The Boston Celtics‘ opening game of the season ended in a 117-116 defeat at the hands of the Philadelphia 76ers. A 16-point third-quarter run had the TD Garden rocking; unfortunately, Joe Mazzulla’s team was too inexperienced to close the game out.
When speaking to the media after the game, Jaylen Brown admitted that he and his teammates needed to be better on the defensive side of the floor and that they may have been too focused on the offensive end.
“We let (Tyrese) Maxey get going,” Brown said. “We’ve got to a better job, especially with one of the better players on the floor. There’s gotta be more attention to detail. We can’t be letting him play free…I don’t know if we were too focused on the offensive end, but we can’t just let guys come in here and do what they want.”
Both Maxey and VJ Edgecombe found success against Boston’s offense. They penetrated at will and combined for 74 points. The Celtics will need to be far better at the point of attack as the season progresses. Otherwise, opposing teams will lean on their guards to carve the Celtics open in the half-court.
Celtics’ Mazzulla Issues Challenge To Xavier Tillman
Xavier Tillman saw 15 minutes of playing time off the Celtics bench on Wednesday, Oct. 22. He thrived as a hustle player, injecting life and urgency into the rotation. However, Tillman struggled to generate any offense for the Celtics, shooting 2-of-8 from the field and going 0-of-3 from deep.
When speaking at his postgame news conference, Mazzulla shared a challenge for Tillman, noting how he should be willing to let shots go when he’s open.
“When he’s open, he’s just got to have the confidence to continue to shoot it,” Mazzulla said.
Tillman will likely have a sizeable role to play this season. His presence in the rotation gives the Celtics a different dynamic on the defensive end. When Tillman is on the court, Mazzulla can have his team switch every pick-and-roll, thus increasing the pressure on the perimeter.
The trade-off, of course, is that Tillman lacks the size to be effective down the middle of the floor, and therefore, the Celtics’ defensive rebounding can suffer.
The Celtics Face The New York Knicks On Friday
Mazzulla’s roster can’t afford to get too caught up in their opening night loss. They will face Eastern Conference powerhouse, the New York Knicks, on Friday, Oct. 25. The matchup will be a repeat of the Eastern Conference semifinals, a series that saw the Celtics eliminated from the playoffs last season.
The Celtics have already announced that Luka Garza, who suffered a concussion against the Sixers, will not be a participant against New York. And, of course, Jayson Tatum is also on the injury report.
Nevertheless, Mazzulla’s team will undoubtedly feel like they have a point to prove as they head into the game. Beating the Knicks, even this early in the season, would undoubtedly appease the fanbase, while also sending the message that the Celtics aren’t as poor a team as some expect. Of course, beating the Knicks certainly won’t be easy. After all, they’re the favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference for a reason.
Still, at this early juncture of the season, anything can happen, and that includes a Celtics win.
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