{"id":191189,"date":"2026-04-20T11:53:20","date_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:53:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=191189"},"modified":"2026-04-20T11:53:20","modified_gmt":"2026-04-20T15:53:20","slug":"celtics-choose-continuity-over-flash-as-playoff-rotation-is-revealed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2026\/04\/20\/celtics-choose-continuity-over-flash-as-playoff-rotation-is-revealed\/","title":{"rendered":"Celtics Choose Continuity Over Flash As Playoff Rotation Is Revealed"},"content":{"rendered":"

BOSTON<\/strong> \u2014 The Boston Celtics<\/a> started their playoff series against the Philadelphia 76ers<\/a> with a dominant 123-91 win. The C’s are seen by many as favorites to come out of the Eastern Conference. They played up to those lofty expectations against the feisty Sixers, who are set to be without Joel Embiid<\/a> for the entirety of this series. With the odds in their favor, complacency becomes the biggest problem. Coach Joe Mazzulla explained how Boston plans to negate this. \u201cIt comes down to two things. We got off to a good start in the series, but that doesn\u2019t matter anymore. In 48 hours, we have to do it again. You have to expect a better version of your opponent and a better version of yourselves. That\u2019s where the maturity and competitive character of our group shows\u2014staying committed to what wins.\u201d<\/p>\n

Celtics Choose Continuity Over Flash As Playoff Rotation Is Revealed<\/h2>\n

Mazzulla Doubles Down On Continuity<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\"The
Apr 19, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Adem Bona (30) defends Boston Celtics guard Payton Pritchard (11) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at TD Garden.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The Celtics will face Philadelphia on Tuesday with a quick 48-hour turnaround. Mazzulla made the bold decision to stick with the status quo, trusting the starting lineup he has adopted since Jayson Tatum’s<\/a> return: Derrick White<\/a>, Jaylen Brown,<\/a> Sam Hauser,<\/a> Tatum, and most improved player snub, Neemias Queta.<\/a> Payton Pritchard<\/a> leads the way off the bench in a somewhat surprising move. Some pundits thought Pritchard could start over Hauser to add more offensive firepower to the starting lineup. Instead, Mazzulla chose to prioritize continuity, also choosing defensive solidity and rebounding\/length over firepower. Off the bench, Pritchard is more impactful for the Celtics anyway. He averaged 17.6 points off the bench compared to 16.9 as a starter.<\/p>\n

Rotation Decisions And Bench Roles<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Nikola Vucevic<\/a>, Jordan Walsh,<\/a> and Baylor Scheiermann<\/a> all unsurprisingly came off the bench. In a surprising twist, Luka Garza<\/a> played 14 valuable playoff minutes, rounding up the Celtics playoff rotation. Vucevic got into foul trouble in the first half with three fouls, so it remains to be seen if Garza played minutes due to that circumstance or if he’s a bona fide member of the rotation. \u201cAt the end of the day, I don\u2019t really look at it as foul trouble. We stick to our rotation and play our guys. That\u2019s what we\u2019ve done all year, and it\u2019s what we\u2019ll continue to do.\u201d<\/p>\n