Kadeem Allen is no different than any other player drafted by an NBA team.
Playing is nice, but getting a chance to start?
Now that’s special.
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Allen got that chance on Tuesday in Boston’s 106-102 loss at Milwaukee, courtesy of injuries and illnesses which continue to ravage the Celtics roster with the latest victim being Terry Rozier (left ankle) who is questionable for Wednesday’s game at Toronto.
“It felt good to get your first career start in the NBA,” Allen, who played a career-high 23 minutes, told reporters after scoring two points on 1-for-4 shooting to go with two rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot. “My coaches and teammates lifted me up the whole game, told me to just play my game and if I make mistakes just keep playing.”
Allen, drafted by the Celtics with the 53rd overall pick in last June’s NBA draft in large part because of his potential defensively, has spent most of this season with the Maine Red Claws of the NBA’s Gatorade League.
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The NBA moves at a much faster pace than G-League, something Allen’s body reminded him of early in Tuesday’s loss.
“In the beginning, the first five minutes I was a little tired,” Allen said. “I got caught up with the speed of the game and things slowed down.”
Indeed, Allen and his ball-hawking defensive skills helped Boston get off to an 18-9 start.
While Allen’s numbers weren’t impressive, Celtics head coach Brad Stevens liked a lot of what he saw from the rookie.
“He was a real plus tonight,” said Celtics head coach Brad Stevens.
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Boston’s Jaylen Brown knows better than most that, despite Allen’s G-League status, he’s a player that will only improve with more time and experience.
During Brown’s lone season at Cal, one of the toughest defenders against him was Allen who played at Arizona.
“I couldn’t stand going against Kadeem,” Brown said. “He’s like a cornerback out there. He can play.”