The Boston Celtics have now ripped off two straight wins as they head right into a street matchup Saturday evening in opposition to the Orlando Magic. Their foe on Friday evening was a well-known one within the Miami Heat, as the 2 groups had their first significant matchup since Sport 7 of the Jap Convention Finals. It was every part one would have anticipated in a tightly fought contest, however Boston got here out on prime 111-104 as they managed to outlast Miami.
A earlier model of the Celtics very effectively may have misplaced this sport. Between frustration over calls and bodily play, all of the warning indicators of a psychological meltdown simply ready to occur have been evident. However after final season and all the excessive strain, excessive stakes video games, the general make-up and composure of this workforce has modified drastically. The importance of how the workforce dealt with the Warmth was not misplaced on head coach Joe Mazzulla.
“I mentioned all alongside, we’ve nice folks, nice gamers and so they thrive in conditions like this,” mentioned Mazzulla. “There’s gonna be moments all year long the place we’re gonna need to test our poise, test our execution and each sport’s gonna educate us one thing about ourselves that we have to know.”
The latest historical past between Boston and Miami goes again a few years to the Coach Stevens period, however the core of this workforce has remained comparatively unchanged with the trio of Jaylen Brown, Marcus Good, and Jayson Tatum nonetheless intact. Familiarity breeds contempt and with it comes an excessive amount of expertise. Boston has discovered the laborious manner about shedding focus and composure down the stretch in opposition to groups, particularly in opposition to Miami. “This was an amazing check for us,” mentioned Mazulla. “I believed our guys did an amazing job responding however we’ll be judged by how effectively we deal with our success.”
That’s in no small half to the belief and mutual respect this Celtics group has for each other, particularly on the offensive finish the place Boston has significantly ramped up their tempo and their ball motion after taking a leap final yr. “I feel we’re preventing to get nice photographs nearly all of the time,” mentioned Mazzulla. “And our guys are dedicated to enjoying collectively and enjoying the correct manner and trusting the truth that it really works out for everyone after we try this.”
One knock on Brad Stevens as a coach was his habit of not calling timeouts as opponents would go on runs, with the intent of letting the workforce play by tough patches and attempt to determine it out with out stopping play. Now, within the second common season sport underneath Mazzulla (the final remaining Stevens teaching workers member), we noticed that very same sample emerge, however with drastically totally different outcomes. The main issue has been the expertise Boston’s core has gained through the years, and Mazzulla made positive to acknowledge it.
Joe Mazzulla waited too lengthy to name that timeout. Tried to let his guys play by, however ought to have referred to as a timeout a minimum of 3-4 possessions in the past.
— Keith Smith (@KeithSmithNBA) October 22, 2022
“The sport will inform you what to do,” mentioned Mazzulla. “On the similar time, I feel you must assess why a workforce’s happening a run and what we will do with a view to execute. And our guys, like I mentioned, they’re very skilled, they’re mature, they’ve been by lots collectively and I like watching these guys simply sort of determine it out. And so to me, it’s empowering them that I imagine in them and that they execute, and we will nonetheless get attractiveness.”
With the win tonight, Joe Mazzulla turned the primary coach since Doc Rivers to begin a season off 2-0, with Doc undertaking the feat through the 2009-10 season. Mazzulla and the Celtics will look to maintain the ball rolling with a Saturday evening showdown with the Magic at 7 pm EST.
