Over the past month, the Boston Celtics had been rolling. From November 12 through December 7, they rattled off a 10-2 stretch that turned early-season skepticism into full-blown confidence. Jaylen Brown was leading the charge, and the team looked every bit like the Eastern Conference powerhouse fans expected them to be.
But then came the NBA’s new In-Season Tournament, and with it, a bit of a rhythm breaker. Since being knocked out of the NBA Cup, the Celtics have stumbled, dropping back-to-back games in the past week.
Monday’s loss to the Detroit Pistons was tough, but not nearly as jarring as the flat-out collapse they suffered last Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks. In that one, the Celtics came out of halftime ice cold and never recovered - their offense stalled, their energy dipped, and the Bucks took full advantage.
Against Detroit, it wasn’t a lack of effort - Boston played hard. But they couldn’t hit enough shots when it counted, and at times, they struggled to match the Pistons’ physicality.
That’s not to say they didn’t try - they did. But in some of these matchups, especially against more bruising frontcourts, size remains a question mark for Boston.
Head coach Joe Mazzulla, though, isn’t one to let a couple of losses slide by without a response. He told reporters after the Detroit game that he thought his team matched the Pistons’ toughness. Still, the Celtics’ actions at their next practice may have said more than words ever could.
On Wednesday, the team dropped a short video clip from practice, and let’s just say - it didn’t look like your typical midseason walkthrough. Players were diving on the floor, scrapping for loose balls, climbing over each other’s backs.
It had the energy of a playoff game, not a December practice. If the goal was to recreate the kind of physicality they saw in Monday’s loss, mission accomplished.
Rookie wing Hugo Gonzalez showed up to his media availability with scratches on his neck - a visual reminder of just how intense things got. “I got put in a fight out there,” he told reporters.
“Just basically fighting against big boys out there. Just some scratches, that’s it.”
That’s the kind of quote that tells you everything you need to know about the tone Mazzulla set.
This isn’t new for Boston under Mazzulla. Since taking over as head coach, he’s become known for unconventional, high-intensity practices.
Earlier this season, reporters waiting outside the gym could hear simulated “machine gun” sounds blaring during a session - part of his effort to recreate chaotic, high-pressure environments. Whether it’s Oklahoma drills, defensive gauntlets, or full-contact scrimmages, Mazzulla isn’t afraid to push the envelope if it means getting his team mentally and physically ready for the grind.
And the players? They’ve bought in.
They know that under Mazzulla, no practice is ever just a routine day at the office. It’s preparation for battle - and after two straight losses, it looks like the Celtics are gearing up for war.