The redesigned TD Garden court is visible before the in-season tournament game between the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets Friday in Boston. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer)
Kristaps Porzingis is excited about the NBA’s first tournament of the season, but when asked Friday if it was a topic of conversation in the Celtics locker room, the big man paused before revealing the truth.
“Honestly? No,” Porzingis said with a smirk.
The Celtics began the season tournament Friday at TD Garden with their first group game against the Nets, and they will play three more games in their group over the next three weeks – at Toronto on November 17, at Orlando on November 17 . November 24 and at home against Chicago on November 28.
The winners of the league’s six groups plus two wild-card teams will advance to the knockout quarterfinals before the semifinals and championship are played in Las Vegas.
All in-season tournament games, except the championship game, will count toward the regular season standings. The idea of an in-season tournament – common in European sports leagues and particularly in football – has sparked a mix of enthusiasm and skepticism. Jaylen Brown said last week that it was good for generating additional revenue for the league and creating some interest in early-season games that have historically drawn lower ratings, but he didn’t seem particularly excited about it.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said the tournament isn’t something he discusses with his players.
“For me, it’s one of 82,” Mazzulla said. “There’s obviously something we’re trying to create here in the NBA that I think is important. I like the structure of international football tournaments during the season so I understand what we are trying to achieve. I think that could be a good thing. But the way it’s set up right now, it’s still one of 82 and it doesn’t matter if it was an in-season tournament game or not, we’re playing to win the game, and so that’s kind of the process that we follow. . And so, we appreciate it, but you still have to win.
Even the optimistic Porzingis admitted that there is some unknown.
“It’s probably going to be a little more exciting for the fans, but I think the problem is a lot of people don’t know what it is,” Porzingis said. “Maybe if it’s a successful year, which I think it will be this year, next year every game will be like OK, now we know what it is. So I think now we are entering something that we don’t know, but for us it is important to win every game.
The Celtics debuted a special court designed for the tournament, which included a dark green color covering most of the floor. The C’s also wore their “City Edition” uniforms for the first time this season. It included a “BOSTON” wordmark on the front of the white jersey that was inspired by the facade of the Springfield YMCA as the Celtics paid homage to the birthplace of basketball. The Celtics will wear their “City Edition” uniform 15 times this season.
Horford misses game against Nets
Al Horford missed Friday’s game against the Nets because of what the Celtics described as “right knee injury management.” Mazzulla said Horford experienced some soreness after Wednesday’s loss to the 76ers and he hopes he will return for Saturday’s home game against the Raptors.
Horford didn’t play in back-to-back games last season, and that doesn’t appear to be changing this season for the 37-year-old big man. Horford, however, was generally rested for the second game of a back-to-back last year, so sitting out early in this weekend’s back-to-back game – the first of this season – represented a change.
The Celtics managed Horford’s workload last season to ensure he was fresh for the playoffs — he played 63 games and averaged 30.5 minutes per game — but still seemed to slow down in the Eastern Conference finals. Horford now plays a bench role for the C’s and has played an average of 24.1 minutes in his first seven games. He was solid defensively but started slowly offensively, shooting just 22.7 percent from 3-point range.
Porzingis said he expects to play back-to-back games this weekend. The big man – who missed this summer’s FIBA World Cup due to plantar fasciitis – continued his winning ways after playing in 65 games last season. He continues to return to full fitness after missing this period this summer.
“I think last year I added a few things to my routine and things that I do now. Honestly, I didn’t start the season in perfect shape,” Porzingis said. “I feel like now, in the last two games, I’m starting to feel what I need to feel on the field. I will still improve. The rhythm, everything, you just have to feel it, film it, everything will get even better. Outside of games, my routines are pretty much what I did last year, maybe adding a few extra elements from the Celtics medical staff. This worked very well for me.
Like what?
“I’m a big slot guy,” Porzingis said. “I do lunges before every game, it kind of gets my legs moving.”
Tips
Robert Williams will undergo season-ending right knee surgery, according to a report Friday from ESPN, another devastating blow to the former Celtics center’s injury-plagued career. Williams — who was traded to the Blazers before training camp in the Jrue Holiday deal after five seasons in Boston — played in six games for Portland before injuring his right knee last Sunday against the Grizzlies.
Williams should be ready for the start of the 2024-25 season. He missed part of the 2022 playoffs and the start of last season with the Celtics due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. …
The Celtics wore warm-up jerseys reading “Raise the Age” on the front for Friday’s game to raise awareness of a bill to gradually raise the age of juvenile court to include 18-20 years.
“I think it’s important in general, not just for the organization but for humanity,” Mazzulla said. “My wife worked, she was in criminal justice and she was a probation officer and we saw sometimes how the system can turn people away and how it can hold people back and put them in even more difficult situations and where they are at , and so this bill is important to a lot of people because of what it can offer. …
The Nets’ leading scorer, Cam Thomas, averaging 26.9 points per game, was out Friday with a sprained ankle. He is expected to miss about two weeks.
