The Celtics' reserve center appears ready for a bigger role after the 76ers' win

BOSTON – The Celtics will be shorthanded at the center field spot due to Kristaps Porzingis surgery early in the season. Boston's depth chart at center looks less like a question mark with each passing day this preseason.

The Celtics coaching staff wisely gave Al Horford plenty of extra rest and used him for his third straight preseason game against the 76ers on Saturday night. With Porzingis and Horford sidelined, Luke Kornet started at center for the third consecutive season and was everything Joe Mazzulla was hoping for in an expanded role. Kornet scored 15 points and 8 rebounds in his 17 minutes, delivering a remarkable performance in Boston's stunning victory.

Xavier Tillman (11 points) also had a great night of shooting as a backup, but Kornet appears to be the heavy favorite for the regular backup center role after last week. He has developed well in these positions over the last year and has gained more confidence from the coaching staff through his commitment to improving after re-signing on a one-year contract.

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“He worked really hard this summer and I definitely saw him getting better,” Mazzulla said. “Just his screen reading, his distance detection. He's one of our best defenders because he can communicate on the fly the different things we do on every single possession. He also has a great understanding of every possession and I think he's really gotten better offensively so far just through his screening angles and distance recognition. And he keeps getting better.”

Kornet's victim mentality on offense has also made him a favorite among his star teammates. He set up countless hits for Boston's stars in the Celtics' 3-0 preseason win and was rewarded with easy looks at the rim as defense was crucial to the team's effectiveness.

“Luke knows how to play,” Jaylen Brown said. “Being in the right place at the right time, finding him and getting him going helps our offense and everyone else get easy attacks. “So I'm excited for Luke to be able to play on both ends and play for us. He’s a big part of our offense.”

Kornet enters his fourth season in Boston and is clearly benefiting from the continuity he has built with longtime teammates like Brown and Jayson Tatum.

“I’ve been able to play with a lot of these guys for a few years,” Kornet said. “We had a lot of advantages on the pitch today, so it was a bit easier than we probably expected. But yeah, I mean, I think it's a pretty good solid point or starting point, and I think we just have to keep getting better and getting back into the speed of things.”

With so much firepower in the starting lineup, even with Porzingis or Horford sidelined, not too much will be asked of Kornet. He knows what he's good at, even xx years into his career, and that makes him an important part of a contender that looks ready to repeat.