Celtics cap regular season with culture-epitomizing win to stick it to Knicks

The Celtics entered their regular-season finale against the Magic with their traditional starting lineup in street clothes. Three rotation players, including sixth man Payton Pritchard, were also inactive. Boston was so short-handed that it was a source of comedy as those in uniform prepared for tip-off.

"We were even joking in the locker room, coming out for layup lines, looking at each other, like, 'Oh, we've got 7 people out here,'" said Scheierman.

It turns out the joke was on Orlando.

TD Garden's visitors had a chance to earn home-court advantage in its play-in game. Only Jett Howard and Jonathan Isaac were out. The Magic entered Sunday's matchup as 12.5-point favorites.

However, they ran into an opponent that has spent the season exemplifying the power of an elite infrastructure and team culture. It doesn't matter who's in or out of the lineup. Thanks to the coaching staff's preparation and attention to detail and a roster filled with individuals hungry to prove themselves, Boston doesn't miss a beat.

Baylor Scheierman buried 6/14 threes and poured in a game and career-high 30 points. Ron Harper Jr. and Luka Garza also set new personal bests, producing 27 points apiece.

That trio led the way as the hosts outscored Orlando 42-20 in the third quarter. After a one-handed flush by the birthday boy, Harper, gave them a 75-73 edge with 4:41 left in the third period, the Magic never regained the lead.

With the score even and 32 seconds left in the final frame, Garza flashed to the ball on a sideline inbound, faced up, and knocked down a three over Wendell Carter Jr. It was a quick attempt aimed at preserving the Celtics' chance at a two-for-one to close the contest. It also proved to be the game-winning shot.

"We said it all year, one through 15, whoever steps on the floor, there is an expectation to put us in a position with the opportunity to win. Stick to the process of winning," said Joe Mazzulla after a 56th victory that bolstered his and the Celtics' staff's case for Coach of the Year, an award that should be bound for Boston, in this author's opinion. "I think today is kind of the perfect example of the locker room and the group of guys that we have."

"It was just a lot of fun and a lot of joy on the court," said Scheierman after his career night in the hosts' 113-108 win.

And while this game may have caught many by surprise, as has been the case all season, that wasn't the sentiment inside the Celtics' locker room.

"Luka said it before the game, huddled up, 'This is for all the times that we [are] on the bench, all the times we want an opportunity,'" said Harper. "We had a chance to go out there and show it, and I just feel like we all went out there with the utmost confidence. All the guys sitting out had a lot of confidence in us, and at the end of the day, we just went out and executed. And that was the most important thing."

Celtics stick it to the Knicks in their regular-season finale

The way Sunday's slate unfolded could pay dividends down the road for Boston. Its victory on the TD Garden parquet was the final result in a combination of outcomes that projects to make the playoffs a more arduous trek for the New York Knicks. Instead of facing an ideal first-round opponent, they have possibly drawn the least desirable option.

At one point, they could ponder a series against the Toronto Raptors, a team that went 14-13 after the All-Star break, barely finishing above .500 in that stretch.

However, with the Celtics doing their part to change that, the Knicks must now contend with the Atlanta Hawks. At 20-6, they have the fourth-most wins since the All-Star break.

Since Trae Young, they have been able to lean into a defensive identity and a more free-flowing offense. Atlanta has yielded the sixth-fewest points per game in its last 26 tilts. Excluding the Hawks resting players in Sunday's regular-season finale, a 143-117 loss to the Miami Heat, they are yielding the fifth-fewest points per contest in that span.

Jalen Johnson, an All-Star wing projected to earn an All-NBA selection, and company, probably will not upset the Knicks. However, whoever drew Atlanta was likely in for a taxing series. Now that just so happens to be New York.

Meanwhile, the Celtics await the outcome of Wednesday's play-in tournament matchup between the Magic and Philadelphia 76ers in the City of Brotherly Love.

Boston must take it one game and one series at a time. However, if the Celtics square off with the Knicks again in a second-round rematch, Sunday's victory, led by their "Stay Ready Group," could be the reason they run into a more fatigued rival. They didn't just end the regular season with a feel-good win, they may have just helped themselves avenge what happened against New York a year ago.