Throughout the season, the Celtics have stressed the importance of not skipping any steps: simply taking every game, practice, and moment one step at a time. This disciplined approach paid dividends, evident in their 64-win regular season.
So, true to form, following their 20-point wire-to-wire victory in Game 1 over the Miami Heat, the Celtics weren’t riding high. They maintained their business-like approach, knowing they could be better.
“One game down,” Jayson Tatum said as he walked down the tunnel following the win. “There are a lot of things we can work on and that we’ll be better at on Wednesday.”
“Just one game,” Derrick White added. “It’s good to get a win on your home court. We’ll make some adjustments and be better for Game 2.”
“It’s a good win, but it’s only one game,” said Jrue Holiday. “Need 15 more.”
They all knew there was room for improvement. So, when the Celtics returned to the Auerbach Center on Tuesday afternoon, they dove straight into addressing those areas, with a particular focus on the small details.
“The small details we can get better on at both ends of the floor – worked on that today,” Joe Mazzulla said after practice. “I think the first step is what mindset, what physicality we’re coming in with?”
“The simple things: box outs, two-handed rebounds, crashing, setting good screens, getting through screens. I think the biggest adjustment is doing the simple things under duress, physicality, and toughness. That, to me, is more important than anything else.”
Mazzulla has consistently emphasized that the recipe for success remains the same whether it’s the regular season or the playoffs, stressing the importance of paying attention to those small details. And apart from a brief period in the fourth quarter, Game 1 unfolded almost flawlessly for the Celtics, thanks to their ability to control those details.
However, that was on Sunday. Game 2 on Wednesday is another story, and the Celtics expect a much different version of Miami.
“If you think you’re not going to see a different version of Miami, then you’re kidding yourself,” Mazzulla said. “At the end of the day, it’s about giving what that game needs, and having the expectation that it’s just going to be a fight – so getting ready for a fight.”
The term “fight” resonated throughout Tuesday’s practice discussions, and its significance extends beyond the game itself.
“We got to win the fight. I think I can’t stress that enough. Miami’s a team that’s going to fight, and we got to win that battle. Because that’s just as important as winning the X’s and O’s.”
In this sense, “fight” goes hand-in-hand with “physicality,” a vital component of the NBA playoffs and a style of play that Miami has become renowned for. With Miami facing the absence of key players like Jimmy Butler, Terry Rozier, and Josh Richardson, the Celtics anticipate Miami stepping up their “fight” in Game 2 and throughout the series if they aim to pull off an improbable upset.
“They’re going to be hungry. Desperate. They’re going to come out fast, even more aggressive. Trying to turn us over. Just trying to crash the glass hard, be physical – knocking us to the ground,” Brown said. “Just trying to win that physicality match any way they can. That’s what I foresee. But we’ll be ready to do the same thing.”
While the Celtics hold a clear talent advantage, success ultimately hinges on attention to detail and matching Miami’s physicality, a theme that reverberates throughout the entire postseason. That’s precisely why, despite their injuries, Miami poses an excellent first-round challenge for Boston. They force the Celtics to confront physicality head-on and elevate their alertness from the get-go.
“Better is just doing what we did with higher intensity and higher physicality – I think that’s what Game 2s call for,” Mazzulla said on what he wants to see his team do better in Game 2. “The first adjustment is to do what you did with a higher level of intensity and a higher level of physicality.
No awards? No problem.
Despite boasting an NBA-best 64-18 record, outscoring opponents by +930 points, and ranking first in offensive rating and second in defensive rating, the Celtics did not receive any individual award nominations.
On Tuesday, Mazzulla had a predictable response.
“No, not at all,” Mazzulla said when asked if the lack of individual recognition bothered him. “I think it’s beautiful.”
“The great thing about this team is, I think from day one, we’ve appreciated the individual awards that we’ve gotten from the Player of the Month, Staff of the Month, and whatnot. But at the end of the day, I think one of the biggest strengths of this team is they haven’t had that agenda. None of the guys have brought it up, and I don’t think it’s important at all because we’re all focused on what we need to do as a team.”
Not a single Celtic as a finalist for any of the league’s individual awards is quite surprising. Mazzulla’s absence from the Coach of the Year ballot is particularly unexpected.
Nonetheless, one of the foundations of Boston’s success has been the concept of “sacrifice,” so it’s difficult to envision any hard feelings.
Filling the void
With the offseason departures of Marcus Smart and Grant Williams, there were concerns that the Celtics might lose some toughness, especially in critical moments. However, Jaylen Brown has proven himself capable of stepping into that role.
During Game 1, with just one minute remaining and Boston holding a 16-point lead, Jayson Tatum went up for a rebound on a missed shot by Bam Adebayo. As Tatum went up, Caleb Martin charged in from the perimeter and recklessly undercut Tatum, causing the five-time All-Star to land hard on his back. Brown immediately intervened.
Brown slapped Martin’s hand away when he attempted to help Tatum up and started jawing at Martin, resulting in double technical fouls for both players.
“I just told him to watch that, you know, making sure it’s basketball plays being made out there. We know they like to play hard and be physical, but there is a line. So just making sure that we’re not compromising the integrity of the game,” Brown said on what spurred him to confront Martin. “I just told him to watch it. At the time, it looked like — can’t tell all of the components, but from what I saw – that’s all I did. I just let them know that.”
While Brown may not display the same level of animation as Smart and Williams, the All-NBA wing has demonstrated his readiness to defend his teammates in hostile moments.
“I seen a guy go down, and you know, I got my guy’s back 10 times out of 10. You can’t tell what’s what in the heat of the moment, but it looked like something a little extra,” Brown added. “So, I said something.”
Brown has taken tremendous strides as a leader this season, and whether related or not, the Celtics appear to be better equipped to deal with such encounters.
“I would say so,” Brown said on if he feels the team is more willing to embrace confrontation more now than in the past. “Every game is a fight. You got to win the game, and you got to win the fight. Both of those things are important, and we embrace both. Being the better, smarter team, but also being a team that is willing to dive on the floor. Being a team that is able to set the tone physically not back down. So you got to win the game, and you got to win the fight.”
Luke Kornet remains out for Game 2
Kornet is the only Celtic listed on the injury report for Game 2. He remains sidelined due to a right calf strain, marking his second consecutive absence from the lineup. The injury occurred during a routine drill when he experienced tightness in his calf.
On Sunday, Mazzulla described his status as day-to-day. Kornet has been participating in non-contact workouts, including a light pregame routine before Game 1. He was also present at practice on Tuesday.
For Miami, Terry Rozier (neck) will miss his eighth straight game. Jimmy Butler (MCL sprain) and Josh Richardson (shoulder surgery) remain out and will miss the entire series.
Head coach Erik Spoelstra labeled Rozier as day-to-day on Sunday.
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