In order to prevent players from growing accustomed to their roles, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has been rotating players in Boston’s starting lineup during the preseason.
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday, Derrick White, and Kristaps Porzingis started for Boston in the team’s final preseason game against the New York Knicks, with five-time All-Star Al Horford sitting on the bench.
On any given night, it seems like everyone is performing their part and buying into Mazzulla’s philosophy.
“It’s been an adjustment period,” Tatum told reporters following the Celtics win. “At some point, everybody’s gonna have to sacrifice. Essentially, we probably got six starters. Only five people can play, and 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 night it is, it’s for the better of the team.”
Mazzulla told reporters after the game that Horford is a “critical piece” to the Celtics on the court and in the locker room, but the club can’t take him for granted. Tatum agreed with the second-year coach.
“It’s not easy sacrificing, but at some point, we all have to do it,” Tatum said. “Like tonight, Al (Horford) came off the bench and I have the utmost respect for Al. (If) Al can come off the bench at this stage in his career, nobody should have anything to say if you’re the guy that has to come off the bench or Joe (Mazzulla) takes you out of the game. Everybody has to have that team-first mindset to accomplish what we’re trying to do.”
Even though Horford was a substitute, the 6-foot-9 veteran played 23 minutes. The other two substitutes who played more than 20 minutes each in the Celtics’ 123-110 victory were San Hauser and Payton Pritchard.
