The Celtics lost to the 76ers again. Joe Mazra: We must find different ways to deal with their defensive strategies.

In a key game of the 2025/26 NBA playoffs Round 6, the Boston Celtics, despite goals from Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum, and Payton Pritchard, ultimately lost 93-106 to the Philadelphia 76ers on the road, tying the series 3-3. Joe Mazra stated that his team must find ways to counter the different defensive strategies employed by their opponents.

According to the data, Jaylen Brown scored 18 points and had two assists for the Boston Celtics in this game, Jayson Tatum scored 17 points and had 3 assists, and Payton Pritchard contributed 14 points and 5 assists.

When discussing the team's offensive system, Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazra said, "We have to find different ways to deal with their various defensive strategies. They kept adjusting their defense throughout the series and did it very well. How many layups and floaters did we miss in the first quarter? Eight, nine, even ten, and we have to execute the plays better."

“We had some good shooting opportunities at the start of the game, but we didn’t capitalize on them, which I think caused us to lose our offensive rhythm for a while. It may also have been about rebounding, which is something we could have controlled, but because of the way we won before, the Philadelphia 76ers made adjustments, so we had to respond and be more aggressive on the boards.”

Regarding the impact of the roster adjustments, Joe Mazra said, "I wanted to give the game a different feel. We have 14 to 15 players throughout the season who can contribute to winning, so I wanted to try to bring a different change to the game. That lineup definitely gave the game a different rhythm, and I was satisfied with the team's performance at that stage."

"The team must show intensity and competitiveness in the game. It all comes down to a battle of wills, and the team that is more eager to win will win. What has happened cannot be changed. We still have a home game, and we must be ready to play."

In addition, Joe Mazra said, "The Philadelphia 76ers have found their way of playing, and we have to match their style of play while finding our own style in Game 7."

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