Malcolm Brogdon wanted all of two phrases and a cut up second to share what clinching the No. 2 seed within the East meant to him Wednesday evening.
“That’s everything,” he stated.
Brogdon’s 29 factors spurred the Celtics to their 97-93 win over the Raptors at TD Garden, which, together with the Bucks’ win over the Bulls, solidified Milwaukee and Boston as the highest seeds within the East for the second straight season. This yr, nevertheless, shall be Brogdon’s first go-round in Boston, one thing he treasures. Brogdon believes he’s discovered precisely what he hoped for after being traded to the Celtics final summer time following a troublesome two-year stint in Indiana.
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics holds up the Red Auerbach Award he received earlier than the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jakob Poeltl #19 of the Toronto Raptors seems up at Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics as he misses a rebound through the second half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics and Gary Trent Jr. #33 of the Toronto Raptors go after a unfastened ball through the second half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics tries to cease Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors through the second half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Mike Muscala #57 and Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics play protection on O.G. Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors through the second half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Derrick White #9 of the Boston Celtics tries to get by means of Gary Trent Jr. #33, O.G. Anunoby #3 and Scottie Barnes #4 of the Toronto Raptors through the second half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
A member of the Celtics Green Team flies by means of the air through the second half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Malcolm Brogdon of the Boston Celtics, left, tries to get by Will Barton of the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday in Boston. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics through the second half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Rapper Flavor Flav sitting within the flooring seats through the second half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
O.G. Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors fouls Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Boston Celtics over the past seconds of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
The Boston Celtics have a good time their 97-93 win in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics goes after a unfastened ball as Pascal Siakam #43 of the Toronto Raptors seems on through the first half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Robert Williams III #44 of the Boston Celtics holds again head coach Joe Mazzulla through the first half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jaylen Brown #7, Sam Hauser #30 and Malcolm Brogdon #13 of the Boston Celtics have a good time through the first half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla applauds through the first half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics on the bench eats popcorn through the first half of the NBA recreation in opposition to the Toronto Raptors on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics scores by going by means of Precious Achiuwa #5, Scottie Barnes #4 and Will Barton #1 of the Toronto Raptors through the first half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Sam Hauser #30 of the Boston Celtics and Fred VanVleet #23 of the Toronto Raptors go down for a unfastened ball through the first half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
Mike Muscala #57 of the Boston Celtics and O.G. Anunoby #3 of the Toronto Raptors rebound through the first half of the NBA recreation on the TD Garden on Wednesday in Boston, MA. (Matt Stone/Boston Herald) April 5, 2023
“I thought I’d be coming to a championship team,” he stated. “That’s what we have here.”
Jaylen Brown, a playoff veteran his total profession, stated he nonetheless cherishes a top-two seed. The Celtics can have home-court benefit by means of a minimum of the primary two rounds of the playoffs. Last yr, they reached the Finals because the No. 2 seed.
“You can’t take stuff like that for granted. Being on a 50-plus-win team is an honor,” Brown stated. “It takes a lot of hard work that goes into that. It doesn’t come around as often as you probably think it does. And to be a part of it is a blessing for sure.”
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla acknowledged the advantages of his group’s solidified playoff positioning, which begins with the posh of with the ability to relaxation gamers for the rest of the common season. But he additionally cautioned that seeding doesn’t imply every part.
“It’s good. I’m happy for our guys. Seeding doesn’t matter as much as the mindset that we’ve had the entire season. … I think we’re developing the proper mindset as we head into the rest of the season and the playoffs, and so it’s good,” he stated. “I’m happy for the guys, I’m happy for the win they had today.”
It’s unclear how the Celtics will deal with their ultimate two video games of the common season: Friday’s rematch with Toronto and a house season finale versus Atlanta. The Celtics are more likely to face the Hawks or Heat within the first spherical of the playoffs. Miami didn’t play Wednesday, when Atlanta blew out the Wizards and closed to inside 1.5 video games of the No. 7 seed.
As of now, Miami will host the Hawks within the opening play-in match recreation Tuesday, and the winner of that matchup will face Boston in Game 1 of a first-round playoff sequence subsequent weekend.
Until then, the Celtics intend to organize for each doable opponent and final result down the stretch and steal just a few extra moments to soak in what they’ve completed to this point.
“The last two seasons for me were rough, not being able to win. I’m a winner,” Brogdon stated. “I feel like I’ve been known as a winner, and I want to be known as a winner when I’m done playing in this league. And I want to win at the highest level and that’s winning a championship. So being in Boston, being a Celtic fits me perfectly.”
Bhagyashree Soni is a software engineer with soft writing skills. She is a degree holder from the International School of Entrepreneurial Leadership. She has been a state-level badminton champion and chess player. A woman with a forthright attitude enjoys her writing passion as her chosen career. Writing in the context of feminism, social cause and entrepreneurship is her forte.