With Xavier Tillman staying with the Boston Celtics through 2026, they will need him to do well in the role they give him. Tillman may be a backup, but Bleacher Report’s Grant Hughes explained why he considers him their “biggest X-factor (no pun intended).”
Hughes explained why Tillman could be so important for the Celtics in an August 17 story.
“For as long as Kristaps Porzingis is out to start the 2023-24 season, the Boston Celtics will handle the center position on a night-to-night basis. Most times, Xavier Tillman should be the first man up,” Hughes wrote.
Hughes then explained how Tillman’s skillset could develop into something reminiscent of another big man on the Celtics roster.
“Tillman is an elite switch defender for a big man, has great hands, grades out as an excellent facilitator, and rarely turns the ball over. Add a credible three-point shot, and Tillman’s scouting report would read a lot like Al Horford‘s.
“Boston obviously trusts the 38-year-old vet more than either Tillman or Kornet, but Horford can’t be expected to log more than the 26.8 minutes per game he managed last season. The closer Tillman gets to replicating Horford’s shooting, the more he’ll allow the Celtics to sustain the style they like.”
Xavier Tillman Became a Celtics Playoff Hero in 2024
As a mid-season acquisition, Tillman didn’t have many expectations going into the 2024 Playoffs. However, once Porzingis went down with an injury, the Celtics needed bodies to spell Horford. Tillman, Luke Kornet, and Oshae Brissett did their best to fill that void.
Tillman stood out as a playoff hero when he helped the Celtics take an insurmountable 3-0 lead over the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals. Most will remember him for the three-pointer he made to increase the Celtics’ lead to 13 in the third quarter.
However, Tillman’s individual defense fit seamlessly with the team, leading to some impressive defense sequences from him in isolation.
Because Porzingis was out again with an ankle injury, the Celtics needed Tillman’s boost in Porzinigis’ absence. His presence played a role in the Celtics’ beating the Mavericks in a gentleman’s sweep.
Tillman left a good enough impression for the Celtics to re-sign him in free agency.
Xavier Tillman Reflects on Big Game 3 Shot
Though Tillman’s calling card is his defense, he’s remembered most these days for his Game 3 shot. While talking on Spaces on NBA’s X account, Tillman explained what was going on leading up to when the shot fell in.
“I made it and I looked right at the bench because I think Dereck Lively was right behind me when I shot it and he was like, ‘(expletive) no,’” Tillman said, as transcribed by MassLive’s Souichi Terada. “So when I hit it, I looked right at him and smiled and was like, ‘Yep.’”
He explained why it felt so rewarding to hit that shot.
“That was a pretty cool moment because the art and the love and the passion of basketball is all about being competitive. So for me to be able to back up how I was playing and feeling and talking trash, that was an amazing feeling.”
Again, Tillman is not a floor-spacer, but if he can hit the shot at an average rate, he can become a valuable contributor for the Celtics.
