Jones can't believe Smart's comments about Mazzulla
Entering Boston’s Game 7 against the Philadelphia 76ers, history is on the side of the Celtics. Boston has played in the most Game 7s (35) in NBA history, and have won 26 of them, which is also most in NBA history. The C’s have an incredible 21-5 record in Game 7s on the Garden parquet.
Boston’s duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown have fared well in Game 7s, as the Jays are 4-1 in their career as a duo, including 2-1 at home, with their only loss coming in Tatum’s rookie year, falling to LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Things have not gone as smoothly for the 76ers. Philadelphia has played in 14 Game 7s in their franchise history, and hold a 6-8 record, and are 1-6 on the road in those games.
Even worse for the 76ers are the historical trends of their head coach Doc Rivers in Game 7s. Rivers has a 6-9 career record in Game 7s. His nine Game 7 losses are the most by any coach in NBA history. Rivers hasn’t won a Game 7 since 2015 and has never won a Game 7 on the road.
This will be the eighth time Boston and Philadelphia will meet in a Game 7, with the Celtics holding a 5-2 record in their previous seven meetings.
Regardless of how much history favors the Celtics, none of that will be relevant when the two teams take to the TD Garden floor on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. With so much on the line, oftentimes these games come down to the little things, and that’s something head coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged prior to the win-or-go-home game.
“The simple things are the most important things,” Mazzulla said. “Not giving up offensive rebounds, not fouling, sprinting back in transition, making sure our shot selection and our rim reads help us get into our half court defense.”
For the Celtics, it’s been their lack of focus when it comes to the “simple things” that have given them the most trouble this series. At times this postseason, it feels like Boston simply hasn’t been ready to play. It goes without saying the C’s can’t afford for that to happen on Sunday afternoon. When the Celtics remain focused for a full 48 minutes, they are tough to beat, and we have seen that at times this series.
When Marcus Smart was asked what the biggest difference in a Game 7 is, the heart and soul of the team was straightforward, simply saying, “Intensity.”
Intensity has been another issue for Boston this postseason, which is why the opening frame on Sunday will be so critical for the C’s. The sooner Boston can set the tone and get the TD Garden crowd involved, the sooner they can settle in and play their game.
If Boston comes out ready to play, and can maintain their focus and intensity throughout a full 48 minutes on Sunday, the C’s should have no problem advancing to their fifth Eastern Conference Finals in seven years.
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