Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla addressed his team’s offensive struggles following a 118-89 loss to the Charlotte Hornets at TD Garden on Wednesday night.
“We were four for 18 on missed layups in the first half and I think they got a ton of transition opportunities off those,” Mazzulla said, highlighting how early inefficiencies contributed to Charlotte’s fast start.
The Celtics committed 16 turnovers that led to 21 Charlotte points, and Mazzulla pointed to execution issues rather than lack of effort. “I think that was the tale of the first half, where they capitalized on our missed possessions and got out in transition,” he explained.
Mazzulla acknowledged the Hornets’ spacing and ball-handling, noting, “They do a good job screening. They do a good job with their ball handlers. Their pick-and-roll spacing was good.”
Despite the struggles, Mazzulla said the Celtics maintained a clear offensive plan. “I thought we made really good reads. I thought we played from a process standpoint relatively good offense. We didn’t get the result that we wanted,” he said.
The coach also addressed questions about Boston’s three-point defense. “I would say in the first quarter alone, 30% of the possessions we could have played better, but 70% of those came off missed layups and poor offense,” Mazzulla said.
Mazzulla confirmed that Neemias Queta left the court briefly due to a knee check. “He’s good. That’s why he just came out, checked on it, and then he was good to go from there,” he said.
On whether the Celtics recognized early that they didn’t have it offensively, Mazzulla was candid. “No. We just didn’t have it tonight. You go opportunities like we had, mix up lineups, mix up sub patterns, just do what you can,” he said.
The Hornets sprinted to an 8-0 lead, never trailing and eventually building a 64-43 halftime advantage. Kon Knueppel led Charlotte with 20 points, while Brandon Miller and LaMelo Ball each added 18 points. Coby White contributed 17 points and six assists.
Mazzulla noted that Charlotte’s team defense also played a significant role. “I think their team defense is good as well,” he said, summarizing the challenge Boston faced against a disciplined and efficient Hornets squad.
The Celtics (41-21) will host the Dallas Mavericks on Friday, aiming to rebound from a rare blowout, while Charlotte hosts Miami with a six-game winning streak intact.
