Joe Mazzulla defined why he thought the Celtics had been ‘fortunate to win that recreation’ towards the Grizzlies

Joe Mazzulla’s tackle the Celtics’ lucky win: Following the Celtics’ 102-100 win over the Grizzlies on Sunday, Boston head coach Joe Mazzulla supplied some unvarnished evaluation of his 11-2 crew.

Following a chaotic closing minute — during which the sport may’ve swung in both course a number of occasions — Mazzulla acknowledged that his crew delivered an “undisciplined” efficiency in Memphis.

“We bought fortunate to win that recreation,” Mazzulla informed reporters.

“We discuss it so much. You’ll be able to study from losses, [and] you possibly can study from wins,” he continued. “Typically you’re okay with a loss since you did some proper issues, and typically you’re pissed since you didn’t should win, and I didn’t assume we deserved to win the sport due to numerous stuff that we did.”

On the end-of-game sequence, the second-year Celtics coach put it in easy phrases.

“On the finish of the sport, you both need to make the layup or you need to get fouled,” mentioned Mazzulla. “That’s simply how it’s. So that you both need to make it otherwise you dribble the clock out, you get fouled, and also you make your free throws and the sport’s over.”

“Credit score to the Grizzlies for the best way they performed,” he added. “I believed they simply outplayed us at occasions.”

Nonetheless, the Celtics managed to flee with one more win.

Mazzulla additionally defined that he is aware of his crew gained’t at all times play its finest basketball.

“You need to undergo stuff. I can’t have the expectation of perfection,” he mentioned, “that we’re at all times going to play nicely. It’s simply not actuality. There are 82 of these items.”

Wanting on the long-term image, Mazzulla mentioned he’s affected person about Boston’s improvement, however continues to emphasize accountability.

“Each crew must study various things and undergo totally different stuff,” he outlined. “It’s simple to say you wish to be a sure kind of crew, after which it simply will get tougher and tougher to reside that means. The usual could be very excessive for us, the fellows within the locker set a excessive normal for us, and we’re not at all times going to satisfy it.

“So I perceive why a recreation goes to go like this. It’s not going to be the one time, however I don’t need to be comfortable about it.”

Trivia: In 2010, Joe Mazzulla (then a redshirt junior) helped West Virginia attain the Ultimate 4 of the NCAA Match. In that run, the Mountaineers defeated Kentucky in an Elite Eight upset. What two future top-five NBA draft picks performed for Kentucky that season?

(Reply on the backside).

Trace: One was picked by the Wizards, the opposite by the Kings.

Scores and schedule:

The Celtics emerged with a 102-100 win over the Grizzlies on Sunday. Boston will tackle the Hornets tonight at 7 p.m.

The Bruins additionally play tonight at 7 p.m., dealing with the Lightning on the highway at Amalie Enviornment.

Extra from Boston.com:

A Marcus Sensible reunion: Although he didn’t play towards the Celtics on Sunday (out with an harm), Marcus Sensible was nonetheless capable of get pleasure from some comfortable pregame moments together with his former teammates.