Joe Mazra believes the Celtics' tactical execution was poor after their loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Boston Celtics, in the fifth round of the 2025/26 NBA playoffs, lost 97-113 at home to the Philadelphia 76ers, thanks to contributions from Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Payton Pritchard, bringing the series score to 3-2. Head coach Joe Mazra stated that his team lacked efficiency in shooting and offense, and also struggled with executing their tactics.

According to the data, Jayson Tatum scored 24 points and 4 assists for the Boston Celtics in this game, Jaylen Brown scored 22 points and 5 assists, and Payton Pritchard contributed 12 points and 6 assists.

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazra said, "We missed some shots in the last seven minutes. I think we actually had some good shooting opportunities, but we couldn't capitalize on them. We committed several turnovers, allowing the opponent to hit three-pointers. We also failed to score on offensive rebounds, letting them finish the play. I think the game is interconnected, and there were problems on both fronts."

"The Philadelphia 76ers hit five three-pointers late in the third quarter, and that's when we felt the game was starting to change. We couldn't defend them in the fourth quarter and could only keep picking up the ball under the basket to launch attacks. When the game gets to a point where a few possessions can decide the outcome, you have to execute."

Joe Mazra pointed out, "We couldn't stop them and could only keep inbounding the ball from the basket. We'll review the game footage and look for the best shooting opportunities on every possession. They had a hot hand on three-pointers, and we left Quentin Grimes open a few times. Paul George made one, Tyrese Maxey made one, and Kelly Oubre Jr. also hit one."

"Joel Embiid will put a lot of pressure on the basket, forcing us to defend, so the team must be able to judge the timing of rotations in time. We didn't even make layups. I don't think the problem was entirely with the three-pointers, but rather that we were in a favorable situation but didn't execute the play well."

In addition, Joe Mazra said, "As always, we need to review these rounds, improve ourselves, and prepare for the next game. The team is not without its strengths; we played some good games, and now we need to focus on the areas that need improvement."

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