The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Tuesday’s NBA Cup opening-round recreation with an undefeated 15-0 document to start out the season. Nonetheless, their streak got here to an finish at TD Backyard, the place the Boston Celtics showcased their energy and profitable mentality in a hard-fought 120-117 victory. After the sport, head coach Joe Mazzulla despatched a daring message to the remainder of the league.
When requested about Cleveland’s bodily strategy, which focused Boston’s stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Mazzulla praised his gamers for his or her resilience. “I believed each of them dealt with the stress and the physicality effectively,” Mazzulla stated. “I hope groups proceed to be bodily, ’trigger it simply will get us reps.”
Tatum led the best way for Boston, scoring 33 factors, grabbing 12 rebounds, and doling out 7 assists in 38 minutes. Brown contributed 17 factors, 3 rebounds, and eight assists. “That they had an amazing stability of dealing with the stress, driving to assault, driving to get to the free throw line… they dealt with it rather well,” Mazzulla added.
The top coach additionally defined the strategic changes that had been key to defeating the Cavaliers. “We lulled the offense. We performed a little bit bit slower, but it surely was extra necessary to get to the correct spacing,” he stated. “It was extra necessary to get our drive-and-kick reads.”
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics speaks with head coach Joe Mazzulla throughout recreation one of many Jap Convention Finals in opposition to the Miami Warmth at TD Backyard on Could 17, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.
Mazzulla’s concern
Regardless of the victory, Joe Mazzulla expressed concern in regards to the workforce’s capacity to maintain its excessive degree of depth over the course of the season. When requested whether or not the Celtics’ effort was a pure evolution or pushed by the significance of the sport, Mazzulla replied, “For those who ask the gamers, I’m positive they’d say it’s a little bit little bit of each.”
He elaborated: “To me, I care extra about, can we do it once more in 72 hours? Can we do it once more a month from now, a month later? Understanding we’re not gonna be at our greatest on a regular basis, however the most necessary factor over the course is can we simply chip away and try this?” After which Mazzulla added: “It’s nice that we did it tonight, it confirmed the extent that we are able to get to, however we simply acquired to do it over and over.”
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Trying forward
After their large win, the Celtics may have three days to relaxation earlier than dealing with the Washington Wizards on Friday at Capital One Enviornment, one other NBA Cup opening-round matchup. In the meantime, the Cavaliers might want to regroup rapidly. Kenny Atkinson’s workforce is about to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, as they give the impression of being to bounce again from their first lack of the season.
