BOSTON — Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla likes to push his gamers. On Sunday night time, after the Celtics had fallen into a large gap towards the severely undermanned Philadelphia 76ers by halftime, Mazzulla issued a problem.
Along with his workforce down 61-44 on the break, Mazzulla advised Celtics gamers their effort was nowhere near the place it wanted to be. The 76ers have been torching them from downtown, capturing 10-of-19 from deep within the first half. The Celtics have been simply 7-of-27 from three over the primary 24 minutes.
The Celtics have been lacking badly on the offensive finish, and let that bleed over onto the defensive finish. Mazzulla advised his core group that in the event that they have been drained and needed to waive the white flag, so be it — he’d put within the bench and allow them to end out the sport.
The opposite choice was to elevate themselves up and get again to taking part in on the stage they know they’re able to. The Celtics selected the latter, and are actually flying excessive after an enormous comeback victory.
It did not work straight away. The Celtics scored 36 factors within the third quarter, however that solely shaved three factors off their deficit. They trailed by as many as 26 factors late within the body.
Then Boston erupted within the fourth quarter to assert a 118-110 victory, marking the workforce’s largest comeback win of the Mazzulla period.
Joe Mazzulla issued a problem at halftime
It appears like Boston’s fiery head coach had the “I am not mad, I am simply upset” method at halftime. The Celtics ought to have been out for revenge on Sunday night time after an embarrassing loss to the 76ers in Boston on Christmas Day. Add in the truth that Philadelphia was with out 4 of its prime eight gamers, together with Joel Embiid and Paul George, and there was no actual cause for the Celtics to be in such a state of affairs.
“We simply needed to be trustworthy with ourselves at halftime. Our aggressive spirit wasn’t the place it wanted to be,” stated Jayson Tatum. “Joe was like, ‘Yo, if you’re drained, simply inform me. I will sit you guys down and let the Keep-Prepared Group play.’ And we simply had a option to make.
“He form of challenged us at halftime. The way in which we have been taking part in within the first half was not consultant of who we’re as a workforce and as a company. We took it as males and responded,” added Tatum.
Jayson Tatum, Celtics caught hearth in fourth quarter
Mazzulla gave his workforce a spark at halftime, nevertheless it did not rage into a fireplace till late within the third quarter. The Celtics fell behind by 26 factors with just below three minutes to play within the third when issues clicked on each ends.
Over the ultimate quarter-hour, the Celtics caught hearth and erupted offensively. Boston went on a 54-20 run over the ultimate 14:55, and outscored the 76ers, 38-16, within the fourth quarter.
Boston went 20-of-27 from the ground over that 54-20 run whereas holding the 76ers to only 7-of-23 capturing. The three-ball was their pal once more, because the Celtics hit 12 of their ultimate 16 makes an attempt from downtown. Tatum, Derrick White, and Sam Hauser hit three apiece over that stretch.
Tatum led the best way within the second half, scoring 25 of his 35 factors. He scored 13 within the fourth, hitting 5-of-7 general and 3-of-4 from deep within the ultimate stanza. Jaylen Brown had 15 of his 21 factors after halftime, whereas White poured in 14.
That outburst, sparked by Mazzulla’s halftime pep speak, led to the most important comeback within the NBA this season.
“It introduced the most effective out of us,” Tatum stated of Mazzulla’s problem. “That is how we’re presupposed to play. It took just a little bit from everyone. Our aggressive pleasure was there on each ends and it was simply enjoyable to be part of.”
Mazzulla was delighted over his workforce’s response.
“I advised the blokes, within the NBA, you get few probabilities the place you actually see your guys do one thing particular within the common season, and I felt like their method to that was there,” stated Mazzulla. “It appeared like they actually, actually needed to do what it took to win. They delivered and I used to be proud to educate them on this recreation.”
Celtics three-game win streak
Boston has now gained three straight for the primary time for the reason that begin of 2025, which tipped off an extended stretch of .500 basketball for the Celtics. They needed to scratch and claw towards a shorthanded 76ers workforce on Sunday and wanted a Tatum buzzer-beater to beat the lowly Pelicans on Friday night time, nevertheless it appears just like the workforce is beginning to discover its id once more.
The Celtics have now gained seven of their final 10 video games. They’ve an enormous take a look at Tuesday night time as their three-game highway journey concludes with a go to to the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers. Boston and Cleveland cut up the primary two matchups of the season, with every workforce profitable on its residence courtroom.