BROOKLYN \u2014 Plenty went wrong down the stretch in the Celtics\u2019 double-overtime win over the Brooklyn Nets.<\/p>\n
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\u2019 two primary bigs \u2014 Luka Garza<\/a> and Neemias Queta<\/a> \u2014 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.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Still, after the final buzzer sounded, it was the Celtics who rejoiced, players leaping off the bench to tackle two-way rookie Amari Williams<\/a> after he made several crucial plays in the second overtime period.<\/p>\n In street clothes, Jayson Tatum<\/a> pumped his fist in celebration. Hugo Gonzalez<\/a>, who hit the biggest shot of the night, went berserk. And Xavier Tillman<\/a>, one of only two active Celtics who never laced up, rejoiced as if it were he who made the game-saving play.<\/p>\n And, despite a litany of mistakes down the stretch, the Celtics walked away with a 130-126 win.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because, as clich\u00e9 as it sounds, they never gave up.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n But, rather than accept defeat, they ran masterful back-to-back plays.<\/p>\n 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).<\/p>\n (If you\u2019re counting, in just the final 10 seconds of the first overtime, six different Celtics made game-winning plays.)<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Still, in totality, the Celtics\u2019 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.<\/p>\n But what stood out most for Mazzulla wasn\u2019t the late-game execution; it was the team\u2019s resolve.<\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t always play perfect, but you can guarantee that we play hard,\u201d Mazzulla said. \u201cAnd that gives you a chance every night.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cIt just started from before the season \u2014 we just set a precedent, just set a tone for what we want Celtics basketball to be,\u201d Brown said. \u201cAnd it wasn\u2019t an excuse for none of our guys \u2014 not me, or for anyone from top to the bottom.\u201d<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n But, he\u2019s welcomed that.<\/p>\n \u201cIf you\u2019re not playing hard, if you\u2019re not doing what you\u2019re supposed to be doing, you\u2019re not putting in the effort, then you don\u2019t need to be out on the floor,\u201d he said plainly.<\/p>\n 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\u2019s roster \u2014 inundated with young, more unproven players \u2014 had no choice but to commit to always playing hard.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re not the most talented team out there,\u201d Brown said. \u201cWe got some good guys, some talented guys, some good potential that we\u2019re still cultivating and developing. But a lot of our guys, this is their first time playing meaningful minutes.\u201d<\/p>\n