Tag: celtics preseason

Celtics interim head coach Joe Mazzulla projects calm ahead of preseason unknowns

Boston Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla is leaning into the unknown this preseason.

The Boston Celtics have a four-game slate of preseason games this year, and with a new head coach and a wealth of capable players pressing for minutes, this could prove a useful stretch for establishing some norms and expectations. When asked about his lineups ahead of the first preseason game against the Charlotte Hornets, interim head coach Joe Mazzulla said he and his staff were still tinkering.

“I don’t think the starters matter so much.” Mazzulla told reporters. “We’re going to look at a lot of different lineups today.”

He made it clear this preseason will be for the team to sort through its rotations and begin to get a feel for things. Both the players and his coaching staff will be critical in that process.

The Celtics coach was relaxed and even playful with this approach. Mazzulla was asked how he’ll deal with the officials. He joked he needed to learn more about how much the fine for a technical foul is before giving a more honest answer about his style with the refs.

“That’s a great question.” Muzzalla said. “We’ll find out. At the same time, I have to speak up for my players. I want the players to know that I have their back.”

Boston has two games against both the Hornets and Toronto Raptors this preseason. The regular season tips off on Oct. 18 at home against the Philadelphia 76ers.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

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WATCH: Celtics-76ers FULL GAME preseason highlights

The Boston Celtics dropped the friendly 108 – 99, but gained a wealth of knowledge about the team they have for the 2020-21 season.

The Boston Celtics lost the game, but it’s what they learned about their roster that should be our focal point.

Though they dropped the contest to their Atlantic Division rival Philadelphia 76ers 108 – 99, the Celtics got an excellent look at their rookies, their returning vets and recently-signed floor general Jeff Teague. Aaron Nesmith and Payton Pritchard demonstrated why team president Danny Ainge drafted them, looking comfortable and capable despite predictable ugly basketball played by virtually everyone. Teague looked every bit the savvy veteran, while Tacko Fall, Tremont Waters and Javonte Green flashed more maturity and skill in their games.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX1BxkaFMWw

There was plenty of awful basketball to be had by both teams, with Boston’s bench showing promise amid the airballs, unnecessary fouls and ill-advised passes that are the staple fare of preseason games.

If you missed the game, or just want to see the best plays again without rewatching the entire game, we’ve got you covered — just watch the video embedded above.

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Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers preseason preview

The Atlantic Division rivals will kick the tires on their respective rosters as they begin their 2020-21 preseason.

The Boston Celtics kick of their 2020-21 NBA preseason slate of two games with their first contest of the coming season, a friendly played against their Atlantic Division rivals, the Philadelphia 76ers.

The game kicks off at 7:30 pm ET this Tuesday, Dec. 15, and the two foes have both retooled their respective rosters since they last met in the 2020 East Playoffs’ first round. Boston having moved on from forward Gordon Hayward while the 76ers added shooting to surround their core of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Philadelphia looks to be mostly healthy while Boston has several key players out — including point guard Kemba Walker and new center Tristan Thompson.

That said, it would be wise not to read much into the outcome for either team.

Both are going to use the tilt as something closer to an enhanced practice than a postseason scrap, with each team still working to cement their looming opening night rotations.

Expect a fair amount of deep rotation guys seeing floor time for both sides, and some occasionally bad basketball no matter who is on the floor as each team shakes off some rust.

WHAT TO WATCH FOR

Even though the game is not exactly likely to be the most competitive of either club’s season, there’s still plenty of valuable things to be learned.

How will new 76ers head coach (and former Celtics coach) Doc Rivers manage his new team? How are they in turn responding?

Is the shooting they added real, and have stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons added any new wrinkles to their game?

And with Boston, there’s even more to be gleaned.

Who gets the nod for starting and closing, how the team divides up minutes to end-of-the-bench guys, how much trust the rookies seem to have — and how well they can execute schemes and defend — are just a few examples.

There will likely be no major revelations, but if nothing else we’ll start to get an idea about how each team will look when the games actually count.

And most important of all — we get to watch the Celtics playing actual 5-on-5 basketball again.

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Celtics vs 76ers preseason: live stream, how to watch, TV channel, start time

How to watch or stream the Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers preseason game on Tuesday.

The 2020-2 season kicks off for the Boston Celtics as they take on the Philadelphia 76ers in their first preseason game of two total. If you’re wondering how you can watch the action live, you’ve come to the right place.

Both teams have seen some significant change since they last met in the first round of the 2020 NBA Playoffs, with the 76ers having added former Celtics coach Doc Rivers while swapping out a number of players to add shooting around their core of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons. Boston saw Gordon Hayward and Enes Kanter replaced with Tristan Thompson and Jeff Teague, with each franchise adding prospects in the 2020 NBA draft as well.

Here’s when you should tune in to see the game:

  • Date: 12/15/20
  • Time: 7:30 p.m. ET
  • TV Channel: [Channel]

Probable starting lineups

Philadelphia

  • Ben Simmons (PG)
  • Danny Green (SG)
  • Matisse Thybulle (SF)
  • Tobias Harris (PF)
  • Joel Embiid (C)

Boston

  • Marcus Smart (PG)
  • Jaylen Brown (SG)
  • Jayson Tatum (SF)
  • Grant Williams (PF)
  • Daniel Theis (C)

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Celtics announce slate of 2 preseason games; could there be more coming?

Despite reports of teams having 3 to 4 preseason games, the Celtics have announced a slate of just 2.

The Boston Celtics have announced a slate of two preseason games in the month of December ahead of the 2020-21 NBA season, per the team.

Based on information released by the league, there seems to be at least one more and possibly two preseason games yet to be announced — or perhaps an explanation forthcoming — regarding the shorter than expected schedule.

Two weeks earlier, the Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that the NBA and National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) had agreed to allow teams the choice of either three or four preseason games ahead of the 2020-21 season, with at least one home game required.

The Celtics announced a pair of games against the Philadelphia 76ers on the road this Dec. 15, and versus the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on Dec. 18, without an explanation as to if there would be more dates added later.

Or if perhaps COVID-19 precautions or other issues forced a format change from that which had been previously reported.

We’ll keep you updated if we hear anything else about additional dates or a reason why this change is happening if not, but it’s nice to have some concrete dates available to plan for watching Celtics basketball again nonetheless.

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