The Boston Celtics defeated the Toronto Raptors 117-94 at TD Garden on Saturday night. While the scoreboard indicates that the game was uneventful, that was not the case late in the fourth quarter.
With 3:27 remaining in the game, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla challenged a call on the court while leading by 27 points. Mazzulla eventually won the call, but he received a lot of criticism from the Raptors’ bench. Given Boston’s commanding lead, Toronto point guard Dennis Schröder called the move “disrespectful.”
Mazzulla’s players defended him, with Celtics point guard Payton Pritchard claiming his coach did nothing wrong, according to Jay King of The Athletic.
“This isn’t recreational basketball.” “This is the NBA,” he explained. “We’re trying to play with four minutes left.” And everyone wants to shoot hoops. “Why shouldn’t we want the ball back?”
Pritchard made the most of his 24 minutes with the Celtics, scoring seven points, grabbing six rebounds, and dishing out four assists. The stars of Boston led the way in the lopsided victory, with Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Kristaps Porziis combining for 77 points.
Mazzulla defended his decision, saying he did it for his players who might not get as much playing time, according to Jared Weiss of The Athletic.
“It was a clear opportunity to empower my players and let them know I’m coaching you,” Mazzulla said. ”
If the Raptors are still unhappy with the challenge, they can discuss it with the C’s when they meet again next Friday in Toronto for an NBA In-Season Tournament game. Meanwhile, the 7-2 Boston Celtics will prepare for a busy week that includes rematches with the New York Knicks and the Philadelphia 76ers.
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