The Boston Celtics extended their winning streak to three games with a 120-99 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Wednesday night at TD Garden, powered by Jaylen Brown’s 32 points and Jayson Tatum’s 24-point, 10-rebound performance.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla used the postgame setting to emphasize Brown’s growing place in franchise history after the All-Star guard moved into the top 10 on the Celtics’ all-time scoring list.
“Just first from what it means to coach him is just gratitude,” Mazzulla said. “You don’t take for granted being able to coach some of the best players in the game today but some of the best players of all time.”
Mazzulla connected Brown’s milestone to the organization’s long-standing standard, pointing to the responsibility that comes with wearing a Celtics uniform.
“For Jaylen, the responsibility and the ownership of taking on being a Celtic and going after greatness is extremely important,” he said. “The ability to make history and get into that is the stepping stone of leaving it better than you found it.”
Boston’s offensive rhythm showed early, with Brown scoring 23 points in the first half as the home team built a 63-50 lead behind efficient shot creation and spacing.
Mazzulla credited improved connectivity in the frontcourt, particularly involving Neemias Queta, for helping unlock early offense.
“Neemy’s ability to be a connector, his ability to set screens and get guys open, and read the floor in transition is something he’s gotten better at,” Mazzulla said. “With JT being back, that just takes another level to it.”
Tatum’s return has reshaped Boston’s spacing and decision-making, especially against a Warriors defense known for changing coverages.
“The most important thing is just staying spaced and reading the spacing,” Mazzulla said. “You can’t get to the proper spacing if you don’t recognize the coverage.”
Boston responded to Golden State’s adjustments in real time, including zone looks and trapping actions, which helped maintain control after the Warriors cut the deficit to 11 in the fourth.
“We saw it right away, got a quick shot, got an offensive rebound out of it, and continued to execute,” Mazzulla said.
While the stars led the way, Mazzulla highlighted contributions that do not always show up in the box score, including Baylor Scheierman’s impact.
“The biggest thing is his defensive versatility,” he said. “He’s a defensive playmaker… and offensively his spacing reads are really good.”
Boston improved to 46-23, holding the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, but Mazzulla downplayed any focus on standings with 13 games remaining.
“No, not really,” he said. “We just got to control what we can and continue to get better.”
Despite the win, Mazzulla pointed to areas for improvement, stressing process over results.
“There’s a lot of game plan mistakes that we made tonight,” he said. “Whether you win or lose, here are the 10 possessions that we got to get better at.”
