Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla Addresses ‘Hurtful’ Response To Game 1 Film

BOSTON — The 48 or hours between Game 1 and Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals between the Celtics and Heat was perfect for those looking to form narratives.

That might sound like it has a negative connotation, but it’s the truth. Miami walked into TD Garden and made a statement in Game 1, riding a dominant third quarter to a 1-0 lead in the series. Boston put together a stinker, watching old habits come back to bite them in the rear as they moved to 11-11 in their last 22 home playoff games.

The response was never going to be pretty, but the Celtics still didn’t enjoy watching things back on Thursday.

“(There was) a lot of stuff you don’t want to see,” Robert Williams III said following the Boston’s film session, per CLNS Media. “A lot of hurtful things. The biggest thing is that you learn from it overall.”

Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was made aware of the comments prior to Game 2, providing a reassuring response about his team.

“This is a strong locker room,” Mazzulla said. “They stick together, they hold each other accountable and I expect them to respond. I have full faith that they will. The film session was just a collaboration of us with each other. It was being honest about what we thought of the game and what we can do better.”

The Celtics have made a habit of addressing their slow series starts, often taking opponents lightly. If they do that in Game 2, the path to a second consecutive NBA Finals appearance would look much more difficult. That film would probably hurt a tad more than Game 1.