Jayson Tatum was trustworthy about what the final two-plus weeks of coaching camp have been like for him and the Celtics.
“Practice has been hard as (expletive), I ain’t gonna lie,” the Celtics star stated.
The aggressive parts of Celtics apply are closed off from viewing, however the vitality on the courts of the Auerbach Center have been obvious from behind closed curtains over the past two weeks. Players have raved in regards to the competitiveness. Something feels completely different.
It is smart. A 12 months in the past, the Celtics had been within the technique of navigating an opposed scenario after head coach Ime Udoka was all of a sudden suspended on the eve of coaching camp. First-time head coach Joe Mazzulla stepped in and did his greatest, however he was studying on the fly.
“I honestly don’t remember much about the beginning of last year,” Mazzulla admitted. “It happened so fast.”
But with a season below his belt and a full summer time of preparation, Mazzulla has organized coaching camp to his liking. It’s been effectively acquired by his gamers.
“I give Joe a lot of credit. I’ve seen the growth,” Tatum stated. “Not that he didn’t do a fantastic job final 12 months, however he’s simply had extra time to organize. He was capable of get a employees that he felt like supported him the easiest way. And he’s helped change the tradition just a little bit in a number of methods actually. I really feel like he’s had his imprint on how he needs issues to be, how he needs to apply, how he needs the setting, the vibe. And we’ve all purchased in. …
“Joe has done a great job in kind of taking charge, doing things the way, you know, how he wants (them done). It’s his thing, he’s the coach. And it’s been really cool to see that.”
Payton Pritchard revealed earlier this week that practices have included extra group work and group drills than earlier camps that had extra individual-focused work. The gamers are embracing that change, too, particularly as they get some new gamers acclimated and attempt to construct chemistry.
“I think that will pay dividends in the future,” Pritchard stated.
Mazzulla stated the Celtics’ atypical preseason schedule – which has included extra time for practices – has been a profit for his group. They’ve had some two-a-days. There has been extra time intense, group-focused practices. Kristaps Porzingis stated practices have persistently been excessive depth. He talked about that Tatum and Jaylen Brown went at it on the finish of final Saturday’s apply. It’s carried by way of the remainder of the roster.
“We’ve been working hard,” Tatum stated. “The second unit’s been pushing the first unit. We have a lot of competitive days, so guys are excited, guys are in good shape, guys have been working this offseason. There’s just like a freshness about this season. We have a new staff, new guys on the team. I think everybody’s just really excited and ready to get going.”
Ego examine
One phrase that’s been talked about a number of occasions from Celtics stars lately: Sacrifice.
The Celtics are suffering from expertise and boast not less than six gamers able to beginning. Mazzulla has insisted the beginning lineup night time to nighttime received’t matter, however there’s nonetheless an ego examine concerned with coming off the bench, or watching from the sidelines throughout a recreation’s important moments.
“It’s been an adjustment period,” Tatum stated. “At some points this year everybody’s gonna have to sacrifice. Essentially we’ve probably got six starters. And you can only play five, only five guys can finish the game. So between those six guys, any given night somebody might come off the bench, somebody might not finish, and it’s on all of us to understand that whoever’s night it is it’s for the better of the team. And we really have to buy into that. And it’s not easy sacrificing but it’s something we all have to do.”
On Tuesday night time, Al Horford – who has began the overwhelming majority of his profession – got here off the bench, and carried out admirably within the position. He made three hustle performs within the first half that Mazzulla talked about had been the three clips he and his employees confirmed at halftime.
“If Al can come off the bench at this stage of his career, nobody should have anything to say if you’re the guy that’s coming off the bench or Joe takes you out of the game or if you don’t finish,” Tatum stated. “And everybody has to have a team-first mindset to accomplish what we’re trying to do.”
It could possibly be others on any given night time. Derrick White or Jrue Holiday may come off the bench, too. No matter what lineup Mazzulla makes use of, one of many Celtics’ greatest gamers can be sitting at any juncture of the sport, when the group is totally wholesome. That needed sacrifice doesn’t seem to be it is going to be a difficulty.
“Honestly, I don’t think these guys care, but all we care about is winning and playing the right way,” Porzingis stated. “We’re gonna trust Joe with those kinds of things and the rotations and there’s gonna be some nights somebody’s gonna rest and the starting five is gonna look different. So we’re prepared for it all and, and it doesn’t really make a huge difference for us.”
Source: www.bostonherald.com