Losing leaves Mazzulla flattered
NEW ORLEANS — Trying to avoid their first three-game losing streak of the season was not the primary focus as the Celtics beat the Pelicans, 104-92, at Smoothie King Center.
Boston already clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference and is closing on the league’s best record. Two disappointing losses in Atlanta isn’t going to deter the long-term plan of preparing for the postseason, with coach Joe Mazzulla trying various lineups and putting his players in various situations as a means of getting ready for bigger playoff challenges.
“I think it’s a balance of trying to keep the most important things that we’ve held onto the entire season, regardless of who’s played,” Mazzulla said before the game. “At the same time, things can continue to get better to prepare ourselves. Every game is its own entity, and I think every game gives us a good lesson as far as what we might see down the stretch.”
Mazzulla said the team should be flattered about the criticism after the two Atlanta losses. There’s been national discussion about whether the Celtics are vulnerable for a playoff upset, especially since they could see the Hawks in the first round.
“The temperature of our locker room is much different than the temperature of society,” Mazzulla said. “It speaks to the temperature of our locker room. It was impossible to ignore the noise, but it’s more about where our team and where our locker room keeps its focus. I think [one of ] the biggest strengths of this team is regardless of results or circumstances, guys stay connected. And it’s not even about you have to stay positive, you just have to stay true. That’s the most important thing. You can’t fake positivity.
“This team has done a great job keeping its poise, keeping its connectivity, and really just kind of staying right here regardless of what’s going on around them. I don’t want a win just so we feel good about ourselves. I don’t think that’s how you grow. I don’t think that’s how you get better. Real growth is can we continue to be who we are.”
Mazzulla said he welcomes the attention.
“I think noise is such a compliment, it’s such a deep compliment,” he said. “People are relatively bored at this time of year because of where we’re at and they just have to fight their ass off to find something to create a headline. I think that’s the ultimate compliment for where we’re at as a team. And it’s hard to do, so we look at that as a major compliment.”
Deeper than numbers
The Celtics yielded 33 offensive rebounds in the two games against the Hawks, the 17 Thursday resulting in 28 second-chance points. Mazzulla admitted the Celtics were lazy on 6-8 of those rebounds, but he examined the others and discovered that allowing dribble penetration and kickouts put players out of position for those boards.
“Three or four of [the rebounds] we were in [defensive] shifts, they drove the ball, and we lost sight of our man,” Mazzulla said. “So if that isn’t rebounding better, that’s shift activity and that’s awareness so that you don’t get caught in no man’s land and your guy cuts behind you. You have to look at the root of the rebounding issue. It’s hard to look at the box score; that just gives you the result, not the process.
“The first teaching point is to guard the ball better. The second teaching point is to be aware of shift activity, and third one is to go get the ball. There were six that we didn’t go get the ball. You just have to get to the root of each one and coach that.”
Boston allowed 10 offensive boards Saturday, and just 7 second-chance points.
New Zion
Zion Williamson is healthy and playing like one of the league’s best, averaging 24.1 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists in March after posting 25, 9, and 4 Saturday. He also has played in a career-high 63 games, two short of enough to be eligible for the NBA awards.
“The biggest difference is we have a plan. That’s a huge part of it. There’s a plan from a medical perspective and performance,” Pelicans coach Willie Green said. “A lot of credit goes to him. He’s working continuously at being in the best possible condition he can be in and stacking his days.”
Limited absences
The Celtics were mostly healthy, with two-way guard JD Davison and reserve guard Jaden Springer the only players on Saturday’s injured list. The Pelicans welcomed back secondyear swingman Dyson Daniels, while former All-Star Brandon Ingram (left knee bone bruise) and Jose Alvarado (right hip soreness) were out.