The Boston Celtics came up short during the club’s first tilt of the season with the Philadelphia 76ers, falling on the road 106-103 to their conference rival. This marked the second consecutive loss for the Celtics and the second consecutive outing where late-game execution was inconsistent at best.
Turnovers were once again a big concern for the Celtics, and the Sixers scored 20 points off of takeaways. Likewise, Philadelphia was the dominant team in the paint and on the glass. It didn’t help Boston’s cause that as a team, the visiting team shot 14-for-47 on 3-pointers. High-volume shooting has been a hallmark for the Celtics since head coach Joe Mazzulla took over, and has often been a point of emphasis in postgame press conferences in wins and losses. After Wednesday’s loss in Philadelphia, however, Mazzulla took special umbrage when questioned about this dynamic.
In an exchange with the Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn, Mazzulla bristled at a question focused on his club’s diet of 3-point shots, citing Washburn’s work from several years prior.
Celtics great Ray Allen on defending Kobe Bryant in the NBA Finals https://t.co/gJSF0OXGx9 pic.twitter.com/DZ1QwdOoDz
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 9, 2023