The Celtics defeated the 76ers 126-118. There is a time and a place for it.
After Boston's season-opening 126-117 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on Tuesday night, Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla gave his players a few moments of praise and encouragement.
He stopped.
Jaylen Brown said he didn't think the man knew it was coming.
The "it" Brown was referring to was the water bottle shower he and the rest of his teammates gave their coach to celebrate his first win. It was a moment of relief for a team that has been through a lot over the past few weeks.
"I'm very thankful for the relationship we have," he added. They are great players and have been through a lot. Working together is just a matter. I like their trust and buy-in, but they come up with a lot of good stuff as well.
The Celtics ran the 76ers off the floor at the Garden. With starting center and defensive anchor Robert Williams III out for the next couple of months, the Celtics are going to be smaller and quicker than most opponents.
The Celtics have been focused on Boston's speed and quickness since the start of training camp. The Celtics scored 24 fast break points and made Philadelphia star James Harden look bad.
The result was a performance that saw Boston shoot over 60% over the final three quarters, overcoming an early deficit to claim a comprehensive victory in front of a loud home crowd.
Grant Williams believes that pace is the virtue of the team. We trust everybody because we have a bunch of guys that can bring it. We trust everyone to make the right decisions, to read the right things, and to make the right plays. We play without fear because we keep the ball ahead. A lot of freedom and opportunity can be had by players who are who they are. Everybody is a threat because of it.
While everyone on the Celtics may be a threat, they were led by their stars, like they often are. It's the first time since 1969 that two teammates scored 35 points in a season opener, and it's also the first time that two teammates scored 35 in the same game.
In describing his and Brown's performances, he said it was just in the flow. Sometimes we don't call sets, but if we do, it's just about getting somebody else open, passing up a good shot, and getting out in transition." The guys trust us to make the right play when the ball is in their possession. I think it was just the flow of the game that made the right play possible.
The other image from the game was a dustup between Embiid and Smart. Smart was called for a foul for trying to defend Embiid. After Smart fell to the ground after being called for a foul, he grabbed at Embiid's leg as he walked away.
Brown raced into the court to get involved. The play ended in personal and technical fouls being called on Smart, who was not happy with how it ended.
I went for a rebound. The basketball players are playing a game. The person went for the steal. The basketball players are playing a game. A referee makes a call. He tried to break my arm when I stopped playing. I'm the only person who gets a tech. It was smart to ask rhetorically.
Everyone watched it. I don't have to talk about it anymore. If I did that, I'm probably ejected, suspended three games, four games, fined, but the fact that I was the only one to get that, is kind of beyond me. The way he gets treated is because of his defense. It is difficult. It's maturity. I could have opened his head, but I didn't. We have matured. We have moved on from it. The thing is what it is. We have the ability to control what we can.
The dustup between Smart and Embiid was a brief moment of frustration in what was a celebratory night for the Celtics, one that saw every player praise Mazzulla for how he has led them through the past few weeks since Udoka was suspended.
He said he is tough. Malcolm said his demeanor was always evenkeeled. Smart said it was obvious that the man was confident.
"He wouldn't have taken any of the credit for tonight, but the thing that I like about Joe is that he's very honest that he doesn't know everything." He wants us to help him more than he helps us. We are all on the same page and trying to accomplish the same thing. All of us are in this together.
A version of the Celtics that came together Tuesday night looked like it could repeat as Eastern Conference champion. It was the first win of the season for the Celtics and they are hoping for more.
He said it was a proud moment. "I think it started with the Bill Russell ceremony and just talking to the team about the legacy he left on and off the court and the responsibility we carry to be able to hold that and build our own legacy," he said.
We picked up where we left off at the end of the game. When the Boston fans cheer for you, it means you are doing something right.
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