Celtics' Joe Mazzulla Sends Message on Controversial Rotation Decision vs 76ers

Nov 5, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watches from the sideline as they take on the Washington Wizards at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has been tinkering with his lineups throughout the club's uneven start to its 2025-26 season.

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Mazzulla is not laboring under the false pretense that Boston is competing for a championship again this year. New free agent additions Chris Boucher, Josh Minott and Luka Garza have been shifted around with rising incumbents like Neemias Queta and Sam Hauser, while core piece Payton Pritchard has been moved into a new starting role.

Although Hauser kicked off the season as Mazzulla's starter, Minott quickly assumed that role thanks to his encouraging defense. But he only played 8:16 in the first half of the game, and sat out the entire second half. When asked afterwards about his decision to do that, Mazzulla was fairly mum, per Kayla Burton of NBC Sports Boston.

#Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla was asked about Josh Minott not playing the second half, after playing eight minutes in the first…

“That’s between me and Josh.”

— Kayla Burton (@Kay_Breezy22) November 12, 2025

"That's between me and Josh," Mazzulla said.

Mazzulla finished with just three points and a rebound during his limited run.

Walsh to the Rescue

Rising third-year forward Jordan Walsh drew the starting forward role next to four-time All-Star Jaylen Brown for Boston in the contest's second half. It's unclear if that will be a trend going forward.

Boston lost when Queta failed to put back a Derrick White botched trey attempt in time for the end of regulation. The Celtics fell 102-100 for the game. Boston is now 1-2 against its loathed Atlantic Division nemesis Philadelphia, and sports a thoroughly mediocre 5-7 record on the year.

Still, the season shouldn't be counted out as a total net loss just yet. There's plenty of intrigue within the margins, as Mazzulla looks to develop young pieces like Walsh, Minott and Garza. Boucher — a healthy scratch on the night — is what he is at 33 years old.

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Rookie shooting guard/small forward Hugo Gonzalez has already emerged as a legitimate rotation piece, thanks largely to his impressive defensive instincts. He has lapped second-year swingman Baylor Scheierman in Mazzulla's lineups.

Walsh finished with eight points on 3-of-7 shooting from the floor and 1-of-2 shooting from the charity stripe, seven rebounds, and an assist in 29:18 of action — the most minutes off the bench among anybody, including pricey guard Anfernee Simons.

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