Torrey Craig says first months with Celtics are everything he hoped and “much more”

SAN ANTONIO — Torrey Craig hasn’t gotten too much run since he signed with the Celtics in early March. But you won’t find him complaining about the situation.

So far, Craig’s tenure in Boston has been everything he expected, “and much more,” he told CelticsBlog at shootaround in San Antonio on Saturday morning.

“The guys are great, the coaches are great, and it’s a winning culture,” Craig said. “I’m glad to be a part of it.”

This season, Craig has appeared in 12 games with the Celtics, averaging 8.9 minutes a night. He’s shooting 40% from three-point range and has made crashing the glass a priority, averaging 4.1 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes, good for second-best on the team.

Above all, he’s made an impression among Celtics fans as one of the most raucous sideline celebrators.

“I get caught up in the game,” Craig said with a smile when asked about his never-ending energy on the sidelines. “I be excited for my teammates, for our team, and I just like to have fun.”

Adjusting to a new team midseason

It’s not the first time Craig has joined a new team in the middle of the season — in 2021, he was traded from the Milwaukee Bucks to the Phoenix Suns midseason, and subsequently became a key member of the Suns team that went to the Finals.

But each team and each acclimation process is different, and with the Celtics, the biggest adjustment has been learning all of the team’s defenses.

“Coming here, there’s more attention to details of switching defenses every so often, and the way they guard guys and the way they game plan for teams,” he said. “So that’s been the most difficult part — trying to learn everything on the fly. But, I’ve been here long enough now, I pretty much got to understanding of how they do things, and I’m pretty much caught up.”

Joe Mazzulla has liked what he’s seen from the veteran wing.

“I always appreciate guys like him — been in the league a long time, come to a new situation, and just have patience and kind of understanding what we’re trying to do,” Mazzulla said Saturday before the Celtics beat the Spurs.

“He’s played in meaningful minutes, he’s played at the end of games, and he really just wants to play and wants to compete at a high level. He’s understanding our defensive schemes better, making reads, communicating, plays with a ton of energy, and done a good job knocking down open shots.”

Still, it’s rookie Baylor Scheierman who has filled in backup wing minutes for the Celtics, averaging 18.9 minutes across nine games in March. Scheierman is shooting 47.4% from three in March and has shown off his playmaking, too.

The rookie’s emergence has meant that Craig on-court opportunities have been limited. So, whenever he does get an on-court stint, he’s been dead set on finding a way to contribute to winning, regardless of what that looks like.

“If I know I’m not playing that much, I just want to figure out ways to impact the game, whether it’s offensive rebounds, getting a block, getting a steal, making a shot, playing defense, getting the deflection,” he said.

“I want to impact the game in every way I can. So, if I’m not making shots, then I’m gonna affect it another way. If I’m not getting rebounds, then I’m gonna do this. I just try to find different ways to impact the game right away.”

As Craig reflected on his evolution with the team, Jordan Walsh, the Celtics’ youngest player at 21-year-old, interrupted the interview.

“OG!!!” he belted, squeezing Craig’s shoulders.

The two backup wings have formed good rapport on the bench, both known for their wild celebrations when the Celtics score.

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown’s steady approach has made it easier for a guy like Craig to find his footing on the squad.

“I just appreciate their demeanor, how they come to work every day,” Craig said. “They don’t get too high, get too low. They kind of stay the same, you know what I’m saying? They’ve been around for a long time, and been in a lot of clutch games — been in a lot of games, period. They easy guys to fit along with.”

Craig could see postseason minutes if the matchup calls for it. His extensive playoff experience (75 games, 16.3 minutes a night) separates him from Scheierman and Walsh.

But, regardless of what happens, he’ll be a beacon of joy on the sidelines.

“Stuff like that is contagious, you know?” Craig said. “When everyone’s having fun, celebrating your teammates’ success and just trying to be a positive vibe all the time for everybody.”