The Boston Celtics need to avoid “complacency” if they are to win the NBA Championship this year, according to Shaquille O’Neal.
The Milwaukee Bucks upset the Philadelphia 76ers, while the Celtics defeated the Phoenix Suns 127–112 to become the first team to guarantee a postseason position.
With 37 points, five rebounds, and three assists on the evening at TD Garden, Jaylen Brown led the Celtics in scoring.
Shaquille O’Neal shares his advice for Boston Celtics
With the addition of 26 points from Jayson Tatum, Celtics advanced to an NBA-best 52-14 record.
Shaquille O’Neal said on TNT,
“When you have a lead like that, you have to stay motivated,” “There’s two things the Celtics must do to win a championship. One, you got to stay motivated. Their only problem right now they get complacent sometimes and shoot a lot of threes.
Brown’s game-winning performance against the Suns won the Celtics’ game, and head coach Joe Mazzulla was all over it, calling the forward “fun to watch”. He told sports illustrated,
“Man, he’s playing so well. Both ends of the floor,” “Everything with him starts with his defensive intensity. I think guarding one of the other team’s best players is what gets him going. “It’s a different layer for our team when he’s aggressive. Getting to the free-throw line. It’s fun to watch.”
Mazzulla was also involved in the action and a widely shared video of the game showed him stopping him.
Joe Mazzulla playing defense 🤣 https://t.co/RAZ8qyI2Gd
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 15, 2024
With 32 points, 11 rebounds, and seven assists from Giannis Antetokounmpo, the Bucks defeated the 76ers 114-105, securing the Celtics’ postseason berth.
The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Dallas Mavericks 126-119 in the absence of injured player Luka Doncic, thanks in part to 31 points from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
