Tacko Fall was called in to take the place of the shorthanded Boston Celtics on Friday night, and the big man answered the doorbell.
Fall quickly made his presence felt in the first quarter of the C’s-Wizards showdown with a huge block at Russell Westbrook. From there, the 2.13 meter phenomenon settled in a productive 19 minutes off the bench. He would end with four points, eight rebounds and three blocks in Boston’s 116-107 victory.
Celtics-Wizards overreactions: time for more Tacko?
No one was happier with Fall’s success than Celtics coach Brad Stevens.
“I thought he looked great tonight. I thought he changed the game in a number of ways there, when he went into the first quarter, he went back and forth,” said Stevens after the game. “One of the things that we were missing without those guys here is a little bit of physicality and some rim protection. He provided both in style, so I thought he was amazing.”
“We just chose him in the locker room. I couldn’t be happier for the guy. He goes from not working for two ways to still in two ways, but like last year in the bubble, he didn’t wear half the time … Everything he does is smile. He’s a great teammate, as good as I’ve been living, and he works. He’s just one – he’s a good teammate, for sure. And I’m really happy for him. “
There could be a lot more Tacko Time where it came from. Tristan Thompson, Robert Williams and Grant Williams will lose at least a week due to health and safety protocols, meaning that Fall will likely be asked to provide more quality minutes for Boston’s second unit.
The Celtics’ next game is a Sunday night fight against the Miami Heat. The tip is set for 7 pm, but be sure to tune in “Celtics Pregame Live” at 6 pm for a preview of the match.