How Joe Mazzulla Found A ‘leadership Opportunity’ To Test Celtics’ Trust Vs. Magic

Joe Mazzulla had a decision to make at the start of the fourth quarter against the Orlando Magic. Rather than disrupt his team’s momentum, he chose to let the non-Jayson Tatum lineup ride it out.

Mazzulla substituted Luka Garza for Neemias Queta 12 seconds into the quarter, leaving Garza, Paul George, Payton Pritchard, Derrick White, and Baylor Scheierman on the floor. In less than four minutes, that group forced three turnovers, outscored the Magic 8-3, and prompted an Orlando timeout, extending Boston’s lead to 85-79.

Mazzulla considered the early fourth quarter Boston’s “sweet spot” and a valuable chance to test his leaders.

“It’s always a balance,” Mazzulla told reporters after Sunday night’s 108-97 win, per NBC Sports Boston. “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.”

Mazzulla waited until nearly eight minutes had burned, reinserting Tatum and Queta with 4:22 remaining. By then, the Celtics had built a 97-91 cushion and still had some work to do. But Mazzulla’s decision had paid off. The George, Pritchard, White, Scheierman and Garza lineup had a chance to step up in the first night of a back-to-back on the road, and they didn’t abuse it. Those guys earned every minute, and Mazzulla wanted to make sure they felt rewarded.

Garza played a season-high 21 minutes off the bench, filling in for Mitchell Robinson’s absence (rest). In the second quarter, Garza knocked down his first corner 3-pointer — the second Celtics make from beyond the arc in 16 attempts — to give the Celtics a 31-29 lead. He finished with 12 points, six rebounds (two offensive) and four assists, maximizing his time on the floor.

During that early fourth-quarter run, Garza assisted George, nailed his second corner three, and grabbed an offensive rebound before returning to the bench.

Garza pointed right at a member of the Orlando crowd after the three and pumped up his teammates.

“It’s really just about knowing that the guys have each other’s back and pick the guy up next to you,” Mazzulla said. “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. So it’s just about having each other’s back in those moments.”

For the first time this season, Mazzulla couldn’t lean on Robinson for minutes. Instead, he utilized the team’s depth to fend off a feisty Magic team that shot 35.9 percent from 3-point range to Boston’s uncharacteristic 27.3 percent.

Although the Celtics struggled to find their rhythm from beyond the arc, they compensated with a strong effort on the other end to keep Orlando in check throughout the game.

“Defensively, we can always bring our defense, right?” George told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston. “We can always bring the intensity. We can always challenge guys. We can always pressure. We can always be disruptive. That’s the part we should always bring night in, night out. And I thought that’s what we did.”

The Celtics were shorthanded, but not disadvantaged.

Boston’s depth made sure of that.

Similar to last season’s team, George already sees the “togetherness” that carries over onto the court. No clashing personalities or individual agendas are getting in the way of what this group is built to accomplish. Everyone has an opportunity to shine, and when that moment arrives, the rest of the team is there to support them every step of the way.

That could look different any given night, depending on the circumstances Mazzulla and the coaching staff are tasked with navigating from the sidelines. But on Sunday night, the decision to entrust and empower the Tatum-less lineup was telling of where the Celtics are this early into the season.

“We were united out there,” George added.

Six games in, Boston has won its last five straight — an NBA best mark.