Luka Garza Shines in Celtics' Loss

0:00It's March 31st, Boston Celtics News today starts now, AI powered and ready for kickoff. The Boston Celtics dropped a tough one to the Atlanta Hawks, 112-102 on the second night of a back-to-back. No moral victories for them, but Luca Garza stepped up big time, dropping 20 points on 8 of 9 shooting, including 2 of 3 from deep, with 9 boards in 28 minutes. The Celtics outscored the Hawks by 6 whenever he was on the floor. Garza earned his fifth start this season, because Nehemiah's Keta set out in Nicolavusovic missed his 12 straight with a busted finger. The 27-year-old on a minimum deal made the most of it, showing why he's carving out a real role in the rotation. Fans and analysts are buzzing about his growth. Garza's hitting career highs at 7.5 points per game on 57.7%. Shooting, and he's the team's best from 3 at 43.2%. He credits his Iowa days under Fram McAfry for that high basketball IQ, saying it helps him space the floor, and knock down shots when chances come.

1:06He's bounced back from two stints out of the rotation, one in December, and another after the trade deadline. Garza stays ready because coach Joe Mozilla always gives guys another shot, like he did with Jordan Walsh, who played 31 minutes that night. With playoffs looming, Garza's spot isn't locked. But one thing's clear, it Mozilla calls his number, he's primed to deliver and keep impacting wins.