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This is the first time this season Mazzulla has won the award .
For the first time this season, Joe Mazzulla has been named Eastern Conference Coach of the Month alongside Mark Daigneault of the Oklahoma City Thunder in the West.
Mazzulla wins the award after leading the Celtics to a 14-1 record in the month of March.
Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigneault and Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla have been named the NBA Western and Eastern Conference Coaches of the Month, respectively, for games played in March. pic.twitter.com/GyaaMFV3wP
This is the 4th time in his career that Mazzulla has won Coach of the Month, passing Brad Stevens for second on the all time list, only behind Doc Rivers who won the award 6 times.
Joe Mazzulla has been named East Coach of the Month for the 4th time, passing Brad Stevens into 2nd place among Boston’s COTM winners. He needs two more to catch Doc Rivers.
☘️ Multi-time COTM winners: Doc Rivers – 6 Joe Mazzulla – 4 Brad Stevens – 3 Ime Udoka – 2 KC Jones – 2 pic.twitter.com/B5cmgHil2U
Joe Mazzulla is starting to cement himself as one of the best coaches in Celtics history this season and could be put into some serious conversations with another championship.
If you ask Joe his opinion on the award however, you’ll probably get this as an answer.
Walsh hasn’t gotten much run with the Celtics this season, but he’s been assigned to the Maine Celtics for Tuesday’s postseason match-up against the Capital City Go-Go.
The Maine Celtics playoffs begin on Tuesday night against the Capital City Go-Go, and the Celtics’ G League affiliate will be bolstered by the addition of Jordan Walsh, who will be joining his former Maine teammates.
Walsh has only played one G League game this season — in December, when he requested to spend the Celtics’ day off with the Maine Celtics. He was highly effective in that contest, recording 20 points (8-12 FG), 5 rebounds, an assist, a block, and a steal.
“I would have been just sitting in my crib doing nothing,” Walsh said then. “This is a way better alternative.”
Walsh has played sparingly with the Celtics this season, averaging 7.8 minutes in 46 games. He’s averaged 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds a night, shooting 37.1% from the field and 28.3% from beyond the arc. He saw more extensive on-court opportunities earlier in the season, with Sam Hauser and Jaylen Brown battling various, but hasn’t played much in March, playing a total of just 9 minutes on the Celtics’ recent six-game road trip.
Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images
The Maine Celtics face the Capital City Go-Go on Monday night
The Maine Celtics have been led by JD Davison this season, who is in the running for G League MVP after averaging 25.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.2 rebounds this season. He’s shot 48.1% from the field and a career-best 33.3% from three.
Two-way players Drew Peterson and Miles Norris have also been integral to Maine. Peterson has averaged 20 points, 7 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game this season, while Norris has averaged 14.5 points and 6.3 rebounds in 8 games with Maine since signing a two-way with the Celtics last month.
Davison, Walsh, and Peterson all led the Maine Celtics in their playoff run last year, in which they made a run at the Finals but fell to the Oklahoma City Blue in the three games. The Maine Celtics have never won a G League championship — and are prioritizing getting it done this season.
“They really want to win,” Tyler Lashbrook, Maine’s head coach, told CelticsBlog last month. “And I think that makes us special.”
Other returners on the squad include center James Banks III and Jordan Shakel. Banks III has been particularly instrumental for the Celtics this season. Since returning to Maine midseason, he’s started in all of his 21 games, averaging 5.4 points and 6.2 assists.
The opening game of the playoffs between the Celtics and the Go-Go will tip off at 8pm ET on ESPNU at the Portland Expo. If the Celtics win, they’ll advance to face the Westchester Knicks in the next round of the playoffs.
Mazzulla stressed a balance with Brown’s injury. A balance between what and what?
What’s going on with Jaylen Brown?
When the Celtics initially announced Brown’s knee injury — a bone bruise with posterior impingement — they said he’d be out at least two games at the start of the road trip. And even before the team headed west, he had already missed a pair of games before the All-Star break and sat out a couple of back-to-backs. If you trust Dr. Google, rest and recovery is the basic course of treatment for a bone bruise. Then why play at all? Why not sit out until he’s 100%?
After missing three straight games, he never eclipsed 30 minutes in the following three in Sacramento, Phoenix, and San Antonio. After scoring 24 points in a blowout win over the Suns, Brown wasn’t necessarily optimistic about his health, but seemed confident that he and the team would figure it out before the playoffs.
“It’s new for me,” he said. “I haven’t really had issues with my knees ever in my career, so just trying to find a good routine to make sure I’m prepared and ready to go every night. But it’s definitely been a challenge mentally and stuff like that.”
There’s no doubt that the Celtics will prioritize winning in the playoffs over everything else. However, there is this bugaboo over Brown’s eligibility for post regular season awards. Players have to play in 65 games to have a chance to be elected on to an All-NBA Team or raise the MVP. For JB, he can only miss one more of the final seven contests.
“To me, it’s more about supporting him with whatever he wants, putting him in a position. He always finds an opportunity in a situation in both things,” Joe Mazzulla said ahead of the tip in Memphis.
“We need him to be at his absolute best, but at the same time, god willing, a long playoff run. You’re not always going to feel at your best, but can you be at your best even when you don’t feel like it? He does a great job taking care of himself, putting himself in position. He also does a good job working through things and finding ways to be impactful. We just have to continue to have that balance.”
It’s that word “balance” that’s concerning. Despite what Brown and the team has said about prioritizing winning, these regular season Ws won’t mean anything if the Finals MVP is hobbled in May and June.
Here’s CelticsBlog’s Noa Dalzell on the injury.
“It’s the balance, right? What gives you the best chance, where you’re at right now — every day is different— what gives you the best chance as a team, what gives you the best chance as an individual to perform and do the things that we need you to do that you’re great at to help us win,” Mazzulla continued. “As long as we can maintain that balance, I think that stuff is super important. At the end of the day, he’s a competitive guy. Every day, he does what it takes to himself in position to help us win, whether that’s on the court or practice or what not. You have to reward that and he knows that balance, so you just work together on it.”
Brown has stressed the importance of playing and staying in rhythm despite not being completely healthy. No one knows his body better than JB and this medical staff has done such a good job managing the minutes of the entire roster all year. After winning 14 of 15 games including sweeping this six-game road trip, the Celtics are peaking at the right time. Let’s hope that Brown is on the upward trajectory, too.
With their win over the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday, it is the first time in franchise history that a Celtics team went 6-0 on a road trip. The previous record was held by the 1973 Celtics when they went on a 5-0 road trip in February of 1973.
The Celtics just recorded the first 6-0 road trip in franchise history.
It's their best road trip since a 5-0 trip in Feb. 1973.
This is the second time in franchise history that Boston has won 6 consecutive road games, tying that record with last year’s team. It is also the 5th time in franchise history they’ve had at least 5 straight road wins by 10+ points in the same season and all of those seasons have resulted in a Finals appearance.
The Celtics have tied a franchise record with 6 consecutive road wins by 10+ points.
Amazingly, the record they've tied was just set by last year's team #RoadDogs
It's the 5th time they've logged at least 5 straight road wins by 10+ points within the same season. The last 3…
Derrick White tied and broke the Celtics franchise record for three pointers in a season against the Grizzlies. White broke the record that was formerly held by Isaiah Thomas who scored 245 three pointers in the 2017 season.
White tied IT’s record with his first three of the game in the second quarter coming off of a pass and screen from Kristaps Porzingis over the outstretched arm of Desmond Bane.
The record breaking three didn’t come until the fourth quarter and up until that point, White was struggling to get anything to fall for him in this game. That was until he got the switch and had Zach Edey defending him on the perimeter. White pulled up with confidence when he saw Edey guarding him and made the three and history in a single shot.
With Payton Pritchard and Jayson Tatum in striking distance of the record as well, who knows if White will finish with the record. However, this achievement should not be taken lightly as it is an incredible accomplishment for a player like Derrick White. When he was traded to Boston, he was never seen as an elite three-point shooter and has worked hard to become the player he is today.
3. Al Horford continues to age like fine wine
There aren’t a lot of things better than watching an Al Horford masterclass on display and against the Grizzlies, the Celtics got that with a season high 26 points and 8 rebounds on 9-18 shooting from the field and 6-13 shooting from three.
Horford was the difference maker with Jaylen Brown and Luke Kornet out and had his highest scoring output in the regular season when his second stint with the Celtics began in 2022 (not including the playoffs). Horford is also the oldest Celtic since Robert Parish to score 25+ points in a game for Boston and scored 26 points for the first time since February 5th, 2021 when he was a member of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Al Horford's 26 points are his most in his second stint with the #Celtics. He last scored 26 on Feb. 5, 2021 while with OKC.#Grizzlies.
Horford came off the bench in this game and was aggressive looking for his shot. His first shot of the game was a made corner three coming off an inbound pass from Jrue Holiday who was on the baseline and Horford didn’t slow down from there, going 3-5 from three in the first half.
His best stretch came in the second half where he ended the third quarter on a buzzer beater and hit two clutch threes in the fourth quarter to give the Celtics a double-digit lead that they would hold on to for the rest of the game.
4. Jayson Tatum’s great game
Jayson Tatum had a pretty solid game, scoring 25 points alongside 14 rebounds and 2 assists on 10-24 shooting. The assist total might be the most shocking number, but it wasn’t for a lack of Tatum not trying; he had a lot of pretty passes that his teammates just didn’t convert. This is the lowest assist game he’s had this season since March 6th when the Celtics blew out the 76ers.
With Zach Edey in foul trouble early for the Grizzlies, that gave Tatum a free run to the rim on multiple possessions. One to note was in the first quarter when Derrick White found Tatum going to the rim for an alley-oop layup, catching the Memphis defense sleeping.
Tatum has been utilizing his mid-range jumper a lot more recently. It feels like he found some success with it again despite the poor shooting night. At the end of the second quarter, he had Scotty Pippen Jr. on an island as time was running out and splashed a side step jumper right over him.
His best play came during a third quarter run the Celtics were having when Jrue Holiday passed Tatum a grenade in the corner with four seconds left on the shot clock. Jaylen Wells was playing some tight defense on him, but Tatum had enough and used his spin move and strength to get around him for a layup that just beat the buzzer.
5. Jrue Holiday’s underrated performance
Since Jrue Holiday came back from his finger injury, his three-point shooting has been a lot better and it looked great against Memphis. Holiday scored 18 points with 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and was a +21 for the game.
On the Celtics six-game road trip, Holiday shot 41% from three-point range and most recently over his last three games he’s up to 61%. This 18-point performance also increases the Celtics record to 53-3 when Holiday scores 14+ points in a game.
Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Holiday’s first three of the night came off a bounce pass from Kristaps Porzingis and it was a big shot for him after he missed his first four shots that were way off. This was a good sign to see his confidence was shaken after a rocky start and from the Celtics last matchup with the Grizzlies where he went 8-26 from the field and 4-17 from three.
His biggest threes came in the third quarter when it was a back-and-forth game. Holiday got a cross court pass from Sam Hauser for a wide open three that gave the Celtics a six-point lead midway through the quarter. The next shot came off a great block from Tatum and after some passing around the arc, Holiday ended up with the ball and after some hesitation, splashed a three.
6. Porzingis playing with meat
Ever since Kristaps Porzingis said he “earned buckets with meat” back on January 29th, the Celtics have been on a hot streak. Boston is 25-4 since Porzingis’ comment and ever since he has come back from his illness, Kristaps has been playing great.
Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
One great Porzingis basket came when the Celtics looked like the Showtime Lakers with this possession that started with a Payton Pritchard steal. Holiday picked it up and passed it ahead to Tatum who passed it back to Holiday on the bounce. Holiday then found a trailing Porzingis for an alley-oop slam for one of the highlights of the night.
Porzingis continued to penetrate the paint as he received a pass from Derrick White as he was cutting to the basket. Porzingis bumped into Zach Edey and spun around him for the jam.
It really is great to see Porzingis healthy and hopefully, we can get more of this for a full playoff run because he is going to be huge for the Celtics.
7. Xavier Tillman’s start
Xavier Tillman has had a rough season to say the least. Tillman has not found a spot in the rotation after his Game 3 of the NBA Finals performance last season and has most recently been dealing with injuries that have had him out entirely.
However, for the first time since November 8th, Tillman got the start with Jaylen Brown and Luke Kornet out of the lineup. Tillman played parts of four seasons with the Grizzlies before getting traded to the Celtics at last year’s trade deadline and was a pretty loved figure in Memphis.
Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
Although Tillman only finished with 2 points on 0-5 shooting, it was nice to see him get some run again and he appreciated the opportunity from Joe Mazzulla.
He said, “Me getting the opportunity to come back here, and just say thank you to the fans, my former teammates, it was pretty awesome.”
Xavier Tillman really appreciated getting the start vs Memphis:
“The amount of history and effort and dedication I put into this ball club. Then, me getting the opportunity to come back here, and just say thank you to the fans, my former teammates — it was pretty awesome.” pic.twitter.com/M7JP817MJY
Coming down to the last few games of the season, we could see Tillman getting more playing time as more guys rest for the playoffs. We’ll have to see if he can show any flashes in that time to get in the rotation again, but tonight was a great moment and awesome gesture for Tillman to thank the Memphis faithful one more time.
8. Dominated the rebounding battle
When looking at the stats from this game, one number that stands out the most is how the Celtics dominated the Grizzlies on the glass. Boston had 54 rebounds in this game compared to Memphis’ 45. The Celtics also had 12 offensive rebounds and that was huge for Boston being able to generate 10 second chance points.
Photo by Joe Murphy/NBAE via Getty Images
9. Chasing best road record update
With the Celtics win over the Grizzlies and a 6-0 west coast road trip, Boston won their 32nd road game of the season. With two road games remaining, the Celtics have a chance to tie the 2015-16 Warriors for the best road record in NBA history.
The last two road games are a back-to-back with the New York Knicks and Orlando Magic on April 8th and 9th.
Not only are the Celtics fighting for the best road record in NBA history, they are also in striking distance of the all-time record for scoring differential by a team. Currently, the record is held by the 1972 Lakers with a 11.32 differential, but this year's Celtics are currently second with a 10.36 differential. Boston is also fighting off OKC for the second spot as the Thunder are a close third place at 10.25.
With seven games remaining in the Celtics season, the playoffs are on the horizon and Jayson Tatum sounds ready. In his post-game interview with Abby Chin on NBC Sports Boston, Tatum said “it’s almost time for war” when asked on how he feels this team is at currently.
Looking at the Celtics record over the past two months or so, I am inclined to believe him. The Celtics seem to be peaking at the right time and outside of their losses to Cleveland, Detroit, and OKC of this two month stretch, they have looked like the dominant team that won the championship last year.
Expect a lot of players to get some time off in this final stretch of games because like Tatum said, the Celtics are about to go to war in the playoffs. Boston is the king now and everyone is going to try and raid the kingdom to take them down.
When the Maine Celtics playoffs tip-off on Tuesday, JD Davison, the team’s do-it-all veteran point guard, will lead the charge.
PORTLAND — In mid-March, the Maine Celtics spent the weekend in Greensboro, North Carolina, ready to play a pair of games against the Swarm, the Charlotte Hornets’ G League affiliate.
Maine Celtics starting point guard JD Davison posted a near triple-double in the first game of the weekend (23 points, 10 assists, 9 rebounds) before getting on a commercial flight, alone, to meet the Boston Celtics for their regular-season game against the Nets in Brooklyn.
There, he went through his player development regimen with the coaching staff — but, as is typically the case, didn’t get any in-game NBA run.
The next morning, Davison flew back to meet his G League teammates in Greensboro, eager to help them continue building a win streak that would position them for a spot in the G League playoffs.
Such is the life of an elite two-way player in the NBA. Sometimes, the back-and-forth nature and dueling responsibilities get draining.
But, Davison — in his third season with the Celtics — has taken his commitment to another level.
Ahead of the Celtics’ second game against the Swarm, Maine head coach Tyler Lashbrook held a film session, as is customary on gamedays. Davison didn’t want to miss any of the team’s prep.
“I didn’t know if he was coming back,” Lashbrook told CelticsBlog. “And he was like, ‘Oh, I’m coming back.’”
So, when Davison landed in North Carolina on Sunday morning, he texted his coach that he was rushing back — and could they wait for him?
“He was like, ‘Hold that film session. I’ll be there in 5,’” Lashbrook recalled. “And he rolls in, bag in hand.”
As Davison burst through the door, his Maine Celtics teammates began excitedly clapping and yelling, “Three’s here!”
Photo by Luther Schlaifer/NBAE via Getty Images
It was a small moment, but one that highlighted Davison’s ever-growing dedication to his craft and to maximizing all of the opportunities to get better as a two-way.
‘Three’ — as his teammates playfully call him — has been on a tear this season as the central hub of Maine’s offense. He has averaged 25.1 points, 7.5 assists, and 5.2 rebounds, shooting 48.1% from the field and a career-best 33.3% from three — all while vastly improving his defense.
At the same time, opposing G League teams make him the focal point of their defensive schemes.
Miles Norris, who signed a two-way contract with the Celtics last month, told CelticsBlog he remembers the extensive gameplans against Davison when he was on the Memphis Hustle earlier in the season.
“He gave us a lot of problems,” Norris recalled, adding that now that they’re teammates, Davison makes the game a lot easier for him.
“That’s the G League MVP,” said James Banks III, who has played alongside Davison in Maine in each of the past two seasons.
Others around the G League have taken notice of Davison’s play. At NBA All-Star weekend, Osceola Magic guard Mac McClung, who won G League MVP last year, told CelticsBlog’s Bobby Manning that Davison was the front-runner for the award.
“I hope he gets his chance [in the NBA] soon,” McClung said.
In Maine, Davison has been the engine that’s made it all go. His playoff run begins tonight at the Portand Expo against the Capitol City Go-Go, and while the ultimate role remains a spot in the NBA, for now, he’s focused on the pursuit of a franchise-first G League title.
“I can’t even really put into words how important he is,” Lashbrook said.
Jaylen Brown and the Celtics vets have taken notice of Davison’s improvements
JD Davison was selected 53rd overall in the 2023 NBA Draft after an up-and-down freshman year at Alabama. The 6’3 guard was a consensus five-star recruit out of high school, but played a more limited role at Alabama, averaging 8.5 points off the bench.
After draft night, he signed a two-way contract with the Celtics, and almost three years later, he is the Maine Celtics’ all-time leader in points, assists, and steals.
“Coming into Year 3, I’m just trying to build a different type of role going into this year,” Davison told CelticsBlog earlier this fall. “Try to get signed — basically, try to get a full contract.”
He hasn’t gotten much of an on-court chance in the NBA, save for a few limited opportunities. Still, his Celtics teammates have been impressed by what they’ve seen from the 6’1 guard behind the scenes.
“He’s been balling,” said Jaylen Brown, who has taken Davison under his wing since he arrived in Boston.
Both Brown and Davison are from the South — Brown from Georgia and Davison from Alabama — and Brown wanted to make Davison’s transition to New England as smooth as possible.
“It’s different moving from the South and coming to Boston,” Brown said last season. “When I was that age, it was a lot for me. So, I’m just trying to help him with the experience.”
The duo’s connection has been on full display many times over the years. Moment after the Celtics won the championship, the Finals MVP, who lovingly calls Davison ‘Bama’, embraced the then-21-year-old and said, “I told you I’ll get you a ring.”
Last week, Brown said he took notice of Davison’s growth firsthand this past fall.
“You could tell he took it to another level in training camp,” Brown said. “I think he’s been able to learn from our guys, going against Payton [Pritchard], going against Jrue [Holiday] and Derrick [White].”
“He’s gotten so much better, and that’s credit to him. He’s developed at a high rate.”
Jrue Holiday noted that Davison is in a tough position, being on such a good NBA team and playing behind so much talent. That’s something Joe Mazzulla has spoken to, too.
“There’s nothing harder than being a young player with the Celtics,” Mazzulla said at training camp. “The young guys have to be very, very patient — because the roster is very top-heavy.”
Still, Mazzulla gave Davison one of his most extensive opportunities last month in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers — eight meaningful minutes, with Payton Pritchard finding himself in early foul trouble.
The third-year head coach thought Davison looked good in the stint, noting he made good reads and that his ball pressure impacted the game.
“You can tell anytime he comes back, and we throw him out there – he’s so comfortable,” Holiday said. “He fits right in.
Photo by David L. Nemec/NBAE via Getty Images
Al Horford, who has spent the last three seasons as one of Davison’s vets, said he’s noticed a change in the young guard’s approach.
He told CelticsBlog on the Celtics’ recent road trip that he feels like Davison has grown increasingly comfortable with the parent club and that he’s continued to commit to the everyday grind — lifting, his shooting times, and everything else that goes into getting better.
Horford hasn’t had to be in Davison’s ear, he said. It’s just part of being a Celtic.
“He understands that everybody here from Jayson [Tatum] to Payton [Pritchard] to Luke [Kornet] — everybody’s working,” Horford said. “Everybody’s getting after it. We’re all trying to get better. And when you come in here as a young player, or a guy that’s trying to be on this team, you understand that you have to put in the work. And I think JD gets it.”
Right now, Horford believes that Davison’s most NBA-ready skills are his playmaking and ability to get to the rim.
Derrick White’s similarly deemed Davison the team’s best lob thrower, and described him as a “hard guard” at training camp. Both vets describe the G League star as a master in the pick-and-roll.
Asked Derrick White what he’s seen from JD Davison, whose Maine playoffs start tomorrow:
“JD is probably our best lob thrower, just the way he manipulates the defense in the pick-and-roll is really high-level. Playing against him a lot in training camp, he was a hard guard.” pic.twitter.com/LJaE3p9e1o
“JD is a really good passer, and he has a really good feel for the game, especially when he’s playing pick-and-roll,” Horford said. “He’s a real guard. He’s able to kind of manipulate the defense. And then his ability to get to the basket, he’s really explosive.”
Throughout his 16-year NBA career, Holiday has played with and against hundreds of NBA guards. He’s confident Davison is going to make it.
“He’s definitely going to be a really good NBA player,” Holiday said.
Plus, Al Horford dropped a season-high 26 points, and Jrue Holiday continues to demonstrate that he is finding his rhythm offensively.
MEMPHIS — It’s been a challenging year for Xavier Tillman, who has dealt with lingering knee issues and fallen entirely out of the Celtics rotation.
But, on March 31st, in his first game back against the Grizzlies team that drafted him, Tillman got the starting position.
“Please welcome back to FedEx Forum, former Memphis Grizzlies forward No. 26, Xavier Tillman Sr!” the in-arena announcer belted, drawing applause from the mix of Celtics and Grizzlies fans in attendance.
Jrue Holiday, a good friend of Tillman’s, jumped on him in celebration.
Xavier Tillman gets introduced to a nice round of applause here in Memphis
Tillman first found out he got the start when Joe Mazzulla called him at 12:30 pm, right before the 26-year-old forward was going to take his afternoon nap.
“I think you have moments when you’re able to validate your entire roster and just appreciate X,” Mazzulla said. “And the entire roster is important for a season, and X can still impact winning.”
His run against the Grizzlies wasn’t extensive or particularly productive — he played just 8 minutes and finished 0 for 5 from the field. But, Tillman was able to draw two early fouls on Grizzlies center Zach Edey, which Mazzulla pointed out affected the Celtics’ rim protection, and he racked up a critical steal in the third quarter.
Asked Joe Mazzulla about the decision to start Xavier Tillman against Memphis:
“I think you have moments when you're able to validate your entire roster — and just appreciate X.”
“He can still impact winning,” Mazzulla said. “I just appreciate who he is as a person, and I think you got to validate the roster at times. And I know that he can still help us, and there may be an opportunity where he does.”
For Tillman, the opportunity to start against the Grizzlies meant a lot.
“The amount of history and effort and dedication I put into this ball club... me getting the opportunity to come back here, and just say thank you to the fans, my former teammates — it was pretty awesome,” Tillman said.
Xavier Tillman really appreciated getting the start vs Memphis:
“The amount of history and effort and dedication I put into this ball club. Then, me getting the opportunity to come back here, and just say thank you to the fans, my former teammates — it was pretty awesome.” pic.twitter.com/M7JP817MJY
Tillman’s stint didn’t make-or-break the game. But, it served as a reminder that Mazzulla invests in each of his players.
“The fans when I got here, and even the staff members, the security people that I would walk by just showed me so much love,” Tillman said. “It’s pretty amazing to be honest.”
Tillman is one of several Stay Ready guys on the Celtics — guys who haven’t gotten much run in the rotation but may be called upon on any given moment to contribute. Physically, that means he goes through warm-ups at 100%, knowing that he has to be prepared for NBA action.
He also explained his mindset of trying to improve the players around him.
“Mentally, my mind is more so on — how can I remind my guys the tendencies of the other team?” Tillman said. “At this point in time, this player likes to go left, this player likes to shoot threes, stuff like that. Not more so, ‘this could be my opportunity’, because literally, you just never know. So, if you always think like that, you shift away from being a helper, and more so just focus on yourself.”
Xavier Tillman had a really insightful answer when I asked him what it actually looks like to "stay ready."
"Physically - I'm warming up, doing the same stuff that I normally would do, going hard."
"Mentally, my mind is more so on - how can I remind my guys the tendencies of… pic.twitter.com/4eSjwq7FHQ
In addition to Tillman’s homecoming, here’s what else stood out from the Celtics’ win over the Grizzlies.
The Celtics are in the midst of a historic season
With a 117-103 win over the Grizzlies, the 2025 Celtics became the first team in Celtics history to go undefeated on a six-game road trip.
They improved their regular-season record to 56-19 (for context, through 75 games last year, the championship Celtics were just three games better, at 59-16). They’ve also now won an astonishing 15 of their last 16 road games — and remain the NBA’s best road team at 32-7.
When Mazzulla was asked why the Celtics are so good on the road, he stated simply: “I would venture to say that our guys are good everywhere.”
“I just think that we’ve been very focused,” Horford said. “Even last year, we were good especially in the playoffs, we did a really good job on the road, controlling the tempo, being able to play a certain way.”
The win over the Grizzlies wasn’t as smooth sailing as most of the Celtics’ wins on this road trip — they trailed by as many as 11 in the first half — but they were able to withstand each Grizzlies run and still come away with a double-digit victory.
The Celtics have a chance to tie the 2016 Golden State Warriors for the best road record in NBA history if they win their final two road games against the Knicks and Magic.
A few Celtics observations from courtside seats
Memphis is one of the few NBA arenas that still provides first-row seats for the media, giving reporters the ability to see (and hear) things you wouldn’t normally see from higher-up press seats.
It was my second time sitting courtside, the first of which I wrote about extensively in Dallas. Once again, the thing that struck me most was just how much more vocal Mazzulla was on the sidelines defensively than offensively, constantly chirping instructions at his team and expressing undeniable frustration when coverages were missed.
At one point in the second quarter, Tatum went over to Mazzulla after making a defensive mistake.
“I read it wrong, I went under,” Tatum said, then followed his apology to Mazzulla with a made three-point shot.
Another observation? The Celtics jostled with referee Tony Brothers a ton in the first half, with Mazzulla ultimately calling two (successful) challenges. Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Sam Cassell all had their turn at arguing with the veteran official. Tatum was hit with a technical foul late in the fourth.
Tatum said he still can’t figure out what qualifies as a tech in the NBA.
“Depends on the night — some things you say on a Tuesday, it’s cool, you say on a Saturday, they get you a tech. I ain’t got that $#!& figured out yet. I’ll let you know when I do.”
Al Horford keeps turning back the clock
It’s almost a tired storyline at this point, but Horford continues his elite play into his 18th NBA season. He finishes this one with 26 points on 9-18 shooting, 9 rebounds, and 2 assists.
Sitting courtside, it’s even more evident how much of a leadership role Horford plays — from gesturing to Joe Mazzulla about timeouts, to diffusing team’s outbursts of frustration.
Al Horford was not about to let Kristaps Porzingis get involved in any on-court scuffle lol pic.twitter.com/ESxkkhGaJX
Horford said he had no idea that the Grizzlies were going to leave him open. He promptly made six of his 13 attempts from behind the arc.
“I’m always just trying to make the right play,” Horford said. “The right play for me tonight was to shoot it.’’
Jrue Holiday’s shot is back
Pregame, Joe Mazzulla pointed out that Jrue Holiday was shooting 43% from three since the All-Star break, so if the Grizzlies elected to once again leave him open as they did when the two teams last faced one another, he’d welcome it.
Holiday continued his hot shooting, hitting 4 of 6 threes in this one.
Derrick White is the Celtics’ single-season three-point leader — for now
Derrick White broke Isaiah Thomas’s record for most threes in a single-season in Celtics history, reaching 247 makes on the year in Monday’s win. Jayson Tatum (240) and Payton Pritchard (238) are not too far behind him, and the trio of players should finish the season as the top three on the leaderboard.
Postgame, White reflected on how he never expected to be in this position, recalling how he was left open by the Golden State Warriors in the 2022 Finals and how that was one of the lowest points of his career.
Derrick White is the Celtics’ single-season three-point leader (and in a race with Payton Pritchard & Jayson Tatum):
“Looking back on my career, I never thought I’d be in this position.”
Jaylen Brown misses the game as he nurses ongoing right knee injury
Jaylen Brown missed his 6th game in March — and third of the road trip — due to a right knee impingement that began bothering him before the All-Star break.
Mazzulla was asked about the balance between Brown resting and playing through the pain, and explained his perspective.
‘“To me, it’s more about just supporting him whatever he wants, put him in position,” Mazzulla said. “He always finds an opportunity in a situation, and then both things that we need him to be at his absolute best. At the same time, God willing, a long playoff run, you’re not always going to feel at your best. And so, can you be at your best even when you don’t feel like it? He does a great job taking care of himself, putting himself in position. He also does a good job working through things and finding ways to be impactful.”
Brown will need to play in 7 of the team’s remaining 8 games to reach the NBA’s 65-game minimum for awards. Given that so many stars are not eligible for awards, Brown has the potential to make All-NBA if he reaches that minimum.
The Celtics follow the six-game road trip with three consecutive home games — Wednesday against the Heat, Friday against the Suns, and Sunday against the Wizards.
The greatest single season three-point shooter in Celtics history is Derrick White.
When you think of great three-point shooters in Celtics history, the likes of Ray Allen, Larry Bird, Paul Pierce, and Antoine Walker come to mind. On Monday night, Derrick White etched his name in the franchise’s history during the Boston Celtics 117-103 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Early in the fourth quarter, White fired a three-pointer and drilled it, moving him into sole possession of first place in Celtics history for most threes in a season.
The three was No. 246 on the season, a feat no other Celtic has ever accomplished. Isaiah Thomas initially set the record back in the 2016-17.
“Looking back on my career, I never thought I’d be in this position,” White said. “I’m just thankful for the coaching staff, [and] the guys on this team, I wouldn’t be able to do it without them.”
White wasn’t known as a three-point specialist before coming to Boston. In fact, according to Ce;tics.com’s Marc D’Amico, White made 300 total threes in his four seasons prior to joining Boston. The Celtics have a history of turning non-traditional three-point shooters into consistent three-point shooters like Al Horford.
The best part about this record is White will not only just break it but with seven games left, White will most likely shatter it. However, he’ll need to keep up his three-point barrage as Jayson Tatum (240) and Payton Pritchard (238) are right behind White.
“I’ll hold it for now until one of them breaks my record — that’s cool,” White said.
In addition to being one of the league’s most clutch three-point shooters, White is averaging 16.5 points while shooting 38.1% from three on 9.1 attempts per game this season.
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Online sites for Boston Celtics basketball NBA live stream
Fans of the Boston Celtics can watch their team on various streaming services. Here's a guide to help you find the best options, prioritizing free services and those with free trials:
Free Streaming Options:
1. NBA.com: The NBA and its broadcast partner TNT occasionally offer free streamed presentations of particular games. To check availability, visit NBA.com and look for the "Watch" link next to the scheduled game. If available, you'll see "Watch TNT" as an option.
2. TNT Overtime: Sometimes available within the NBA League Pass selection box on NBA.com, offering free streaming for select games.
Paid Streaming Services with Free Trials:
1. YouTube TV: Offers a free trial period. Sign up here.
2. Hulu + Live TV: Provides a free trial. Sign up here.
3. fuboTV: Includes a free trial period. Sign up here.
Regional sports networks (RSNs) often air local NBA games. Ensure your streaming service package includes the relevant RSN.
Some streaming providers allow sign-in using credentials from your existing cable, satellite, or telco TV provider without additional cost.
By exploring these options, you can find the best way to watch Boston Celtics games, whether through free streams or by taking advantage of free trials from paid services.
TD Garden Arena location and map
TD Stadium Arena 100 Legends Way, Boston, Massachusetts 02114 Phone: 617-624-1331 Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. https://www.tdgarden.com/
Contact the Boston Celtics NBA Basketball organization Boston Celtics Arena and Headquarters 226 Causeway Street, Fourth Floor, Boston, Massachusetts 02114 Phone: 866-4CELTIX Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. http://www.nba.com/celtics
