Luka Garza is making life easier for the Celtics

Hours before the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks faced off Wednesday night, Luka Garza was already getting to work. He joined the team’s Stay Ready crew, warming up alongside Mitchell Robinson and Jordan Walsh while his father, Frank, watched from courtside near the baseline.

Garza wasn’t in Boston’s Jayson Tatum-less starting lineup, but that didn’t matter. His routine remained the same.

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That’s standard for Garza. Each night, he knows the moment could arrive when Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla calls his number. On Wednesday, it came early, with 5:37 remaining in the first quarter. He checked in for Hugo González and knocked down his first shot — a wide-open 3-pointer from the wing — to extend Boston’s lead over Milwaukee to 25-8.

Down the other end, less than a minute later, Garza came away with a steal. Payton Pritchard capitalized on the extra possession by draining a jumper. Garza knocked down each of his three 3-point attempts to lead the Celtics with 11 points at halftime. Mazzulla didn’t turn to him nearly as much in the second half, but he had already made his impact felt.

In just 18 minutes against Milwaukee, Garza reinforced his reliability.

Oct 14, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Luka Garza (52) shoots the ball during warmups prior to a game against the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He went from playing 8.9 minutes per game through the first five games of the season to averaging 18.7 over the last three against Orlando, Houston and Milwaukee. In return, Garza has rewarded Mazzulla’s increased deployment of the 27-year-old veteran, posting averages of 12.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, and two assists since the start of November.

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Throughout it all, Garza has maintained his knack for creating second chances on the offensive glass. He’s grabbed 15 offensive rebounds, just behind Robinson (17) and Neemias Queta (18) for the team lead. He’s also re-emerged as a dangerous 3-point threat, much like last season. His 52.4% clip from beyond the arc leads the Celtics and ranks first among…

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Publish date : 2026-11-06 10:49:00

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