Celtics’ Game 7 Struggles:** Tatum Injured, Mazzula Makes Bold Moves
Luka Garza, Ron Harper Jr., and Baylor Shireman collectively started 29 games over the season, showing some interesting lineup choices along the way.
In the Celtics’ final game of the season, Game 7, Coach Joe Mazzula—anointed as a Coach of the Year finalist—had to adapt quickly. Jayson Tatum, a key player, was ruled out early due to a calf injury, pushing Garza, Harper Jr., and Shireman into starting roles.
Tatum had previously recovered from an Achilles injury but faced yet another setback, injuring his other foot during a previous loss. It’s tough—he’s been fighting through these challenges for almost a year now.
With Tatum on the sidelines, Mazzula chose to bench starting center Niemias Keta, putting Garza in his place. He also swapped in Harper Jr. and Shireman for Tatum and sharpshooter Sam Hauser in an effort to shake things up.
“We wanted to try some tactical adjustments,” Mazzula mentioned, aiming to shift the flow of the series and leverage the team’s strengths. “The players performed well, but we ultimately fell short.”
Earlier in the season, Scheierman had taken over Hauser’s starting position, but that wasn’t too shocking—Hauser had struggled, notably shooting under 35 percent from three during crucial games.
Interestingly, Scheierman took part in 20 of those 29 games, while Harper’s contribution was relatively limited. He had started just three regular-season games and logged only four minutes in Game 7.
Garza, who had six starts throughout the season, averaged about eight minutes per game, both overall and in Game 7. Although Keta had an impressive playoff performance, boasting an effective field goal percentage of 73.5 and pulling down 8.6 rebounds in roughly 22 minutes per game, he played a central role too.
In Game 7, Keta notably scored 17 points and grabbed 12 rebounds efficiently. Mazzula’s adjustments seemed forced at times, leaving fans curious about their impact.
The Celtics are generally known for their three-point-heavy strategy, yet they struggled mightily from deep, hitting just 13 of their 49 attempts. After the game, Mazzula expressed mixed feelings about the approach. “I liked the looks we created and the process we followed, but, of course, the result is heartbreaking,” he reflected.
With this loss, Philadelphia now carries momentum into a seven-game series against the Knicks in the Eastern Conference semifinals, set to kick off Monday at Madison Square Garden.
The 76ers haven’t reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001—a long time, especially for fans remembering the glory days with stars like Allen Iverson. Meanwhile, the Knicks aim to go to back-to-back conference finals for the first time since 1999-2000. It’s shaping up to be an interesting playoff run.
