Joe Mazzulla made a gutsy call at the start of the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic, and it completely paid off. Instead of immediately putting his stars back in, he chose to let a specific non-Jayson Tatum lineup stay on the floor, betting on their momentum and leadership. This move came 12 seconds into the quarter when Mazzulla swapped Luka Garza in for Neemias Queta, leaving Garza, Paul George, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Baylor Scheierman to run the show.
The “Sweet Spot” That Stunned Orlando
That specific lineup absolutely went off. In less than four minutes, they forced three turnovers, outscored the Magic 8-3, and pushed Boston’s lead to a solid 85-79. Orlando had no choice but to call a timeout, clearly thrown by the unexpected surge. Mazzulla later told reporters, as per NBC Sports Boston, that he considered this early fourth quarter stretch Boston’s “sweet spot” and a prime chance to test his leaders. “It’s always a balance. You wanna get those guys back in. But at the same time we’re playing really, really well. So we’re in that sweet spot, and I kind of wanted to ride those guys, and it’s a leadership opportunity for Neemi and JT in those moments to let those guys play.” He waited until nearly eight minutes had burned off the clock before reinserting Tatum and Queta with 4:22 left. By then, the Celtics had built a 97-91 cushion. Mazzulla’s trust in that group on the first night of a back-to-back on the road earned them every minute.
Garza Goes Off the Bench and Gets the Crowd Hyped
Luka Garza was a huge part of why Mazzulla’s gamble paid dividends. Filling in for Mitchell Robinson who was resting, Garza played a season-high 21 minutes off the bench. He made an immediate impact in the second quarter, hitting his first corner 3-pointer. That shot was only the second time Boston connected from beyond the arc in 16 attempts, and it gave the Celtics a 31-29 lead. Garza finished the game with 12 points, six rebounds, including two offensive boards, and four assists. He really maximized his time out there. During that critical early fourth-quarter run, Garza dished an assist to George, nailed his second corner three, and grabbed another offensive rebound before heading back to the bench. After his second three, Garza pointed right at an Orlando fan and pumped up his teammates. Mazzulla emphasized the team’s cohesion, saying, “It’s really just about knowing that the guys have each other’s back and pick the guy up next to you. That non-Tatum lineup was tremendous. We just have to continue getting better. They got us into that spot, and then the guys came back in and closed it out.” The Celtics ultimately secured a 108-97 win.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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