The word “margins” has echoed through nearly every Boston Celtics press conference this postseason. From head coach Joe Mazzulla emphasizing the need to limit opposing stars like Jalen Brunson, to players discussing shot selection and defensive discipline, it’s clear the defending champions are treating the finer details as their foundation. Kristaps Porziņģis recently shed light on why.
“We have all the talent, we have a lot of tricks we could pull out of our sleeves when we need to,” Porziņģis told reporters. “But we want to build this run on a strong foundation.”
The Celtics’ star big man explained that Boston doesn’t want to rely on Jayson Tatum or Jaylen Brown’s talent alone to pull off playoff wins. The goal is to execute consistently across core areas like defense, rebounding, and efficient offense.
“We don’t want it to be ‘oh, we pulled this one out somehow some way based off [Tatum] or [Brown’s] talent and they made some crazy plays and we just close our eyes and hope it happens again,’” Porziņģis said. “We want to have a good base as a team and do all the foundational things correctly. And then have that in our back pocket if we need it.”
That foundation proved critical in Boston’s first-round win over the Orlando Magic. The Celtics outscored Orlando by 64 points across five games, including a four-game average winning margin of 13. They shot 47% from the field and 38.4% from beyond the arc, while holding the Magic to just 42.3% and a dismal 26.8% from three.
Though the Celtics were out-rebounded in two games, they still won the overall battle on the glass (211–199) and limited turnovers after early hiccups. It was a textbook demonstration of controlling the controllables — or as Boston would say, winning the margins.
Yet Porziņģis was also quick to acknowledge the importance of the Celtics’ superstars. “We have that in our back pocket if we need it,” he said, referring to Tatum and Brown. Tatum has scored 50+ points in the playoffs twice. Brown, meanwhile, is fresh off winning NBA Finals MVP and remains one of the league’s most consistent closers.
This two-pronged approach — mastering the margins and relying on superstar talent when necessary — defines the Celtics’ playoff identity. Mazzulla noted that identity will be tested by a rugged Knicks team that brings physicality and elite wing defenders like Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby.
“It will be a physical series,” Mazzulla said. “You have to be able to defend without fouling, rebound, take care of the ball, execute, and be able to get to different stuff defensively because of their ability to put pressure on the rim and get great shots.”
The Celtics open their Eastern Conference semifinal series against New York on Monday night at TD Garden. They are fully aware that their title defense depends on keeping the margins in check — and the foundation firm.
