Brad Stevens on performance of Celtics bigs Nikola Vucevic, Neemias Queta in first-round loss

BOSTON — Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens spoke to reporters on Wednesday morning in what might be his only media availability until the 2026 NBA Draft in late June. And while these kind of exit interviews can come with vague, PR-trained answers, that wasn't the case early at the Auerbach Center. Instead, Stevens was very honest, admitting that Celtics must do better after blowing a 3-1 lead to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the playoffs. He addressed everything from 3-point shooting to postseason inconsistencies and said — quite clearly — that changes would have to be made to the roster. "One of the things that we've got to figure out is how to have more of an impact at the rim," Stevens said while discussing Boston's offensive tactics. "And I think we do need to add to our team to do that. Everybody plays a role in that." Stevens lamented the fact that Sixers star center Joel Embiid was able to park near the hoop and prevent the Celtics from going to the basket, especially during Game 7. That's where the Celtics would hope to have some sort of offensive presence in the paint, yet they couldn't rely on that for a variety of reasons. A main factor in that was simply due to foul trouble. Celtics center Neemias Queta, who started every playoff game outside of Game 7, had to be pulled early from multiple contests because he would collect multiple fouls in the matter of minutes. "To be honest, one of the things with Neemi was just figuring out how to keep him on the floor," Stevens told Celtics Wire. "Because he had two games where he’s off the floor in four minutes." Despite Queta's struggles, the 7-footer was in the conversation for Most Improved Player during the regular season and still managed to score a playoff career-high 17 points to go along with 12 rebounds (and 5 personal fouls) in Game 7. It wasn't enough to win the do-or-die showdown, but it did give Stevens some confidence. "It was good to see Neemi have his best game in Game 7 and it’s something he can really build off of," he stated. Queta is still under contract next season with a club option and remains on a smaller contract, so it's easy to see him staying in Boston for next season, at the very least. One of Boston's other big men, veteran Nikola Vucevic, doesn't have as clear a future. The 35-year-old was traded to Beantown at the deadline in February and got off to a decent start before a fractured ring finger derailed his rhythm. Vucevic entered 6 playoff games for the Celtics but didn't see the court in Game 7 as a result of Queta's play and his own defensive issues. “He’s our only unrestricted free agent," Stevens pointed out to Celtics Wire. "And I thought, obviously, getting traded here when he did he have some moments — broke his finger, that probably set him back. And then, this was a hard matchup for all of us, in particular." Like most members of the Celtics, Vucevic could not slow down Embiid. The 2023 NBA MVP posted up Vooch frequently and when Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla tried other big men against Embiid, they usually got into foul trouble. "I think when I looked at it the other day he ended up being a plus in the series, but it was back-and-forth with all of those guys," Stevens said of Vucevic and Boston's struggles versus Embiid. "I thought that Vooch gave us all that he had and did what we asked. It was a hard matchup. And I have a lot of respect for Vooch as a person, as a pro. I thought he was really good in our locker room. I thought he was a really good person to have around." Apr 28, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics center Nikola Vucevic (4) reacts after his three point basket against the Philadelphia 76ers in the second quarter during game five of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images As Stevens mentioned, Vucevic is an unrestricted free agent and the front office may choose to let him walk this offseason. Regardless of how they handle his future and the five spot in general, Boston's GM knows changes are necessary. "There's another step to take," Stevens said in his opening statement. "And whether you're in my shoes or you're in any of our support staff's shoes, or if you're in our coaches' shoes, or if you're in our players' shoes, we've got to get better." Listen to "Havlicek Stole the Pod" on: Blue Wire:  iTunes:  YouTube:  *This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: *