Luka Garza is putting in some serious offseason work, and thank goodness, because those foul numbers from last season’s playoffs were an absolute gut punch. Celtics assistant D.J. MacLeay wasn’t messing around either, heading all the way to Washington D.C. just to get down and dirty with Boston’s big man, locking in on his defense. You just know they didn’t waste a single minute.
The Foul Trouble That Demanded A Grind
Garza’s dad, Frank, told CLNS Media/CelticsBlog on the Celtics Daily Podcast that their summer sessions were relentless. We’re talking 90 possessions focused solely on defense, zeroing in on things like drop coverage and screen-and-roll work. Frank put it perfectly, saying that for a center, 90% of the game you don’t even have the ball, so you better be practicing 90% without it. That’s a philosophy right there, isn’t it? It means grinding on boxing out, getting your hands right, drilling those foot movements, and just improving every single defensive aspect. This kind of intense focus makes total sense when you look at how things played out last season. Garza was an incredibly reliable NBA reserve, putting up 8.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.0 assist, shooting a sweet 57.7% from the field and 43.3% from three in just 16.2 minutes per game during the regular season. But then the playoffs hit, and foul trouble absolutely doomed him against Philadelphia. He was committing a wild 8.5 fouls per 36 minutes, a huge jump from his 5.2 during the regular year. With Neemias Queta moving into the starting center spot and Mitchell Robinson arriving via free agency, Garza is looking at a depth role this season. His ability to stay on the court without fouling out is going to be massive for his minutes.
Fighting For Every Defensive Rebound
It wasn’t just about avoiding fouls, either. Defensive rebounding was another huge area of focus for Garza and his crew. While he had a standout season on the defensive glass, they want him to fight for those loose balls way more often. Think about it: at Iowa and early in his NBA career, he’d often box out so other guys could swoop in for the rebound. That’s a good team play, sure, and with Jayson Tatum returning for a full season, that’ll still be part of the strategy. But they need Garza to snag those boards himself sometimes. Just look at the numbers from last season: Queta clocked in with a 22.7% defensive rebounding rate, while Garza was at 12.0%. Then you’ve got Robinson, who was arguably the league’s best rebounder in 2026, posting a dominant 26.1%. Mazzulla and the coaching staff actually leaned into using rebounding wings like Josh Minott over Garza early in the 2025-26 schedule because of defensive struggles and the Celtics’ “immense issues on the defensive glass.” They always planned to bring him back, but he clearly needed that reset.
So, here we are, heading into the 2026-27 season. Luka Garza has proven he can be a solid contributor offensively. If this intense offseason defensive work, especially on fouls and defensive boards, actually translates to the court, he’s going to be a much bigger asset off the bench. We’re talking about a player who can really make a difference if he can stay out of foul trouble and own the glass. It’s going to be exciting to watch if all that D.C. grind pays off.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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