Chris Cenac Jr. is carving out early minutes in the Celtics frontcourt
Chris Cenac Jr., the 19-year-old rookie forward out of Houston, is getting real minutes early in the 2026-27 season for the Boston Celtics. He put up 12 points and 8 rebounds in 19.5 minutes against Philadelphia on October 16 but did not play in the October 20 loss to Detroit. He is not on the injury report.
By the Celtics Nightly Desk · updated 17 h ago01The story of the nightWhat the first five games showedCenac's role has swung game to game.
Cenac's role has swung game to game. He opened with 7 points and 8 rebounds in 24.4 minutes against Cleveland on October 8, then logged 6.8 minutes against Philadelphia on October 10 for 5 points and 5 rebounds. A 5.4-minute outing against Charlotte on October 14 brought 2 points and 2 rebounds. His best line came October 16 against Philadelphia: 12 points, 8 rebounds and 1 assist in 19.5 minutes, though Boston was outscored by 14 with him on the floor. The Celtics won all four of those games.
02The Detroit game and what comes nextCenac did not see the floor in the October 20 loss to Detroit, the first time this season he went without minutes.
Cenac did not see the floor in the October 20 loss to Detroit, the first time this season he went without minutes. He is not on the injury report and has no injury history, so that was a coaching decision rather than a health issue. At 6-11 and 240 pounds, the number 12 wears the frontcourt size Boston asked him to bring, and his rebounding has shown up every time he has played. Whether the minutes return in the next game is the open question.
