Celtics-Grizzlies notebook: Joe Mazzulla’s awesome coaching decision, Derrick White makes history, and the Celtics ridiculous road streak continues

MEMPHIS — It’s been a difficult 12 months for Xavier Tillman, who has handled lingering knee points and fallen fully out of the Celtics rotation.

However, on March thirty first, in his first sport again in opposition to the Grizzlies crew that drafted him, Tillman received the beginning place.

“Please welcome again to FedEx Discussion board, former Memphis Grizzlies ahead No. 26, Xavier Tillman Sr!” the in-arena announcer belted, drawing applause from the combo of Celtics and Grizzlies followers in attendance.

Jrue Vacation, a very good buddy of Tillman’s, jumped on him in celebration.

Tillman first came upon he received the beginning when Joe Mazzulla referred to as him at 12:30 pm, proper earlier than the 26-year-old ahead was going to take his afternoon nap.

“I feel you have got moments whenever you’re capable of validate your whole roster and simply admire X,” Mazzulla stated. “And your complete roster is necessary for a season, and X can nonetheless affect profitable.”

His run in opposition to the Grizzlies wasn’t in depth or notably productive — he performed simply 8 minutes and completed 0 for five from the sphere. However, Tillman was in a position to attract two early fouls on Grizzlies middle Zach Edey, which Mazzulla identified affected the Celtics’ rim safety, and he racked up a important steal within the third quarter.

“He can nonetheless affect profitable,” Mazzulla stated. “I simply admire who he’s as an individual, and I feel you bought to validate the roster at instances. And I do know that he can nonetheless assist us, and there could also be a possibility the place he does.”

For Tillman, the chance to begin in opposition to the Grizzlies meant lots.

“The quantity of historical past and energy and dedication I put into this ball membership… me getting the chance to come back again right here, and simply say thanks to the followers, my former teammates — it was fairly superior,” Tillman stated.

Tillman’s stint didn’t make-or-break the sport. However, it served as a reminder that Mazzulla invests in every of his gamers.

“The followers after I received right here, and even the employees members, the safety people who I’d stroll by simply confirmed me a lot love,” Tillman stated. “It’s fairly wonderful to be sincere.”

Tillman is one in all a number of Keep Prepared guys on the Celtics — guys who haven’t gotten a lot run within the rotation however could also be referred to as upon on any given second to contribute. Bodily, meaning he goes by means of warm-ups at 100%, figuring out that he must be ready for NBA motion.

He additionally defined his mindset of attempting to enhance the gamers round him.

“Mentally, my thoughts is extra so on — how can I remind my guys the tendencies of the opposite crew?” Tillman stated. “At this time limit, this participant likes to go left, this participant likes to shoot threes, stuff like that. No more so, ‘this might be my alternative’, as a result of actually, you simply by no means know. So, should you at all times assume like that, you shift away from being a helper, and extra so simply give attention to your self.”

Along with Tillman’s homecoming, right here’s what else stood out from the Celtics’ win over the Grizzlies.

The Celtics are within the midst of a historic season

With a 117-103 win over the Grizzlies, the 2025 Celtics grew to become the primary crew in Celtics historical past to go undefeated on a six-game street journey.

They improved their regular-season report to 56-19 (for context, by means of 75 video games final 12 months, the championship Celtics had been simply three video games higher, at 59-16). They’ve additionally now gained an astonishing 15 of their final 16 street video games — and stay the NBA’s greatest street crew at 32-7.

When Mazzulla was requested why the Celtics are so good on the street, he acknowledged merely: “I’d enterprise to say that our guys are good all over the place.”

“I simply assume that we’ve been very centered,” Horford stated. “Even final 12 months, we had been good particularly within the playoffs, we did a very good job on the street, controlling the tempo, having the ability to play a sure means.”

The win over the Grizzlies wasn’t as easy crusing as a lot of the Celtics’ wins on this street journey — they trailed by as many as 11 within the first half — however they had been capable of face up to every Grizzlies run and nonetheless come away with a double-digit victory.

The Celtics have an opportunity to tie the 2016 Golden State Warriors for the most effective street report in NBA historical past in the event that they win their last two street video games in opposition to the Knicks and Magic.

A number of Celtics observations from courtside seats

Memphis is without doubt one of the few NBA arenas that also supplies first-row seats for the media, giving reporters the power to see (and listen to) stuff you wouldn’t usually see from higher-up press seats.

It was my second time sitting courtside, the primary of which I wrote about extensively in Dallas. As soon as once more, the factor that struck me most was simply how rather more vocal Mazzulla was on the sidelines defensively than offensively, always chirping directions at his crew and expressing simple frustration when coverages had been missed.

At one level within the second quarter, Tatum went over to Mazzulla after making a defensive mistake.

“I learn it improper, I went beneath,” Tatum stated, then adopted his apology to Mazzulla with a made three-point shot.

One other commentary? The Celtics jostled with referee Tony Brothers a ton within the first half, with Mazzulla finally calling two (profitable) challenges. Kristaps Porzingis, Jayson Tatum, Al Horford, and Sam Cassell all had their flip at arguing with the veteran official. Tatum was hit with a technical foul late within the fourth.

Tatum stated he nonetheless can’t work out what qualifies as a tech within the NBA.

“Will depend on the night time — some stuff you say on a Tuesday, it’s cool, you say on a Saturday, they get you a tech. I ain’t received that $#!& discovered but. I’ll let you understand after I do.”

Al Horford retains turning again the clock

It’s virtually a drained storyline at this level, however Horford continues his elite play into his 18th NBA season. He finishes this one with 26 factors on 9-18 taking pictures, 9 rebounds, and a couple of assists.

Sitting courtside, it’s much more evident how a lot of a management function Horford performs — from gesturing to Joe Mazzulla about timeouts, to diffusing crew’s outbursts of frustration.

Horford stated he had no concept that the Grizzlies had been going to depart him open. He promptly made six of his 13 makes an attempt from behind the arc.

“I’m at all times simply attempting to make the precise play,” Horford stated. “The proper play for me tonight was to shoot it.’’

Jrue Vacation’s shot is again

Pregame, Joe Mazzulla identified that Jrue Vacation was taking pictures 43% from three because the All-Star break, so if the Grizzlies elected to as soon as once more go away him open as they did when the 2 groups final confronted each other, he’d welcome it.

Vacation continued his scorching taking pictures, hitting 4 of 6 threes on this one.

Derrick White is the Celtics’ single-season three-point chief — for now

Derrick White broke Isaiah Thomas’s report for many threes in a single-season in Celtics historical past, reaching 247 makes on the 12 months in Monday’s win. Jayson Tatum (240) and Payton Pritchard (238) usually are not too far behind him, and the trio of gamers ought to end the season as the highest three on the leaderboard.

Postgame, White mirrored on how he by no means anticipated to be on this place, recalling how he was left open by the Golden State Warriors within the 2022 Finals and the way that was one of many lowest factors of his profession.

Jaylen Brown misses the sport as he nurses ongoing proper knee damage

Jaylen Brown missed his sixth sport in March — and third of the street journey — on account of a proper knee impingement that started bothering him earlier than the All-Star break.

Mazzulla was requested concerning the stability between Brown resting and enjoying by means of the ache, and defined his perspective.

‘“To me, it’s extra about simply supporting him no matter he desires, put him in place,” Mazzulla stated. “He at all times finds a possibility in a state of affairs, after which each issues that we’d like him to be at his best possible. On the identical time, God keen, an extended playoff run, you’re not at all times going to really feel at your greatest. And so, are you able to be at your greatest even whenever you don’t really feel prefer it? He does an incredible job taking good care of himself, placing himself in place. He additionally does a very good job working by means of issues and discovering methods to be impactful.”

Brown might want to play in 7 of the crew’s remaining 8 video games to achieve the NBA’s 65-game minimal for awards. Provided that so many stars usually are not eligible for awards, Brown has the potential to make All-NBA if he reaches that minimal.

The Celtics comply with the six-game street journey with three consecutive residence video games — Wednesday in opposition to the Warmth, Friday in opposition to the Suns, and Sunday in opposition to the Wizards.