The Celtics needed a huge rally and some huge shots down the stretch, but they defeated the Warriors 121-118 in overtime on Thursday at TD Garden in a rematch of the 2022 NBA Finals.
Here are the takeaways.
1. Several Celtics denied that Thursday meant more than any other regular-season game. Joe Mazzulla even seemed a little indignant on Jayson Tatum’s behalf when a reporter had the temerity to suggest that beating Andrew Wiggins might mean something to Tatum, given how well Wiggins defended the Celtics’ star in the Finals.
“Every game is important for him, the way he’s approached his craft, his season,” Mazzulla said.