David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Joe Mazzulla Shares His Perspective on Balancing What's Working with Need for Adjustments
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The Celtics' delivered their most thorough performance of the playoffs in their 121-87 thrashing of the Sixers in Game 2 of this second-round series.
On the heels of a disastrous defensive display in their 119-115 Game 1 loss, adjustments ranged from not passing up open threes early in the shot clock to needing to apply tighter on-ball pressure and demonstrating more focus, force, and effort.
That translated to limiting Philadelphia to 39.2 percent shooting, including 6/30 (20 percent) from three-point range, plus 13 turnovers. Two days after erupting for 45 points, James Harden finished with 12 points on 2/14 shooting, including 0/6 from three-point range. Joel Embiid only put 15 on the board in his series debut.
Locking in on defense fueled Boston's up-tempo attack as the hosts consistently created quality looks beyond the arc. They drilled 20/51 (39.2 percent) of their threes. They also went from committing 20 turnovers in Game 1 to seven on Wednesday.
Thursday, Celtics' head coach Joe Mazzulla expressed the following about the difference in how his team played in its series-tying victory.
"I thought the first adjustment we made was our mindset and our physicality, which I thought we brought a different level of both of those things to the beginning of the game, from the beginning, and we sustained it throughout the entire game."
Boston's bench boss added, "I just thought we managed the game really well. Our half-court defense led to our offense, and then our offensive decision-making led to our ability to get back into defense."
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As the series moves to the City of Brotherly Love, the chess match between Mazzulla and Sixers' head coach Doc Rivers intensifies. Both must have counters ready for how the opposition will try to combat what's working well for the other, determine how many adjustments they want to be proactive about making and find solutions for what hasn't gone well through the first two games.
To that, Mazzulla conveyed, "I think you just have to find that balance of, 'here's what we did really well, and here's what we have to continue, and then here's where we have to be ready to adjust.'
"And I think the most important thing is, regardless of what they do from a tactical standpoint, is that we have to bring the same mindset and physicality to the game. And once we do that, I think adjustments become much easier when you have the effort, the detail, the physicality; that's the first adjustment. And then after that, it just depends on how the flow of the game is going, how we're defending, how both Embiid and Harden, the impact they're having on the game, and then you just kind of move from there."
Then there's the matter of the Celtics needing to avoid a let-down and prove they can consistently play up to their standard, not just when the opposition brings that out of them.
The defending Eastern Conference champions addressed that matter after tying the series. A day later, Mazzulla spoke on it again.
"Our guys have been there before. They've been a part of a lot of physical series, a lot of physical games, and a lot of games," said the first-year head coach.
"And so, I think it's building, continuing to understand that when we play at our best, it's a choice. We have to work to hold each other accountable to that. We've got to choose to play to the level at which we played last night, understanding that even if we do that, it may not go our way. But this team has the ability to play at a high, high level on both ends of the floor, and it starts with our defense, and so we just have to bring that mentality tomorrow night."
Further Reading
Film Room: Recalibrating Celtics' Defense for Game 2 Against Sixers
Celtics Address Letting Guard Down in Game 1 Loss to Sixers Team Missing Joel Embiid
