Joe Mazzulla Didn't Think Celtics Deserved to Beat Grizzlies Sunday Night

In a nail-biter with Grizzlies, the Celtics were lucky to come out on top in Memphis.

The 3-9 Memphis Grizzlies were missing nine players, including former Boston Celtic Marcus Smart. Yet they hung around all game.

After the visitors survived with a 102-100 win, Kristaps Porzingis backed his head coach, Joe Mazzulla, for calling out his team's lack of effort during a timeout.

It was only fitting Sunday's chaotic contest featured a wild ending. It started with Jayson Tatum finding Porzingis on a cut as he dunked it home to give Boston a 102-100 lead. 

After getting a stop, Tatum attempted a post-up fade away on Memphis' Desmond Bane that just missed. Luckily for the visitors, Derrick White grabbed the board. He gave it back to Tatum, who then found Jrue Holiday. 

With the shot clock off, the two-time All-Star could've forced the Grizzlies to foul him to extend the game. But with a wide-open lane down the middle, he broke to the basket, only to miss a lefty jam.

Fortunately for the Celtics, Santi Aldama missed an open triple at the other end. Ziaire Williams snagged the offensive rebound and attempted a jumper in front of Boston's bench, but Porzingis swatted it to seal his team's sixth-straight win.

Afterward, Mazzulla had this to say about the game's wild finish.

"At the end of the game there, you either have to make the layup, or you have to get fouled," said Boston's bench boss. "That's just how it is. You either got to make it, or you dribble the clock out, you get fouled, and you make free-throws and the games over."

Mazzulla also voiced his displeasure with his team's effort in the victory.

"We got lucky to win that game," he stated. "We talk about it a lot on both, you can win from losses, you can learn from losses, you can learn from wins, and sometimes you're okay with the loss because you did the right things and sometimes, you're pissed because you didn't deserve to win. And I didn't think we deserved to win the game because of a lot of the stuff that we did."

The C's may be getting themselves in tough situations like this at the end of games, but the fact that they continue to execute in the clutch is becoming a special element of this team. They're now 5-2 in contests within five points in the final five minutes. That's the best record in the league in those situations this season.

The Celtics will look to make it seven in a row on the second half of this back-to-back on Monday night in Charlotte.

Further Reading

Kristaps Porzingis Explains Why Celtics Have NBA's Best Clutch Record

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Survive vs. Shorthanded Grizzlies

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Weather the Storm to Prevail vs. Raptors

Jaylen Brown Blasts In-Season Tournament Court After Injury in Celtics’ Win vs. Raptors

Celtics Discuss Significance of Rivalry Win vs. 76ers for No. 1 Seed in East

Joe Mazzulla Discusses Keys to Celtics Second-Half Turnaround in Win Over 76ers

Here's What Stood Out as Celtics Beat 76ers in Their Best Win of Young Season

Joe Mazzulla Believes Celtics' Second Unit is 'Starting to Develop an Identity'

Kristaps Porzingis Discusses Chemistry with Jaylen Brown: 'I Love Playing with Him'

Kristaps Porzingis Gives Glimpse of How He'll Boost Celtics Late-Game Offense

Under Joe Mazzulla, Celtics Rebuilding Brotherhood Between Past and Present