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BOSTON — With their win over the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday evening, the Boston Celtics clinched the two-seed within the Japanese Convention. In actual fact, all 5 of the highest seeds within the East have been solidified.
“You may’t take stuff like that without any consideration,” Jaylen Brown mentioned. “To be on a 50-plus-win workforce is an honor. It takes quite a lot of arduous work that goes into that. It doesn’t come round as typically as you most likely suppose it does. And to have the ability to be part of it’s a blessing for positive.”
Boston’s win over the Raptors marked their fifty fifth of the season. It’s the primary time they’ve hit the 55-win mark because the 2017-18. And with two video games left within the common season, they’ve an opportunity to make much more historical past.
The final time the Celtics gained 56 video games in a season was in 2010-11 when Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen had been nonetheless wreaking havoc at TD Backyard. And if the Celtics win out, it is going to solidify their greatest common season since 2008-09 once they had 62 wins.
“It’s good. I’m completely happy for the blokes,” Joe Mazzulla mentioned of the Celtics securing the two-seed. “Seed doesn’t matter as a lot because the mindset that we’ve had. The aim was to be a well-balanced workforce all through the common season. [We are] ending within the prime of each offense and protection. I believe we’re growing the correct mindset as we head into the remainder of the season and the playoffs.”
In his first season as head coach, Mazzulla helped Boston eclipse their win complete from final season. However whereas locking up the season seed within the East is an accomplishment inside itself, Boston’s targets stretch far past that.
The Celtics knocked on the doorstep of Banne 18 final yr, they usually’re undoubtedly seeking to rectify their Finals loss this time round. So, heading into the playoffs, they don’t plan on slowing down.
“It’s about ending the season sturdy with good habits,” mentioned Malcolm Brogdon. “We don’t wish to lose these two video games. We wish to go in with momentum. I believe that’s one of the essential issues for any of the high-seeded groups is to go along with momentum as a result of we’re going to get all people’s greatest shot.”
On Tuesday evening, the Celtics had been with out three starters in Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Marcus Sensible. Regardless of that, they had been in a position to squeak out a victory due to big-time performances from Brown, Brogdon, and Derrick White.
Brogdon burdened the significance of well being heading into the postseason, calling it the “primary” precedence, however that’s not all the time a controllable issue. Their win over Toronto displayed Boston’s means to win beneath various situations – a ability that can be essential come playoff time.
“You’ve acquired to be malleable,” mentioned Mazzulla. “Matchups, doing various things. Our guys are very open-minded. Very coachable. They’re very detail-oriented. So, you simply must be open-minded to all these issues. By any means obligatory, discover a solution to win.”
Toronto threw loads of punches in opposition to the Celtics on Tuesday evening. They’re nonetheless taking part in for his or her play-in positioning, and a few wins vs. a few losses may very well be the distinction between having to play one or two video games to make the playoffs.
However even when Toronto made a fourth-quarter run, even once they tied the sport mid-way by means of the ultimate interval, and even when Boston’s offense misplaced its legs after taking part in in Philadelphia final evening, the Celtics discovered a solution to persevere.
A few late-season falters saved them from vaulting the Milwaukee Bucks for primary, however that’s behind them now. And the playoffs are in entrance of them.
“To be part of the successful group, so as to add to it, and to come back out each evening and play with function,” Brown mentioned. “So completely, it’s nice. We’re on the brink of head into the postseason with a greater feeling.”
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