BROOKLYN — Plenty went wrong down the stretch in the Celtics’ double-overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets.
A 9-point lead with just over two minutes to go in regulation was squandered, with Brooklyn getting putback after putback as the deficit dissipated. The Celtics’ two primary bigs — Luka Garza and Neemias Queta — both fouled out. And Jaylen Brown, who shot 33% from the field, missed three consecutive shots in the first overtime period that would have helped seal the deal.
Still, after the final buzzer sounded, it was the Celtics who rejoiced, players leaping off the bench to tackle two-way rookie Amari Williams after he made several crucial plays in the second overtime period.
In street clothes, Jayson Tatum pumped his fist in celebration. Hugo Gonzalez, who hit the biggest shot of the night, went berserk. And Xavier Tillman, one of only two active Celtics who never laced up, rejoiced as if it were he who made the game-saving play.
And, despite a litany of mistakes down the stretch, the Celtics walked away with a 130-126 win.
Because, as cliché as it sounds, they never gave up.
For several stretches of the night, a Celtics victory seemed incredibly unlikely. The most deflating moment came when they trailed by 5 points with 8 seconds to play in the first overtime, the kind of deficit teams very rarely overcome.
But, rather than accept defeat, they ran masterful back-to-back plays.
First, Sam Hauser threw a full-court inbounds pass to Williams, who found Payton Pritchard for three. Then, after Brooklyn Nets guard Nolan Traore split a pair of free throws, and Baylor Scheierman subsequently found Hugo Gonzalez for a wide-open corner three that sent the game to a second overtime period, in part thanks to a Jaylen Brown cut that helped create some defensive confusion (and to Mazzulla, who subbed in Gonzalez at the last second).
(If you’re counting, in just the final 10 seconds of the first overtime, six different Celtics made game-winning plays.)
Still, in totality, the Celtics’ win was littered with mistakes that Joe Mazzulla said the team would continue to work on cleaning up: missed defensive rebounds, defensive miscommunications, and missed shots.
But what stood out most for Mazzulla wasn’t the late-game execution; it was the team’s resolve.
“We don’t always play perfect, but you can guarantee that we play hard,” Mazzulla said. “And that gives you a chance every night.”
Jaylen Brown, who tallied his fifth career triple-double on Friday (with 27 points, 12 assists, and 10 rebounds), said that a culture centered around playing hard was born at training camp.
“It just started from before the season — we just set a precedent, just set a tone for what we want Celtics basketball to be,” Brown said. “And it wasn’t an excuse for none of our guys — not me, or for anyone from top to the bottom.”
Several times this season, that philosophy has meant that Brown himself has gotten pulled out of games and temporarily benched, something that might not have happened in previous seasons.
But, he’s welcomed that.
“If you’re not playing hard, if you’re not doing what you’re supposed to be doing, you’re not putting in the effort, then you don’t need to be out on the floor,” he said plainly.
Brown explained that this identity was new; in the past, the Celtics were able to get by and win games simply by being the more talented team. But this year’s roster — inundated with young, more unproven players — had no choice but to commit to always playing hard.
“We’re not the most talented team out there,” Brown said. “We got some good guys, some talented guys, some good potential that we’re still cultivating and developing. But a lot of our guys, this is their first time playing meaningful minutes.”
Payton Pritchard, who finished with 32 points and 4 assists, echoed that sentiment.
“What I like about this team is just how hard we play — every night, somebody new can step up and win the game for you,” Pritchard said. “That’s what I appreciate.”
Joe Mazulla made clear from the start of the season that the Celtics being the hardest-playing team was non-negotiable. Now, the Celtics find themselves with the East’s second-best record at 28-16, and the NBA’s second-best net rating at +7.5. It’s probably a spot in the standings they have no business holding. But, in large part thanks to their hard play, the Celtics have continued to live among the league’s elite teams.
“What you start to notice being in the NBA for a long time, playing hard is 70% of the battle, you know what I mean?” Brown said. “If you can do that, the rest of the stuff is just plus or minus. But, playing hard will get you by a lot.”
Friday’s victory included a little bit of everything (and everyone). Sam Hauser, who has been on a heater, added 19 points on 7-12 shooting and hit a big three in the second overtime. Payton Pritchard poured in 25 points after halftime.
And, three different bench players (Anfernee Simons, Hugo Gonzalez, and Luka Garza) logged double-digit points off the bench; Gonzalez went a perfect 4-4 from the field for 10 points, while Garza made 5 of 9 shots en route to a 12-point outing.
But the game also featured critical moments that had nothing to do with shotmaking: a drawn Scheierman charge, a massive Garza swat that got Tatum out of his seat, and a Gonzalez block on a Cam Thomas jumper.
For Brown and the Celtics, it was the relentless effort — particularly on the defensive side — that mattered most. It’s that effort that has made this Celtics team beloved by fans, and that made Barclays Center sound like Boston’s home court.
“I think the fans respect that more than anything,” Brown said. “The X’s and O’s will be the X’s and O’s, [you’ll] make or miss shots, but your effort — playing hard, defending, things like that — that’s stuff that I think the city of Boston represents.”