Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed his team’s 105-103 defeat to the Utah Jazz on Monday night at TD Garden, pinpointing the third quarter as the pivotal stretch. “Our first half was great and I think the third quarter they got the best of us and they played harder than us,” Mazzulla said.
The Celtics entered halftime with a 10-point lead, but Utah came out energized and opened the third quarter with a 25-14 run to take its first lead of the game. Mazzulla cited transition defense, offensive rebounds, and fouls as key factors in Boston being outplayed.
He also discussed Boston’s shooting struggles, particularly from three-point range. “Most of them have been a tough shooting night for sure, but we have to be able to knock down shots,” he said. Boston finished 11-for-51 (21.6%) from beyond the arc, marking its lowest mark of the season.
Mazzulla praised his team’s defensive effort in the first half and late in the fourth quarter. “The first half and the fourth quarter comeback is kind of what the identity is of what we need to be for as close to 48 minutes as possible,” he explained, highlighting the importance of consistency.
When asked about his team’s rebounding issues, Mazzulla acknowledged the challenge posed by Utah’s size but emphasized the need for improvement. “We have to be better. It’s a combination of again there are ones that we have to get and then we have to be able to compensate in other areas,” he said.
Despite Jaylen Brown going 0-for-9 from three-point range, he finished with 36 points, often attacking the basket. Mazzulla encouraged the Celtics to emulate his aggressiveness. “I think to me it’s a combination of what he did tonight playing at his best and how we played in the first half as a team and the comeback in the fourth quarter,” he said.
Boston’s offense struggled overall, compounded by Utah’s bench outscoring them 34-26. Payton Pritchard scored 18 points, Derrick White added 10 points and six assists, and Chris Boucher contributed five points off the bench.
Mazzulla emphasized the need for his relatively inexperienced roster to continue learning details and improving execution. “It’s a process of film study, shoot-arounds, and getting the reps of executing those in real time,” he said.
The Celtics, now 3-5, will look to rebound at home against the Washington Wizards on Wednesday, while the Jazz, who snapped a three-game losing streak, continue their road trip against the Detroit Pistons.
