The Boston Celtics — and mostly Joe Mazzulla — faced plenty of backlash after their performance in Game 5.
They allowed the Philadelphia 76ers to storm back on their home court and had their backs against the wall in a must-win road game.
Fortunately for the fans, the Celtics took care of business and didn’t find much trouble evening things up to force Game 7 at home, which is why Marcus Smart took some time to defend his coach after all the criticism.
Marcus Smart talks about Joe Mazzulla making adjustments, getting criticism, and how the team is helping him learn. pic.twitter.com/UY3uxD3gEV
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) May 12, 2023
Smart praised Mazzulla for making the timely adjustments the team needed to get back in this series.
Mazzulla’s critics ripped him for not calling a timeout late in the game that could’ve given the Celtics a better shot to win in overtime, and even he admitted that he dropped the ball there.
The Celtics haven’t been able to string together good efforts this season, and some believe the coach is to blame for that.
Moreover, Jaylen Brown and Smart acknowledged that there was some “randomness” to their offense, which is something you never want to hear from your players.
Even so, the Celtics should be heavily favored to get the job done at home and beat the Sixers, a team that has been known for underperforming when the season is on the line.
For that, they’ll also need a better effort from Jayson Tatum, who struggled from the field until finally taking over in the fourth quarter.
They have more depth, and will also have their fans rooting for them in one of the most hostile environments in the league.
NEXT:
Jaylen Brown Calls Out Celtics Fans For Game 7