Jaylen Brown shares what he doesn't want from the Celtics in preseason opener

Wednesday, the Boston Celtics tip off their four-game exhibition slate with a preseason opener against the Memphis Grizzlies at FedExForum. Before flying out on Tuesday, the team held a three-hour practice session on Monday at the Auerbach Center.

Jaylen Brown described it to Hardwood Houdini as, "Physical, intense pace. The coaching staff has done a good job of setting the tempo on pace. This preseason has probably been my hardest preseason, I think I've had [from] a conditioning standpoint and a physicality standpoint, but that's what we're going to need this season."

The 2024 NBA Finals MVP also shared with Hardwood Houdini what he wants to see from the Celtics in Wednesday's first exhibition game against the Grizzlies.

"Set the tone on defense," stated Brown. "Pick up the pace. Intensity from day one is what I want to see. We don't want to ease into the season. First preseason game, let's get right to it."

What Joe Mazzulla wants to see from the Celtics on Wednesday

While plenty of roster holdovers remain, Boston also underwent a significant makeover this offseason. Like Marcus Smart and Robert Williams before him, gone is another stalwart in Al Horford. Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday were core members of the team the last two seasons. They're now with the Atlanta Hawks and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.

Those changes don't just change the equation for the Celtics from a talent perspective. It means they must balance sharing the floor with familiar teammates they're already in synch with while building continuity with new arrivals.

Training camp is an essential part of that process. Now, the progress made on that front will start to get tested in a game setting against external competition.

After Monday's lengthy practice session, when Joe Mazzulla met with the media, he addressed what he wants to see from his team against Memphis.

"Make sure everybody on the team plays. Make sure the guys know their jobs, know what they're supposed to do. So, the priority is [to] get guys to play and evaluate where we're at and where we need to get better."

The Celtics pushed themselves hard Monday at the Auerbach Center. Between that and Mazzulla saying he wants to ensure everyone on the team plays, those may be signals that Wednesday's exhibition opener will feature more minutes for players who are not established starters and rotation fixtures.

That they play again on Friday and Sunday is another factor in managing everyone's workload on Wednesday night in Memphis.

Red Sox Top Prospect Expected To Debut Friday

The Boston Red Sox are reportedly adding yet another promising young player to their roster.

According to Ken Rosenthal, Payton Tolle is expected to debut for the Red Sox on Friday against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Christopher Smith also reported the news.

Tolle is a 6-foot-6 left-handed pitcher who began the season in High-A Greenville. He didn’t pitch in the minor leagues at all last season after being selected in the 2024 MLB draft, but he’s shot through the minors on his way to Boston this year.

The move is yet to be made official, and his role is unclear. The Red Sox have an opening in their rotation on Friday with Dustin May’s start pushed back to Saturday, but Tolle could appear after an opener.

He’s made three appearances with Triple-A Worcester and topped out at 72 pitches. His most recent outing was a five-inning, one-run outing in which he struck out nine. The Red Sox will want to monitor his innings in his first professional season. With a rested bullpen, his debut likely won’t be more than 70 or so pitches.

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His fastball is one of the best in the minor leagues, and he uses his huge frame to stride down the mound and help the already solid velocity play even better. He also uses a cutter, slider, changeup and curveball, but the fastball is his best pitch.

If he does start, he’ll be up against Paul Skenes, arguably the best pitcher in baseball. The Pirates’ lineup isn’t the most formidable, though. The Pirates rank last in baseball in runs per game and have the fifth-worst wRC+ against left-handed pitching.

Alex Cora expects Fenway Park to be an electric atmosphere this weekend. If the Red Sox do call up Tolle, it should only add to the excitement.

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