Having been the star on just about every team he has played for, Celtics rookie guard R.J. Hunter is no stranger to having the ball in his hands a lot.
But a point guard, he is not; at least not until Friday.
With illness and injuries robbing the Celtics of having Marcus Smart (strep throat) and Terry Rozier (knee) available for the second straight preseason game, combined with a focus on limiting player’s minutes, the “Next man up” model was in full effect, which led to Hunter spending some time playing point guard in a 101-95 loss to the New York Knicks.
And Hunter, a 6-foot-6 shooting guard, handled the position change with poise - similar to how he has dealt with most of what has come his way since becoming an NBA player when Boston selected him with the 28th overall pick in the NBA draft.
“It was the first time I played point since middle school,” Hunter admitted to reporters after the loss.
But let’s keep Boston’s experiment with Hunter at the point in perspective.
By no means did Hunter do well enough at the position to be considered as a viable option for any extended period of time.
After Smart, Boston’s next point guards are Isaiah Thomas, Evan Turner and Rozier.
But with coach Brad Stevens wanting to limit his guys to 16 minutes or less on Friday, that forced him to put Hunter on the floor to run the point at different times in the second half.
Still, the position change showed yet again how Hunter seems more than capable of handling whatever challenges come his way.
And that ability to make an impact, even when asked to play a position that forces him out of his comfort zone on the court, has given rise to the idea that Hunter could be a contributor off the bench this season beyond just spot duty.
Hunter is averaging 20.9 minutes per game in the preseason which is tops among all Celtics players who have not started at least one preseason game.
Initially it was thought that Hunter would spend most of this season with the Celtics’ Development League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws.
But Hunter is playing with such poise and confidence, he has to be under some consideration for a spot in the team’s rotation, which is still guard-heavy without him.
Smart and Avery Bradley are the two starters in the backcourt, with Isaiah Thomas coming off the bench to help solidify the team’s core perimeter unit, which will log most of the minutes this season.
And let’s not forget Evan Turner, who led the team in assists last season with 5.5 per game, and who will also figure prominently inside the rotation.
That leaves Hunter in a fight for minutes in the backcourt with fellow rookie Rozier, who has also had moments this season when he has been really good statistically.
Like every other Celtics player, Hunter wants to play as much as possible. But in his short time in Boston, he has come to realize that patience in many respects might be the most important trait for a rookie to have.
But if Hunter continues to play as he has through most of the preseason, Stevens will find a way to get him some minutes on the court.
Still, Hunter isn’t about to let speculation about his playing status spiral out of control.
“It’s preseason. He’s [Brad Stevens] just messing with lineups. Every opportunity I get, I just want to go out and do my thing; not do anything more,” Hunter said. “Just play the right game and make the right plays.”