[Forsberg] Lawn Mower season: How Josh Minott is making an early impact with Celtics
October 30, 2025
[Forsberg] Lawn Mower season: How Josh Minott is making an early impact with Celtics
3 comments
From Chris Forsberg:
The weather in New England is turning cold and raw. Days are getting shorter. You might soon feel the urge to rearrange your shed and rotate the winter equipment toward the front.
But let’s be very clear: It’s most definitely Lawn Mower season in Boston.
Newcomer Josh Minott, the man who [inadvertently nicknamed himself after a grass trimmer](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/josh-minott-energy-nickname-lawn-mower/718082/) while trying to describe his relentless energy early in his NBA career, has lived up to his self hype since joining the Celtics. Jaylen Brown may lay claim as the Energy Shifter on the Celtics’ roster, but Boston has undeniably kicked into a different gear since Minott elevated to the starting lineup two games ago.
On Wednesday night, in a showdown against an Eastern Conference favorite in the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minott didn’t just produce a double-double while pulling down a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with his 11 points. He also played some inspired defense against Evan Mobley to [fuel the Celtics to a 125-105 triumph at TD Garden](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/live-updates-cavaliers-td-garden/743125/).
In two starts — both of Boston’s wins this season — Minott is averaging 13 points on 55.6 percent shooting to go along with 12.0 rebounds, two steals, and one block over 30.5 minutes per game. The Celtics are a +50 in his time on the floor in those two wins.
Dispatched to hound Mobley against the Cavaliers, Minott showed the reigning Defensive Player of the Year he can defend a bit, too.
NBA tracking data suggested that Minott limited Mobley to 1 point on 0-for-6 shooting. The Cavaliers as a whole generated just 4 points on 1-of-12 shooting when Minott was deemed the primary defender.
Give me some deep cut “actually he was highly recruited out of high school” type lore to help raise my long-shot expectations with this kid. He looks promising, but promising in the way any fringe talent looks on a 35 win team when they have nobody else to play the minutes. Is this like an Orien Greene type situation where the guy is getting minutes and showing flashes, because we have nobody else? Or is it more like an Eric Williams/Ryan Gomes type situation where he’s got a viable ceiling as a long-time rotation player? I think I read his best-case was Brandon Clarke. Is that still what we’re thinking?
3 comments
From Chris Forsberg:
The weather in New England is turning cold and raw. Days are getting shorter. You might soon feel the urge to rearrange your shed and rotate the winter equipment toward the front.
But let’s be very clear: It’s most definitely Lawn Mower season in Boston.
Newcomer Josh Minott, the man who [inadvertently nicknamed himself after a grass trimmer](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/josh-minott-energy-nickname-lawn-mower/718082/) while trying to describe his relentless energy early in his NBA career, has lived up to his self hype since joining the Celtics. Jaylen Brown may lay claim as the Energy Shifter on the Celtics’ roster, but Boston has undeniably kicked into a different gear since Minott elevated to the starting lineup two games ago.
On Wednesday night, in a showdown against an Eastern Conference favorite in the Cleveland Cavaliers, Minott didn’t just produce a double-double while pulling down a career-high 15 rebounds to go along with his 11 points. He also played some inspired defense against Evan Mobley to [fuel the Celtics to a 125-105 triumph at TD Garden](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/live-updates-cavaliers-td-garden/743125/).
In two starts — both of Boston’s wins this season — Minott is averaging 13 points on 55.6 percent shooting to go along with 12.0 rebounds, two steals, and one block over 30.5 minutes per game. The Celtics are a +50 in his time on the floor in those two wins.
Dispatched to hound Mobley against the Cavaliers, Minott showed the reigning Defensive Player of the Year he can defend a bit, too.
NBA tracking data suggested that Minott limited Mobley to 1 point on 0-for-6 shooting. The Cavaliers as a whole generated just 4 points on 1-of-12 shooting when Minott was deemed the primary defender.
[Read more here](https://www.nbcsportsboston.com/nba/boston-celtics/josh-minott-nickname-impact-starting-lineup/743284/).
Why is his nickname the lawn mower?
Give me some deep cut “actually he was highly recruited out of high school” type lore to help raise my long-shot expectations with this kid. He looks promising, but promising in the way any fringe talent looks on a 35 win team when they have nobody else to play the minutes. Is this like an Orien Greene type situation where the guy is getting minutes and showing flashes, because we have nobody else? Or is it more like an Eric Williams/Ryan Gomes type situation where he’s got a viable ceiling as a long-time rotation player? I think I read his best-case was Brandon Clarke. Is that still what we’re thinking?