Josh Minott admits he is ‘used to’ Boston Celtics demotion after recent struggles

Josh Minott used to his bench role, didn’t think he would be a permanent Boston Celtics starter

Josh Minott spoke to reporters recently, and was asked about being taken out of the Boston Celtics starting lineup.

Minott seemed level-headed about the situation, noting that he never really felt like he had cemented his place in the starting lineup, so losing the spot didn’t bother him too much.

“If you were poor, and I gave you $20 bucks, and then instantly took $20 bucks, you never really felt like you had it, right? It was nice, but I’m used to this position, so it’s not anything insane.”

As a starter, Minott made quite the difference for the Celtics, as his relentless play on both ends of the court proved massively valuable.

Josh Minott putting up better numbers as a starter

Given how well Josh Minott played as a starter for the Boston Celtics, it’s hard to understand why Joe Mazzulla would change his role.

The table below compares Minott’s stats as a starter and coming off the bench:

Josh Minott: 2025-26 Season Stats (Per Game Averages)

The difference is quite clear to see. Minott is overall a much better contributor as a starter than off the bench, especially on the defensive end.

While his shooting numbers decline when he starts a game, he is massively improved as a defender in the role, which makes him very valuable to the Celtics.

Of course, Minott earning a starting spot in the first place is a sign that he can earn that role back if he impresses the Celtics coaching staff coming off the bench. All he has to do is do the work.