Why Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla Doesn’t Feel Obligated To Win By Certain Amount

BOSTON — In order for the Boston Celtics to advance in the NBA In-Season Tournament they need to defeat the Chicago Bulls by 23 points along with a Brooklyn Nets victory over the Toronto Raptors.

Are the Celtics focused on winning by that margin? Absolutely not, according to Boston’s head coach Joe Mazzulla.

“Zero. No,” Mazzulla told reporters prior to tipoff at TD Garden on Tuesday. “I do have respect for it, and that’s why I want to win. It just goes back to the environment we’re creating that we want to win every game.”

Mazzulla added: “The same thing that it takes to win a preseason game, that takes to win a regular season game, takes to win postseason … comes down to the margins. The way we played last game is what we have to be as far as dominating the shot margin, our offensive rebounds, turnovers, we’re down free throws … all those things go into winning and so the most respectful thing to do for the game is play the way you’re supposed to play and try to win.”

What should help Boston in its quest to defeat Chicago is the return of starting guard Jrue Holiday. Holiday missed the last two games with a right ankle sprain he suffered in the Celtics 119-116 win over the Milwaukee Bucks.

“He took a couple of days off,” Mazzulla said. “(He) got treatment (on Sunday) before going to the court to kind of see how it was and then saw how he was able to respond to that and then he did a workout yesterday, went to shoot around today so he’ll be good.”

Holiday will get the nod alongside Derrick White in the backcourt with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford rounding out the starting five for the Celtics in their matchup against the Bulls.