Joe Mazzulla Details Bold Rotation Move in Celtics’ Win Over Pacers
Mazzulla rolled the dice and won
On Dec. 22, the Boston Celtics found themselves trailing the Indiana Pacers by 20 points heading into the third quarter.”
Boston’s second unit produced a solid run, bringing the Celtics back within touching distance. Anfernee Simons led the way with nine third-quarter points to help give Boston’s offense some added potency.
During his postgame news conference, Mazzulla explained what led to him pulling Jaylen Brown, Derrick White and Payton Pritchard from the third-quarter rotation.
“We always talk about depth, we always have 12-13 guys that are able to help us win games at any different moment,” Mazzulla said, via CLNS Media. “So, I just thought it was a good opportunity to utilize the depth that we have. You saw a game where depth comes in many different ways, and that’s it. At any point in time, everybody on our bench can impact winning. So, it’s just a great opportunity to take advantage of the depth that we have. I thought those guys did a great job of just kind of changing the pace of the game.”
The Celtics clawed their way back into the contest early in the fourth quarter. By that point, the Pacers appeared to have lost momentum, as their offense went cold and their pace of play decreased. In turn, the Celtics took control of the game, finding scoring opportunities in tight spaces and playing some impressive defense.
Boston won the game 103-95. The Celtics now boast an 18-11 record on the season and sit third in the Eastern Conference. They are three games behind the New York Knicks, who sit in second, and five games behind the pace-setting Detroit Pistons.
Mazzulla’s team came into the season with relatively low expectations. Now, the Celtics are viewed as one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. If they continue to improve, a deep postseason run may not be out of the question.
