The Boston Celtics have essentially locked down the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with the playoffs quickly approaching and sit just two games back of the first-place Milwaukee Bucks. On one hand, it could be smart for Joe Mazzulla to give his stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown some rest as the regular season winds down so they’re fresh for the postseason.
But on the other hand, the C’s still have something to play for. That’s clearly Mazzulla’s thinking.
Joe Mazzulla on plan for playing guys during final week: “I really want to win. I like winning.”
There are four games left on the schedule for the Celtics, who face the 76ers on Tuesday before a two-game set with the Raptors, followed by the season finale on Sunday. While Mazzulla is saying he wants to win, it’s hard to imagine Tatum and Brown suiting up for all four contests.
A long playoff run is hopefully ahead and it would be a nightmare if one of them burnt out when it matters most, similar to what happened in the 2022 Finals.
The Celtics are playing great basketball at the moment, going 7-3 in their last 10 games. That includes a massive 41-point win over Giannis Antetokounmpo and Co., who could very well be their biggest threat to getting back to the Finals this summer.
The sky is the limit for Boston but that’s as long as they stay healthy. And although Mazzulla is looking to finish the campaign on a high note, he undoubtedly knows this is the week to give some key players rest.
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