© Eric Canha-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Mazzulla Explains Not Calling a Timeout Before Xavier Tillman's Buzzer-Beater
Fighting for postseason positioning, the Sacramento Kings had 9:24 to overcome a 14-point deficit against the Boston Celtics' bench.
When De'Aaron Fox, who generated 12 of his game-high 40 points in the final frame, banked in a three to put the visitors ahead 100-99 with 27 seconds left, it looked like they'd capitalize on the team directly in front of them in the Western Conference standings, the New Orleans Pelicans, falling 111-109 to the San Antonio Spurs and pull within half-a-game of the right to host any play-in matchup they find themselves in.
But after Sacramento's star guard put his team on top, Joe Mazzulla opted against calling a timeout, preferring to see what the Celtics, 0/10 in crunch-time to that point in the night, could create by quickly pushing the ball up the floor.
The initial result was Sam Hauser, 1/18 on the night and 0/6 in the fourth quarter, drawing contact off a drive to the basket but not earning a trip to the free-throw line.
It wouldn't be long until the Kings found out the hard way that the officials would be consistent about swallowing the whistles in the closing seconds.
To Hauser's credit, he stayed in the play, knocking the ball out of Keegan Murray's hands and into Xavier Tillman Sr.'s. The former Michigan State Spartan came downhill and elevated off two feet for a 12-foot floater that swished through the net with 7.1 seconds left.
A chaotic sequence at the other end, in which Fox missed a pull-up jump shot from 16 feet, Murray couldn't convert on a put-back attempt, and Colby Jones got hit in the face by Svi Mykhailiuk after his chance at a game-winner, only to receive the same fate from the officials as Hauser at the other end.
After the Celtics' 101-100 win, Payton Pritchard, who registered 21 points on 8/16 shooting, including 5/10 from beyond the arc, conveyed, "I enjoyed it. They had something they were fighting for. I know our seeding is pretty locked up. But every opportunity we have, every game we have - I don't like losing. I don't think anybody likes losing. So, we're trying to win, and obviously, we're working on things, but winning is the biggest priority. Always."
His head coach echoed a similar sentiment.
"This was fun," voiced Mazzulla. "This is awesome. (You) couldn't simulate a better environment of stress, pressure, (and) chaos. It's the perfect environment to execute. So, that's why when those guys are in, you hold them to the same standard (that) you hold everyone else to. I thought they did a great job just making plays."
As for why he chose not to press pause and try to script how Boston would respond to Fox's banked in three: "There's no reason to call a timeout there because when Payton got the ball inbounds, he created an advantage, and they were double-teaming every time, so we were gonna get a better shot, and they were in a fix-it situation the entire possession," said Mazzulla.
"That allowed us to get a good look (and) it allowed us to get (an) offensive rebound because they couldn't find us; we were off their bodies, so I thought it was a perfect environment for practice."
Maintaining their composure amid chaos propelled the Celtics to their 12th straight victory at TD Garden and improved their overall record to 61-16.
Further Reading
Celtics' Assistant Likely Candidate for Hornets' Head-Coaching Vacancy
Jaylen Brown Shares What's Fueling Career Year: 'Nothing in This World Gonna Break My Spirit'
Jaylen Brown's Evolution Crucial to Celtics' Desire to Win with More Than Talent
Celtics Embracing Challenge to Go Beyond Most Talented
Jayson Tatum Opens Up About Sacrificing in Celtics' Title Pursuit: 'It's a Process'
Brad Stevens Discusses Celtics' Plan for Final Roster Spot
Marcus Smart Shares How Boston Shaped Him, His Message to Celtics Fans
Celtics Maturation Molded by Experience: 'It Builds, Like, an Armor'
Jaylen Brown Quieting Doubters, Validating What He Always Believed: 'Earn Everybody's Trust'
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Identity, Evolution of Celtics' Offense: 'Balance of Pace and Execution'
