The Boston Celtics’ tactics in their In-Season Tournament game vs. the Chicago Bulls caused an uproar. Billy Donovan was upset at their Hack-a-Drummond strategy, Jaylen Brown and Jrue Holiday felt weird about the tactics, and Joe Mazzulla even apologized to Donovan and Andre Drummond post-game.
But that awkwardness doesn’t translate everywhere.
“Talk to KP,” Mazzulla said at Thursday’s practice. “KP has been playing with point differential his whole career. He can’t fathom why he wouldn’t play up 30 points to get it there. Like that’s his definition of respect for the game.”
Boston reinserted their starters into the game with seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter on Tuesday when up by 30+ points.