Joe Mazzulla Labels Celtics’ Win Over 76ers as Surprising.

The heavily favored Celtics faced the undermanned 76ers on Tuesday night. Philadelphia has been struggling without Joel Embiid, losing seven of their last 11 games and dropping in the Eastern Conference standings. Surprisingly, the visitors put up a strong challenge for Boston for most of the game, until the Celtics went on a 16-0 run in the fourth quarter to secure a 118-102 victory.

This win marks the ninth consecutive win for Boston, maintaining their eight-game lead over the Cavs in the Eastern Conference standings. However, the Celtics managed to win without relying on one of their usual strengths, as they only attempted 5-of-22 shots from beyond the arc, their lowest of the season. Instead, Boston took advantage of their dominance in points in the paint (64-42) and free throws (34-11) to compensate for their lack of success from long range. This left Joe Mazzulla particularly thrilled after the game.

“In the second half, I thought we did an excellent job of finding our spots and playing aggressively on our drives,” Mazzulla stated. “We controlled the rebounding battle with our solid defense, limiting them to one shot, and our ability to draw fouls. So this game was arguably one of our best performances of the year. It showed that we can win in different ways, and it also revealed a blueprint for how teams might try to defend us. It gives us another aspect to work on in practice. I thought our players performed admirably.”

Sixers coach Nick Nurse clearly had a deliberate strategy to limit Boston’s 3-point attempts, but Mazzulla believed the Celtics responded effectively to that.

“They switched and tried to take away our 3-point shots, forcing us to rely on dribble drives,” Mazzulla explained. “As long as we took care of the ball, played with physicality, avoided turnovers, and got to the free-throw line, we were highly efficient in the paint. Additionally, once we limited their opportunities for second shots and contested the shots of certain players, the game became more even. So, sometimes this game can be deceptive in terms of whether it’s about statistics or effort. In reality, it’s often a combination of both, and sometimes it’s just a matter of maintaining effort until the statistics align. I believe our players did an excellent job in that regard.”

With Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Kristaps Porzingis all taking double-digit attempts from the free-throw line, it was clear that the trio understood where Philadelphia’s weaknesses were without their top rim protector.

“I think we executed our game plan effectively,” Porzingis commented. “For example, from my perspective, I noticed that they would quickly switch when I popped out, preventing any advantage and leaving me standing on the perimeter. So, as the game progressed, I started setting screens underneath and rolling to the basket. Both JT and D-White found me on a few occasions, or we exploited mismatches and made kick-out passes. Sometimes I would roll and attract defenders, creating opportunities for kick-outs since help defense would collapse. Essentially, we were creating small advantages within those situations. We just need to be a smart team, ready to adjust our approach based on the circumstances.”

Porzingis and the Celtics will aim for their 10th consecutive win when they face the Mavericks on Friday night at TD Garden.