Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Celtics Embracing Sacrifice in Championship Pursuit: 'Have to Buy into That'
In Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Kristaps Porzingis, the Boston Celtics have the best top six in the NBA.
That also means someone will have to accept coming off the bench and staying there during crunch time.
As Joe Mazzulla has stressed, it will vary. So, when a matchup calls for starting Horford and Porzingis, they'll be out there for tip-off. And while the closing lineup primarily projects as Holiday, White, Brown, Tatum, and Porzingis, if context calls for a switch, the second-year bench boss won't hesitate.
His players are on board.
When asked about coming off the bench, Holiday expressed, "It's not that big of a deal. I like winning. Winning is really important. Playing good on the court is important. Supporting my teammates is important. So, it's not always how you start, it's how you finish."
And when it comes to exchanging individual production for team success, Porzingis doesn't see an issue.
"Honestly, it's not that much of a sacrifice. If, at the end, if you're winning, (then) what are you sacrificing? Nothing. Your own stats for winning? Like that's, it makes sense. I'd do that trade every day."
A prime example came in Tuesday's 123-110 win over the New York Knicks, with Horford coming off the bench, something he's only done 12 times in his career, including the playoffs. You'd never know it by how well he played upon checking in, quickly making an impact, including earning a Tommy Point.
Horford finished with eight points, three rebounds, three assists, a block, and a steal. He also registered a game-high plus-17 plus-minus rating.
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After the victory, Tatum, who led all scorers with 28 points, conveyed the following about a group of highly accomplished individuals needing to sacrifice for them to achieve their shared goal.
"It's been an adjustment period. At some point, everybody's going to have to sacrifice. Essentially, we've probably got six starters. And, you know, you only can play five people; only five guys can finish a game. So, between, I guess, those six guys, (on) any given night, somebody might come off the bench, somebody might not finish, and it's on all of us to understand that whoever's night it is, it's for the better of the team, and we really have to buy into that.
"It's not easy, sacrificing, but, at some point, we all have to do it. Like tonight, Al came off the bench. You know, I have the utmost respect for Al. And if Al can come off the bench at this stage in his career, nobody should have anything to say if you are the guy that has to come off the bench or if Joe takes you out of the game, or if you don't finish, everybody has to have that team first mindset to accomplish what we're trying to do."
Porzingis, who contributed 20 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks, stated, "We've been all putting in our minds that we wanna play for each other, we wanna enjoy each other's success."
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And when asked about his impact in drop coverage, the former All-Star voiced, "Yeah, I don't wanna put too much emphasis on my defense or what I do because we're a team, but, of course, every steal, every block, every, I don't know, tipped pass I can do for this team, I will, and I will go 100 percent. And that's what I, what Joe and the team and coaching staff expect from me. And that's it -- I will try to bring the best version of myself offensively and defensively for this club, and that's it, that's why I'm here."
That's why they're all here -- the pursuit of raising another banner to the TD Garden rafters. It's why Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens reshaped the roster's core, bringing in Holiday and Porzingis at Marcus Smart and Robert Williams' expense.
There's no question this group is talented enough to end this season as champions. But among other factors, including staying healthy, each will have to buy into what they're preaching, even when it's their turn to sacrifice more than the others in the team's best interest.
Further Reading
The Latest on Celtics' Extension Talks with Derrick White
Joe Mazzulla Indicates Neemias Queta has Earned More Playing Time
Al Horford Shares Where Kristaps Porzingis Has Impressed Him Most
Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present
