games, 16.3 minutes an evening) separates him from Scheierman and Walsh.
However, no matter what occurs, he’ll be a beacon of pleasure on the sidelines.
“Stuff like that’s contagious, you realize?” Craig mentioned. “When everybody’s having enjoyable, celebrating your teammates’ success and simply making an attempt to be a constructive vibe on a regular basis for everyone.”
