Celtics

Celtics trainer Joe Mazzulla isn’t quite through the brand new HBO documentary “Celtics City”.

After all, he’s busy leading the Celtics to 2 consecutive titles, and the playoffs begin next month.

So far, the Boston Bench boss has been satisfied with what he saw. He said 98.5 The Sport Hub's Zolak and Bertrand that the Celtics episode 4 saw together as organization.

“I think it brought an astonishing perspective,” said Mazzulla. “Sometimes you get up each day and it’s as if you happen to are training the Celtics after which look something like a person. This job wouldn’t be what it was if these items haven’t happened up to now and folks haven’t achieved what they achieved, and what they went through the great and the bad.

“There has only been an amazing perspective about how responsibility and property we have in this job.”

The fourth episode, which Larry Bird's arrival in Boston and the primary championship in 1981, isn’t yet available to the general public. The series ought to be episode 1 and the premiere on Monday evening Other eight episodes ought to be published once every week afterwards.

The series begins with the early days of Red Auerbach within the Fifties and ends with the 2024 championship.

Bertrand said Celtics fans will love the documentary and that only those that hate the Celtics would hate them much more. This statement was deleted Mazzulla.

“Is there anything better?” Said Mazzulla. “What you simply said excited me for the remainder of the day. The beautiful relationship between love and hatred, especially in sport, we’re within the core of it, so there may be nothing higher. ”

The nine -part documentary contains interviews by Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Bird, Robert Parrish, Rick Pitino, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Kevin Mchashe and many other past and presented Celtics. The last episode is to be carried out on April 28th.

Mazzulla said that the balance between love and hatred for the Celtics was part of what makes them convincing.

“This is the world we live in,” said Mazzulla. “I believe that's a great driving force. You will need to have this balance. You have to grasp once you go to an arena, at home you get to the fullest and on the way in which that you simply usually are not. There is nothing higher than that. “

Celtics

The Shorthanded Celtics received a fantastic performance by Jayson Tatum, however the Cavaliers withdrew on Friday to win 123-116.

Here are the snack bars.

Donovan Mitchell is repeatedly demolished the defense of the Celtics.

The game on Friday will give the fans loads of ammunition on each side that you would be able to argue about, but one thing is consistently clear on Cleveland's side and dates from last season: Donovan Mitchell is an actual problem against the Celtics, and he has been for some time.

The Celtics generally fight Twitchy Guards, and Mitchell is just as twitching and explosive as they – for evidence, they see not more than his first half on Derrick White, where he had the presence of the mind (and the physical ability) to tug the ball over his head to avoid the shot block and care for it with each hands.

The biggest problem with Mitchell is after all the pick-and-roll. It is fast enough to interrupt into the colour, strong enough to initiate and kick through contact, clever enough to attain a goal, and versed enough to defeat his approach to the free -out line. This is a robust combination, and the Cavaliers needed each piece of its 41-point outage on Friday.

Darius Garland can also be a great scorer, but he’s targeted in defense. Evan Mobley is essential for the cavaliers, but he is usually offensive. The beating heart of the Cavaliers is Mitchell, who seems to thrive in the best moments and will probably be the largest query mark when these teams – as expected – see again in a number of months.

The cavaliers have chosen a matchup that is probably not there much.

The Celtics and Cavaliers are a really strange pairing because each teams wish to hunt matchups and each teams have some preferred matchups.

The Cavaliers used their preferred matchup an enormous advantage within the fourth quarter when Mitchell and Garland modified and tried to make sure that Sam Hauser loses some sleep on Friday evening.

“He has been a great defender in the league in the past two or three years and has acquired a call, and so the trust comes to have him in the game and defend himself,” said Joe Mazzulla shortly after the sport on Friday.

Hauser's defense was much malignant at first of his profession, and he didn't deserve all of the vitriol, however the game on Friday was a memory that there are players with whom he simply cannot handle. The cavaliers all the time geared toward him and he was beaten almost each time. He got a number of stops, but when the fourth quarter subsided, it became increasingly clear that the Cavaliers would win when Hauser stayed on the pitch, and with JRUE holiday, the Celtics had no other options.

Of course, Hauser is not going to be the reply in a playoff series, unless the Celtics have gone very crooked-Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis have each missed Friday games-and Joe Mazzulla almost able to tear away a defeat of the regular season as a substitute of turning his hand against Mitchell and Garland with everyone.

The Cavaliers should (and definitely looked like they might feel the victory on Friday on Friday. The Celtics shot a high percentage of three, jumped in great leadership and received great performances from their stars, and the Cavaliers still won.

However, you possibly can bet that Mazzulla has plans to defend the celebs of the Cavaliers, which he didn’t reveal on Friday.

You really don't need to take Jayson seriously.

In the primary quarter, when the Celtics ran to a giant lead, Tatum within the corner caught a pass, buried a 3 pointer and compelled the cavaliers to call timeout. When Tatum made his approach to the bank, he was in a position to swing his arm together with his arm and screamed a bit, which looked suspicious like “f *** here, man”.

We would never deny that he’s petty – NBA players love to remodel loads of negativity and transform them into motivation, and Tatum is actually no exception.

But for everybody else who follows the Celtics online, one thing is obvious: they don't need to take the Jayson Tatum seriously. You don't need to consult with strangers about his aura or with the perceived deficiency. You don't need to discuss whether he’s probably the greatest players on this planet (he’s actually and you possibly can do a case for him).

The truth is that they don’t have to defend Tatum online because everyone who uses him is just not really serious to be basketball. Tatum's curriculum vitae is incontestable. We saw how he carries the Celtics deep into the playoffs. We saw how he got here up huge in the best moments. We saw how he scored 60 points in a single game, 50 in a game victory, 51 in a game 7.

The Celtics fell on Friday, nevertheless it had nothing to do with Tatum. He included 46 points, including 18 in the primary quarter, and he had an assist of the triple double with 46 points and 16 rebounds.

The missing assist was a bit symbolic – Jaylen Brown appeared in addition to Derrick White, however the Celtics received contributions from almost no person, and their bank was decimated by Cleveland. Tatum packed his team for a competitive showdown with the completely healthy Cavaliers who haven’t any answer to him, but he’ll need more from his teammates.

Jaylen Brown was also excellent.

Brown was similarly dominant, even though it was a bit limited by bad difficulties and in only 34 minutes 37 points in shooting 13-against-24 shots. When Brown 3-pointer makes, he’s an incredibly difficult cover, and he shot 4: 6 behind the arch on Friday and supported the Celtics when Tatum went on the bench.

“I could probably have had more,” said Brown. “There were some places where I could probably have gotten a greater shot or may very well be a bit more patient for me. And the identical for Jayson. You don't wish to help. They tried to take our distance and our shootout away in order that they only stayed at home as a substitute of creating and passing the reading processes.

“So that implies that we have now to dominate each time. I actually have the sensation that I may need left her off the hook a number of times. […] When I had the ball or when Jayson had the ball tonight, they remained mostly at home. We need to have them paid for. “

If there is a criticism of Brown, he could have to make sure that he did not let Brown's foul into the second half in one of Brown's more harmful fouls. But many of the Tatum mislays that adapt to the Cavaliers also apply to Brown.

The Celtics led very early from 22.

The Celtics ran to the type of Big Early Lead, which simply never seems to keep in modern NBA, but they looked impressive. The ball jumped around the floor, the players and the ball moved well, the false adjustments looked as if they were an important problem in the late season, and the cavaliers looked shocked.

The problem with modern NBA is that a really good team like Cleveland never looks shocked for long and a really hot team doesn't stay hot for a whole game. The Cavaliers immediately started cutting the lead down again, and they were within 10.

At this point it should be considered a surprise if an NBA team actually records in a large lead in the first quarter. The Cavaliers have returned well to the game after the Celtics had started the third quarter, but tends to go back large waves in the first quarter to see themselves within the normal ebbes and rivers of an NBA basketball game.

“Obviously, the opposite team is not going to play so badly,” said Al Horford. “So you will play a few games, you will run, you will answer. I have the feeling that we answered again. So that's part of the game. “

The Celtics bank didn’t help.

On an evening through which the Celtics were without two starters, they received incredibly negative contributions from their bank.

Payton Pritchard and Luke Koret's numbers were affected by entering the sport after the primary flood of the Celtics, but they were within the box -point number -36 or -26. As a team, the Celtics 33-6 bank implemented (in a game that the Cavaliers of seven won).

A tough route continues.

The Celtics road is just not getting easier: on Sunday afternoon you’re in a showdown within the TD Garden at 1 p.m. with the Nuggets. The Trail Blazer will probably be in the town on Wednesday.

Celtics

Before actors and celebrities went into the Traditional runway red carpet Sunday evening for the 2025 Screen Actors Guild Awards, the Celtics went to the Runway “Jetblue” for his or her matinee matchup against the Knicks, 105-118.

While each player brought his own style and their very own flair, there are a number of “best -time -dressed” moments.

Jayson Tatum led the team to a win over the Knicks with 25 points and damaged it within the tunnel in Suss -Knitters on the ground and torn it alike Sweater With a wolf motif.

Tatum previously wore the designer of Los Angeles during one Foreplay moment In 2023 Cherry Red appeared on the time when Cherry Red appeared on a trend observatory lists – the identical full of life color that reflects on the highest of the knitting and the Jordan crime was used up before the sport.

Jaylen Brown can have had a slow start in the sport, but he didn't miss a beat style. Since he officially began 741 Friday evening on the Museum of Science in Boston and arranged fans at a pop-up merch event on the Newbury Street on Saturday, Brown has presented several colours, including the “White Noise” collection and a brand new neutral-in within the mustard -end of the mustard, Tan or Camel Color Family – that might be the golden stirring of the “OG” Combine black moon.

Torrey Craig gave his game debut against the 76s on Thursday after which on Sunday his runway debut celebrated in shiny, loosely sitting jet black pants and a preferred jeans jacket sold out Retailer Like Bergdorf Goodman – from a collaboration between Amiri and what long. The graphic design of the jacket offers elements which can be “inspired”American people, craft and art. “”

Ultimately, it’s subjective to come to a decision who won best – fashion is personal and their effects are in the attention of the viewer. You may be the judge.

Celtics

Celtics fans should circle of their calendars on March 3 unintentional 3/3 reference to Larry Bird – premieren for HBO's latest documentary series.

With the title “Celtics City”, the Docu series will examine the history of the NBA team of Boston, its many stars and its effects on the square. The first trailer dropped on Wednesday and teased quite a few subplots and interviews.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8qhdwo9onj8

“Celtics City” was produced by the previous founder/CEO of “Boston Sports Guy” and the wrestler, Bill Simmons, along with Connor Schell (the duo, who originally produced the announced series “30 for 30”). The project is a partnership of HBO sports documentary movies, wrestling movies and words + pictures.

“It took real thoughts to find out: 'How do you tell the final history of the Celtics, but also through the lens of a greater story than just basketball?” An interview Nov. 2024.

Together with SoundBites of current Celtics like Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and head coach Joe Mazzulla, the clips shown within the trailer include interviews with Doc Rivers, Larry Bird, Kevin Mchashale, Robert Parish, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Bob Cousy. In particular, the previous head coach Rick Pitino can be shown briefly, which points out that he can have been interviewed for the project.

In addition, the rival Los Angeles Lakers are represented, and James Worthy and Jeannie Buss also appear within the trailer involved.

Celtics

Brad Stevens and the Celtics report a deal before the NBA trade period on Thursday.

But as a substitute of bringing talent right into a Win-now squad, on Wednesday apparently turning to remove a number of the luxury taxes in Boston.

According to ESPN Shams CharaniaThe Celtics act Jared Springer and their second round 2030 against the Houston Rockets-Beide teams also exchange heavily protected picks within the second round as a part of the deal.

Springer – acquired by Boston in a contract with the 76s before the trade end of last 12 months – was normally planted further down in Boston's deep card, which was a median of 6.3 minutes per game over 43 games with the Celtics.

But the 22-year-old guard began to earn a bigger role in Joe Mazzullas Bank last month-addressed by an eight point-four-steal appearance from the bank, the Jolt Boston on the technique to an OT victory against the OT Clipper prompted a profit on January twenty second.

Despite the age of jumper and the defensive on the top, his ability to earn severe repetitions in Boston were hindered by the presence of other guards akin to Derrick White, Jrue Holiday and Payton Pritchhard.

But Boston's strong luxury tax bill needed to be reduced and Bobby Marks of ESPN in regards to the limited reverses of Springer Limited that the contract for the 4 million dollar contract of Springer within the books in reference to repeater punishments in reference to the luxurious tax would have cost almost $ 15 million.

Commercial effect: Boston/Houston

Celtics

Tax penalty: USD 65.6 million to USD 50.2 million

2 Open service plan stains

Rocket

Jaden Springer: $ 4M, RFA 2025

The rockets acquire jumpers with a part of their $ 12.8 million not taxes ML

– Bobby Marks (@bobbymarks42) February 5, 2025

The Celtics have now opened two squad places after working Springer to Houston. Stevens has until 3 p.m. on Thursday to take one other step before the deadline.

Celtics

Jayson Tatum led a large rally on Sunday within the third and fourth quarter and helped the Celtics to beat a deficit within the second half of 26 points and to defeat the Shorthand 76ers 118-110.

Here are the snack bars.

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics showed slightly Mettle.

The Celtics I used to be not at all times essentially the most focused bunch this yr, and for a big a part of the evening, the sport on Sunday after just a few little steps with successive victories against the bulls and pelicans saw back like one other big step.

Then the Celtics 3-pointer met. A 16: 4 run to finish the third quarter lowered the result in 14, and this swing was within the fourth. Sam Hauser met just a few big triple, who continued to go right down to 11 with 10 minutes.

Then Tatum took over, scored 13 of his 35 points within the last framework and brought out three templates. With the Celtics, which were followed by five o'clock at 7:30 a.m., Tatum scored eight points as a part of a ten: 0 run, which raised them to a five-point lead. In the center of this run it was switched to Tyrese Maxey and stayed star step-by-step when dancing on the Sixers after which hit Maxey's 3-pointer. When the Sixers began to double, he quickly turned back into his role as playmakers – and pulled out and distributed the defense of teammates.

Tatum ended with 35 points in 13-against-20 shootings (5-to-8 of three) in addition to seven rebounds and 11 assists.

On the one hand, the Celtics looked defensive in the primary half and were ice cold of deep-two aspects that helped the Sixers to construct their 26-point lead.

On the opposite hand, the rally showed an actual resilience and a hunger to win as a team, and it marked her second victory in somewhat exhausting circumstances (although the difficult circumstances were admittedly self -indebted on Sunday).

In a super world, the Celtics wouldn’t dig right into a 26-point pit against a Sixers team that misses Joel Embbiid and Paul George. Nevertheless, the persistence that’s needed to dig and win what’s the biggest rally for a victory throughout the era of Joe Mazzulla War-the form of mentality that a team every now and then has to point out.

The Derrick White counter.

When Tatum made it clear that he would have a special evening on Sunday in the course of the fourth quarter, the Sixers decided to do every little thing they needed to take the ball out of his hands. Instead of just affected by death through a thousand crime cuts, Nick Nurse began to double the star of the Celtics.

This meant that Tatum was so impressive throughout the big rally of the Celtics, they needed other players to hit shots to shut the victory on the route.

Input: Derrick Whitewho has proven prior to now two years that it might be the perfect countermeasure of the Celtics when teams double. His two 3-pointers within the fourth quarter-one with 4:29 and one with 2:12 remaining schob each a one-point Celtics back on 4, which gave the Celtics an urgently needed breath.

White also met two of crucial 3-point of the night thread on two possessions within the third quarter, when the Sixers push the result in 26, which prevented the sport from getting out of their hand.

Jaylen Brown Often takes the Celtics on nights, by which Tatum is off, the perfect option of the team when opponents begin to clamp themselves on the superstar of Celtics.

White scored 17 points on Sunday and achieved nine templates. He shot 5-to-9 out of three and marked his fourth game in a row, by which he exceeded 40 percent of Deep.

Jaylen Brown was also in a position to do late.

Tatum will get the headlines (like this!), But we can be on the lookout for Brown because the decisive a part of the Celtics rally-Brown scored six points and issued three templates (including a 3 pointer. A dark and one Layup) within the fourth quarter and ended with 21 points at Tidy 9-against-17 shooting. His 14-foot coat, who remained eight minutes, tied the Celtics run together at a crucial moment, and his dish to Luke Korket with 6:20 gave the Celtics a 1-point lead over three.

Brown added a complete of 10 rebounds and 6 assists and was +17 within the box rating.

Jrue Holiday won the Celtics two challenges.

Players cannot at all times be trustworthy in the event that they request a challenge. Simply ask the Sixers who lost their ability in the primary half in the primary half when Kyle Lowry brought them to a shot after he joined Al Horfords Ellbogen and vehemently protested the following foul.

But Jrue Holiday Got Matt Reynolds and the Celtics a challenge within the fourth quarter. The first got here with 8:41. After a basket that reduced the Sixers' result in six, the vacation pressed the Inbounds Pass and compelled a turnover that the official initially called on vacation. However, a review showed that it was the Sixers.

Then, with 35 seconds ahead, the vacation-the 3-pointer 3 pointer had just defended Maxey clean when he drove to the tire, however the officers pfhaten the holiday for a foul. Once again, the vacation demanded an assessment, and the Celtics won them again.

The vacation ended with nine points, five rebounds and five assists.

Guerschon Yabusele had an important game.

Celtics fans of a certain age -especially those that have a certain online footprint -may remember the Yabusele madness after being drafted into the Celtics in 2016. Yabusele appears to be an actual NBA player in his second go-around within the league, and he looks like he has an important time.

The bad news for the Celtics is that Yabusele 2024-25 is needed to be a Celtics killer-ton of energy and a degree, great size and footwork (former Celtics assistant Micah Shrewsberry, you might remember With the nickname “The The The Tanzbär”) and a 3-point shot, which he now hits 40 percent for the season.

On Sunday, Yabusele scored 21 points at 8-against-13 shooting and was a crucial a part of the good run of the Sixers within the second and third quarter. His massive slam with a hand and subsequent breast fighting-perhaps the last comfortable moment that Sixers fans had on Sunday and would have been viral several times on strange Celtics Twitter than the community lived and thrived.

Yabusele's big night was the perfect of each worlds for Celtics fans. He looked great and his performance did probably not cost the Celtics.

An enormous matchup threatens.

The Celtics have one other game on their road trip and it's an enormous rating, however the Cavs have looked slightly wobble these days.

On Thursday, they return to a final crowd against the Dallas Mavericks. If you haven't heard, this Matchup could look slightly different this time.

Celtics

The Celtics lost an unforgettable competition to their rivals Lakers on Thursday evening.

The defeat of Boston 117-96 was right with the worst lack of the season that got here within the second night of a back-to-back. It showed.

Thursday also marked the fifth game of the Celtics in seven days and ensured an exhausted group of players in Green.

Jaylen Brown scored 17 points and got an eight rebound for eight one night.

Brown called Boston for enjoying “flat” against Los Angeles. He said that he showed more vitality than his team on television on television.

“You can give you recognition, but I only think we got out flat. We only looked tired, ”he said reporters after the sport (via NBC Sports Boston). “Maybe you possibly can say that it is just the sport from last night in additional time, but on either side of the ground they only had more energy than we did. … it just wasn't there tonight. “

When Jayson was asked whether he felt tired, he did not explain that he had no tiredness in the OT frame that had in front.

“No,” replied Tatum. “I mean it's hard. But it is a component of the job, games additional time, games in a row. Sometimes you might have to travel. So no excuses. “

Tatum had a quiet night and ended with 16 points, six rebounds and five assists. He was previously appointed the All-Star starter of the Eastern Conference on Thursday.

Brown noticed the historical rivalry of the teams and said he wished that the game had not fallen on the back of the successive competitions for Boston. However, he gave Tatum's feelings not to make excuses regarding their brutal schedule recently.

“It is difficult. Lakers-Celtics is one in every of the largest matchups. Ideally, she doesn’t want it to be on the back of a rear backrest and stands out from a additional time game,” said Brown. But you know what's what It is no more energy.

Fortunately, the Celtics can redeem themselves against the Lakers at home on March 8. In addition, both teams have the day before the removal.

Personally, Brown spoke about how his ankle felt against the Lakers after rolling it against the Clippers last night.

“It was okay”, ” he said of his injured ankle. “I'm still attempting to get my outbreak and explosion back. I didn't end many baskets across the edge. Just since it plays a bit with me. It will arrive there. “

Brown explained that he rolled the same ankle against the Hawks last weekend. He played his last illness on Wednesday and played 33 minutes on Thursday.

“I used to be only a bit beaten, but I just pushed myself through,” said Brown. “Tonight was not a great performance for our team energy. I missed a lot of baskets around the edge and our team has to do me to make them. So I have to produce for my team. “

Celtics

The Celtics needed to work for it, but they managed to search out a creative strategy to defeat Trae Young and the Hawks 119-115 on Saturday.

Here are the snack bars.

The Celtics had the sport under control.

We can't emphasize enough how badly the Celtics blew this game.

The Hawks put up a superb fight and definitely had their very own opportunities to drag away, however the Celtics appeared to have done simply enough to secure the win with 30 seconds left.

With the sport tied at 100, Jaylen Brown gave himself some space with an attractive turnaround jumper and the Celtics took the lead.

On the opposite side, the Hawks threw the ball away and commenced to implode – Trae Young complained a few technical error, apparently under the impression that Jrue Holiday was going to grab him, and the Celtics went up by three when Tatum took the free kick throw.

That must have been it – the Celtics must have been in a position to pound the ball in, make a number of free throws and get the win.

Instead, Holiday escaped near the rim and took a pass from Tatum. Instead of holding onto the ball (or putting it in) and taking a two-possession lead, Holiday gave the Hawks life by throwing it out of bounds in the primary of two disastrous miscues down the stretch.

On the opposite hand, the Celtics intentionally fouled Trae Young (and we would love to take this chance to reiterate that the NBA needs to vary its foul-up-by-three rules to maintain exciting basketball games flowing). Young made each free throws, and the Hawks fouled Tatum, sending him to the road and giving him a probability to take a two-point lead.

Tatum went 1-for-2 to place the Celtics ahead by two.

Then Holiday made his second disastrous decision, inexplicably fouling Young again. Predictably, the profession 87.3 percent free throw shooter did each, Tatum missed a turnaround shot and the sport went into extra time.

Overtime was intense, with multiple stops and starts and an altercation that just about resulted in Tatum – who was already in a technical – being ejected from the sport (when you want a little bit chat after one other disheartening loss, note that Joe Mazzulla pumps his fist and claps). when the 2 teams fought with one another).

But the Celtics almost had a probability to show a well-deserved loss right into a win in the ultimate seconds when Jalen Johnson missed two free throws and the Hawks took a one-point lead.

Instead, Onyeka Okongwu thoroughly outmaneuvered Neemias Queta, grabbed the offensive rebound and made two free throws when he was fouled. The Hawks played the remaining of the sport effectively.

The Celtics could have done a number of things higher to win, but perhaps most frustrating for Celtics fans will likely be the indisputable fact that, for all their problems, they still could have (and will have) won on Saturday.

Instead, they may embark on an prolonged road trip through which the great vibes created by Friday's win over the Magic have largely been erased.

The Celtics couldn't shoot (again).

The Celtics shot well against the Magic, and that didn't fix their problems (whatever those problems could also be). As a team, they shot 40-104 (38.5 percent). From three it was 15 to 52 (28.8 percent). Their saving grace – or a minimum of their near saving grace – was that the Hawks one way or the other underperformed from three games: 9 for 37 (24.3 percent).

The individual statistics are brutal:

• Jaylen Brown was 9 of 27 and a pair of of 9 from three games.
• Tatum was also 7 of 21 and a pair of of 9 from three games.
• Derrick White was 5 of 16 from three games alone and seven of 20 overall.

It appears the shooting will proceed until the chances rise. Morality is nowhere to be found.

Jaylen Brown hit his head off the bottom.

Here's a clip of a fall Brown took in extra time. Don't watch it when you're squeamish.

Brown stayed in the sport, and while we fully acknowledge that we don't have a medical degree here, that call seemed questionable considering Brown's head landed squarely on the hardwood floor with no support. We hope he's doing well.

Luke Kornet was a superb starter.

The Celtics opted to play each Kristaps Porzingis and Al Horford at the highest of their matchup, and while Porzingis played sparingly and hinted that he might play on the second night as well, the Celtics as a substitute went to Kornet to guide their matchup start location.

They weren't dissatisfied. Kornet finished the sport with good statistics – 17 points, 7-for-9 shooting and 7 rebounds – and was extremely effective on each ends. Perhaps most notably, he earned six second-chance opportunities on offensive boards in addition to 4 steals, all of which got here in the primary quarter.

The Celtics were 5.0 points per 100 possessions higher defensively this season with Kornet on the sector as a substitute of off it. That's the 86th percentile league-wide and the perfect on the team by a comparatively large margin. Even on an evening when things weren't easy for the Celtics, Kornet's presence once more made it possible for the Celtics to have an injury-prone starting center with a 38-year-old backup.

Sam Hauser missed a point-blank dunk.

With the Celtics struggling to attain, perhaps no single play summed it up higher than a fast attack late within the third quarter.

With lower than a minute left, because the Celtics were beginning to put some things together, Tatum snuck right into a passing lane and intercepted a pass from Trae Young. Tatum had the chance to get revenge on two different teammates running in front of him and selected Hauser, who was sprinting before the play.

Hauser appeared to have thrown down a wide-open dunk, and he looked confident going up.

Oops.

No major damage was done – the Hawks went out of bounds, then committed a foul that sent the Celtics to the road and still allowed them to make it 2-1.

Still, the noise TD Garden made — roaring as Hauser broke away, then groaning as his dunk inexplicably popped out — was each appropriate and quite funny.

Hauser finished the sport 0-7 from the sector and 0-5 from three.

The Celtics are heading west.

The Celtics will now go on tour again. They face the Warriors on Monday at 5 p.m. before two games against the Clippers and Lakers on Wednesday and Thursday.

Celtics

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics desperately needed a giant win, and on Friday they got it against the Magic, picking up a 121-94 win.

Here are the snack bars.

Jayson Tatum brought the Celtics under control.

Tatum has had more dominant games and much more notable results, but his 30-point, six-rebound, four-assist night on Friday understates the impact he had on the sport, particularly within the second quarter when the Celtics gave the impression to be hinting at one Blowout.

With just below nine minutes left within the second quarter, Tatum scored back-to-back layups, bringing his total to nine points. The layups themselves were relatively unremarkable, but otherwise helped Tatum expand his status as perhaps the most effective isolation player within the league this season (1.15 points per possession).

But the back-to-back layups felt like a press release of sorts from the Celtics star, and so they cheered him on until halftime – Tatum finished the second quarter with 15 of his 30 points. His offense seemed almost casual and in perfect flow, which was helpful on an evening where the Celtics relied on everyone getting on target.

What's perhaps notable is that Tatum's big night began with a 3-pointer, but he found a rhythm as he headed to the basket. After reaching the rim several times, he prolonged his shot back to the 3-point line, which appeared to work well – he finished the sport 4-9 from behind the arc.

The Celtics really needed this.

Things didn't look good for the Magic on Friday. Their defense was porous, their offense was uninspired, their 3-point performance was the eighth-worst of any team this season (5 of 32, 15.6 percent) and the energetic shorthanded group that beat the Celtics was unlikely to be seen just just a few weeks ago it looks like Paolo Banchero could be expected to do anything for her.

But the Celtics won't care. After enduring certainly one of their worst losses of the season – which was immediately preceded by certainly one of their worst wins of the yr, which was immediately preceded by certainly one of their worst losses of the season – they really needed a win like this.

They saw the shots go downfield (45.9 percent from 3-point range). They needed their star players to seek out their rhythm (Tatum scored 30 points while Jaylen Brown added 20 points and went 9-for-9 on the free throw line), and so they needed their star players to appear like stars of their roles. They got to see the ball flutter across the sideline just a few times prefer it did earlier within the yr, even when it meant they didn't hit the ball each time.

“I think it was healthy for us to have an ugly loss,” Kristaps Porzingis said. “It's a bit of a wake-up call. We've had a lot of ups and downs lately and I think a defeat like that really, really hurt – the way it's supposed to hurt. And tonight we were a different team.”

The Celtics have a whole lot of games coming up, which suggests they’ve loads of opportunities to prove that Friday's result wasn't an oasis in the midst of the desert. It is entirely possible that they’ll relapse and have problems again.

But bouncing back in dominant fashion after a loss to the Raptors and picking up a win over a playoff team that showed hints of their success earlier within the season was a great start.

“It definitely felt good to hit some shots, but I just liked how physical we were early on,” Tatum said. “The starters haven't necessarily started the game as well as we would have liked recently. But I think we matched their intensity from the start tonight and the guys coming off the bench did a great job of moving the game forward.”

Kristaps Porzingis was incredibly efficient.

Porzingis was the one Celtic to perform fairly well against the Raptors, and he continued to knock down shots Friday, going 7-for-10 from the sphere and 3-for-5 from deep. When the Celtics were capable of get the ball inside, Porzingis dominated within the post. He's been pretty much as good as Tatum in isolation within the post this yr (1.15 points per possession, 81st percentile), and if he starts scoring on each pick-and-pops and within the paint, it would be for the Celtics overall really difficult to stop.

“I think today was a step in the right direction for sure,” Porzingis said. “We played good basketball.”

Porzingis gave everyone at TD Garden a heart attack on that fast break when he landed awkwardly.

He also by chance wiped Banchero's eye within the third quarter, causing a lengthy delay as Banchero tried to shake off the injury and get to the free throw line to avoid sitting out (which he did).

Porzingis said that the Celtics' franchise and fans were a bit spoiled by the success (not in a nasty way).

“You don’t know what it’s like to play on a sub-.500 team or really struggle and not be able to get wins,” he said. “And of course the expectations aren't the same, but still as a player you just grit your teeth and go to work the next day.

“But here it's an incredible privilege in a way that we're supposed to win every game. We go into almost every game as favorites, if not every game. Of course it’s a weight that we have to carry or a little bit of pressure that we have to carry, but that’s to be expected with this thing.”

The starters were good.

The starting lineup's struggles have been well-documented, but this group was +15 on Friday, and Mazzulla returned to them together within the second quarter, which seemed a bit like a chance for them to proceed improving chemistry, even when Mazzulla denied it.

“The pattern was just like that tonight,” he said. “I thought they got off to a good start. They had a great rhythm and that was kind of the pattern that prevailed there and I thought they did a good job, really got off to a good start and played consistently throughout.”

Tatum noted that “results may vary” depending on plus/minus statistics.

“I find [I liked] How connected we were on both sides of the field, especially on defense,” he said. “Everyone was on the same page, we were connected and helped each other.

“Regardless of the plus/minus, the way we approached it today was much better.”

Jrue Holiday and Al Horford hit threes.

For the Celtics as a whole, it was encouraging to see 3-point shots go down, but Jrue Holiday's 3-for-6 go-ahead was perhaps one of the most interesting stats of the night. Holiday's precipitous decline from 42.9 percent from three to 33.7 this year has been a bit puzzling, and the Celtics would benefit greatly if he starts ticking up.

Horford, meanwhile, went 2-3. He's been off the mark less than his teammates in recent weeks, but his presence provides a crucial outlet for the Celtics' drive-and-kick offense, and when he makes shots, the defense is forced to close harder, which helps Ball swings much more smoothly around the perimeter.

Everything is much easier for the Celtics when they shoot well.

“I liked the way they shot their shots better,” Mazzulla said. “Al got some great kick-out threes just by penetrating Jaylen and Jayson. Jrue got two catch-and-shoot looks in the corner. In the pick-and-roll, he made two dribble three-pointers that went to his left hand.

“So I just like the type of recordings they do. And to me, if we can give these guys good looks based on our performance on our offense, it just makes us better.”

The Celtics have some hot takes.

And as is the case with hot takes, you probably won't like them.

Jrue Holiday, for example, believes that coffee is overrated. Payton Pritchard doesn't like cannolis (and whoever produces the Celtics' in-house entertainment…maybe don't know how to spell “cannoli”?).

Sam Hauser drew the most important response when he once more expressed his support for Aaron Rodgers as certainly one of the three best NFL quarterbacks of all time (he didn't even diss Tom Brady this time).

However, Luke Kornet suggested that each NBA game starts at 11am. Fans would hate this, after all, but Kornet is guaranteed to resonate with sportswriters with this particularly hot attitude.

Jaylen Brown focused more on defense.

Brown took just five shots in the primary half and finished the sport with just 12 total shots (5 of 12).

But Brown wasn't discouraged – he recorded three steals and earned enthusiastic applause from Mazzulla at one point for his defensive effort.

“I liked how intense he was and I think that’s important for us,” Mazzulla said. “He brings a different mentality to us sometimes and I thought tonight he brought a high level of intensity. He had 20 points on 12 shots and he has the ability to impact the game without shooting. I thought he just influenced it in a lot of different ways.”

Jaylen Brown's shoe got here off Jordan Walsh's foot.

Celtics players who wear Brown's 741 Performance Rover shoe swear by it, but within the interest of journalistic integrity, we should always note that it got here directly from Jordan Walsh's foot when Cole Anthony stepped on him within the fourth quarter. Walsh grabbed the shoe and stomped it back on, so we should always also note that it's just as easy to placed on and take off again.

The path ahead.

The Celtics will face the Hawks on Saturday at 7 p.m. before getting back on the road and traveling to the West Coast to face the Warriors on Monday.

Celtics

Last yr, the Celtics felt like a juggernaut that had the NBA's most effective offense and second-most efficient defense.

They secured the No. 1 seed within the Eastern Conference in late March and the ultimate few weeks of the regular season felt like a formality. The Celtics had an excessive amount of depth, too many shots and were well behind the remaining of the league.

This yr is different. Offensive efficiency has dropped to 3rd, defensive efficiency has dropped to sixth, and the Celtics' 3-point shooting percentage has declined from elite to middle of the pack. They have fallen to second place within the standings and are in peril of being overtaken by the third-place Knicks in the event that they proceed to play like this.

Other teams are catching up. Boston has lost seven of its last 14 games, and Wednesday's loss to the Raptors showed that opponents aren’t any longer afraid of the Celtics, based on NBC Sports Boston Brian Scalabrine said.

“I think the first half was phenomenal,” Scalabrine said of the Raptors game on Celtics Postgame Live. “I thought we were shot for shot, good basketball. I don't know the second half. I don't know what they were thinking.

“Did they think the Raptors would give up?” Scalabrine added. “It's just that we're not playing what I describe as the hard-nosed Celtic basketball that we saw last year, where you could see fear in our opponent's eyes. I'm sorry, man. This fear has disappeared. That’s just not the case anymore.”

It's not only essential that the Celtics lose. It's also about who they lose to and the way it happens. Chicago, Philadelphia and Toronto are sub-.500 teams. Sacramento was also there, but improved its record to 20-20 after defeating the Celtics. Orlando didn't have Paolo Banchero or any of the Wagner brothers after they beat Boston in December.

The Celtics lose to bad teams, partially due to shooting strikes, but in addition because they struggle to consistently generate the proper level of defensive intensity.

“The guys are excited to play against us and when they come out here they show it,” Scalabrine said. “You see Scotty Barnes slapping Jayson Tatum right in the face. Right there.”

“If you remember 2008 and 2009, it’s really interesting that the guys were afraid of us,” he continued. “That's exactly how it was. I'm sorry, I just don't see that with this group. I don’t see other teams saying, ‘Man, we have to get to the point today or the Celtics are going to beat us by 50 points.’ I don’t know if those days are over, but we don’t see that happening.”