Maybe the Celtics have much more in the tank than their first three games suggested — much, much more.
Boston’s 0-3 start to the season quickly drew doubt surrounding the team’s frontcourt, offseason, and overall ability to compete without Jayson Tatum. It only took three games for the online discourse surrounding the team to turn to, ‘Should we just tank like it’s 2013-14 all over again?’
The rebounding was atrocious, so much so that the Celtics sank to 27th in the league in rebounding (39 per game) amid the three-game losing streak. Getting a win became a monkey on the team’s back, casting confusion about how a team that looked so elite in the preseason could look even more out of place to begin the regular season.
The road trip finale in New Orleans earned the Celtics their first win, but Wednesday night’s return to TD Garden to host the Cavaliers awarded Boston with its first sign of turning a new leaf.
Donovan Mitchell and the Cavaliers, coming off last season’s Eastern Conference-best run, reconnected with the Celtics amid their three-game winning streak. But instead of imposing its dominance in kicking a shorthanded Boston team while it’s down, Cleveland was fed a heavy dose of reality as the Celtics trotted away with a 125-105 victory before cueing a much-deserved “Gino Time” celebration at home.
Several factors contributed to Boston’s first upset win of the year, but Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla summed it up in one simple concept: choices.
“It’s one of those things that you have to make the choice every day when you wake up that you’re gonna rebound on both ends of the floor,” Mazzulla said. “When you wake up in the morning, you gotta just make that choice. So it’s not something that we figured out. We have to remind and watch it tomorrow, and then we’re either going to do good or we’re not, and then we gotta remind and do it again. So it’s just one of those habits and disciplines that never goes away and you just constantly have to work on it.”
In the battle of the margins, Boston steamrolled Cleveland. The Celtics scored 125 points, grabbed 52 rebounds (18 offensive), dished out 29 assists, and knocked down 21 total 3-pointers — all season highs and all better than the Cavaliers on Wednesday night. Mazzulla’s squad also limited its total turnovers to just eight, the fewest they’ve committed this season. The game became so lopsided that Cleveland coach Kenny Atkinson waved the white flag with 2:47 left, trailing by 15 points.
For the final few minutes of regulation, the entire TD Garden faithful let out a collective sigh of relief — a feeling Celtics fans haven’t enjoyed in what seems like ages. Sam Hauser, who finished with 21 points, even snagged a stray piece of confetti from the team’s 2024 Banner 18 celebration while relaxing on Boston’s bench — perhaps an omen that much brighter days are just around the corner.
Regardless, the Celtics managed to earn Mazzulla’s approval to snag their second straight win.
“The effort that we have going after them has been top-notch, especially over the last couple (of games),” Mazzulla said. “You know you’re not gonna play it perfect, but if you get two hands on it, get it and then just have effort to go get it. So, guys have done a good job of that.”
Josh Minott stayed in the starting lineup alongside Neemias Queta, and the two bigs caused headaches for the Cavaliers all night. Minott contributed with 11 points, 14 rebounds (a career-high), and three steals, while Queta added 10 points, 13 rebounds (also a career-high), and three steals, finishing a +25 on the night. Both unproven players made life much easier for their teammates, providing the Celtics with a rock-solid foundation in what has long been their most vulnerable area on the floor.
“I think we’re all bought into whatever strategy Joe has,” Minott explained. “We’re just believing in him, trusting in him. I’m just a player, man — he’s got a way tougher job. I don’t want to gas his head too much, but we’re bought into the strategies Joe has each night, and whatever that looks like, we’re just trying to go out there and execute it.”
The Celtics played a tough, blue-collar brand of basketball, perfectly suited to the roster Mazzulla and his staff are working with this season. They generated scoring opportunities through smart passing and relentless defensive energy, building a 16-3 advantage over Cleveland in second-chance points en route to a 75-point first half. None of it relied on a back-breaking scoring outburst from any single player. Instead, it demonstrated just how far disciplined, team-oriented basketball can carry a team on any given night — and this time, it was Minott and Queta standing tall at the forefront for Boston.
“Josh and Neemi both on the glass were exceptional, and that’s what we’re gonna need going forward,” Jaylen Brown said. “I think rebounding is one of the most obvious things in basketball, but it makes a huge difference. I think rebounding was great for us tonight.”
Revisiting the basics could, at times, be an exhausting trial. Last season, the Celtics weren’t even thinking about re-establishing the fundamentals within their identity; it was all about defending their championship by chasing another one. But with a new-look team, amid some even more unfamiliar circumstances, Boston is working with the deck of cards it was dealt — and they’re doing so with no complaints.
In the grand scheme, serving the Cavaliers a 20-piece chicken nugget marked a small but meaningful step toward brighter days.
“I’m definitely seeing us building in the right direction,” Brown ensured. “Sometimes it results in wins. Sometimes it results in losses. But as long as we continue to develop and get better, that’s the most important thing for this group right now — to learn and get better. And sometimes you gotta do it through experience. You can’t expect a bunch of new guys to come in and expect them to know how to win. We’re gonna learn. We’re gonna build. And I know we’re not gonna make any excuses, but it’s a great challenge that I’m excited for.”
