Jason Collins earned his first start of the season on Wednesday, playing alongside Kevin Garnett in the frontcourt and giving the Boston Celtics a veteran, solidified presence they've needed.

Even though Collins had just one point and two rebounds in 23 minutes, Doc Rivers and Garnett were pleased with his steady performance. Mostly, Rivers was excited about the way Collins impacted Garnett.

“I thought he had an amazing impact on the game for us,” Rivers said. “Especially for Kevin. I thought Kevin enjoyed playing with him.”

“A gutty veteran that knows coverages," Garnett added. "Very professional. JC is what we call a solid guy. Doesn’t make mistakes, knows his role. He came in, did his job [on Wednesday], and he got the game ball. It was good to see him get an opportunity, take advantage of an opportunity.”