Forsberg: These two players must step up for suddenly small C's

Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens has trotted out a two-big starting lineup for much of the season in large part because the team’s best health was at the center position.

That’s no longer the case.

The Celtics announced Friday that three frontcourt players — Robert Williams, Grant Williams, and Tristan Thompson — are out due to health and safety protocols related to COVID-19.

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Three thoughts on the bind this puts the Celtics in for the foreseeable future: 

GET READY FOR SUPER SMALL BALL

The Celtics still have 12 healthy bodies but only three of them are listed as taller than 6-foot-6. With Kemba Walker and Romeo Langford also sidelined, here’s a quick look at the team’s current depth chart: 

Ball-handlers: Marcus Smart, Jeff Teague, Payton Pritchard, Tremont Waters, Carsen Edwards

Wings: Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Semi Ojeleye, Javonte Green, Aaron Nesmith

Bigs: Daniel Theis, Tacko Fall

Goodbye two-big lineup, hello super small ball. The Celtics can start Theis but foul trouble would leave them perilously thin on experienced frontcourt players. Tatum will essentially be the Celtics' center in a lot of lineups until the team is healthy again.

To put it another way, coach Brad Stevens might take Smart up on his offer of being a “stretch 6” this week and give him plenty of reps defending opposing big men.

NEARLY CUT IN NOVEMBER, SEMI IS CRITICAL NOW

There was a 24-hour stretch in November where it appeared Ojeleye’s time in Boston was over. As the team dealt with a roster glut and examined potential sign-and-trade options with Gordon Hayward, Ojeleye’s nonguaranteed contract left his spot tenuous at best. Then Hayward took Charlotte’s payday and the Celtics wisely elected to keep Ojeleye on the roster.

Ojeleye has responded by making himself a valuable rotation presence this season. He’s shooting 42.9 percent beyond the 3-point arc while logging a career-high 16.1 minutes per night, all while playing his typical sturdy brand of defense.

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The Celtics might need 30-plus minutes of Ojeleye at the 4 this week with their health woes. If Theis gets into early foul trouble, his playing time could climb even higher.

Ojeleye had already been pushing Grant Williams for minutes at the 4 and he’ll get a chance to really assert his rotation presence over the next handful of games. The key for Ojeleye typically has been making shots — that’s why he faded from the rotation in the playoffs last year — but even if he’s not making shots this week, the team probably still has to lean heavily on him because of their lack of depth.

TACKO TIME IN SPOTLIGHT

This will be an interesting week for Fall. He's undoubtedly a fan favorite and a beloved presence in lopsided games, but the Celtics desperately need a reliable backup big behind Theis and Fall has to elevate his play.

Fall has displayed progress from his summer league breakout two years ago but he hasn’t yet proven he can be a reliable NBA backup quite yet. He’s going to be thrown into the fire here and we’ll learn a bit more about where he stands. Beggars can’t be choosers and the Celtics are going to need his size, even if just in small doses.

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The Celtics are well-stocked at the 5 when healthy but this week will force Stevens to be particularly creative. This is an instance where having a 2-way center with a bit more polish would be useful.

This is an opportunity for Fall to really show where he’s at but the team has tougher long-term decisions about that spot if only because of the unique nature of this season where it simply feels like this is unlikely to be the only time COVID-19 ravages the roster.