The Boston Celtics had every excuse to go through the motions on Wednesday.
They arrived north of the border after an emotional win against Jaylen Brown and the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a battle against an old friend and the top team in the East. In an atmosphere that made it feel like June instead of early November, some of Jayson Tatum's most underrated traits stood out as his team jumped the Sixers in the standings.
After the game, Joe Mazzulla shared that the star forward told the Celtics in the locker room, "It means nothing tonight if we don't play the way we need to play tomorrow."
It speaks to a group driven by this question: What type of team do you want to be? They're fixated on the process, on maintaining proper perspective, and on chasing the best version of themselves. That was evident in Wednesday's 98-93 win.
Celtics' rally ties second-biggest comeback of Joe Mazzulla era
Boston wasn't just on the second half of a back-to-back after facing Brown for the first time. The visitors arrived late at night, then had to go through customs. It was also the end of a four-game road trip, and they had already won their first three contests. They were also without Paul George, who's playing at an All-Star level, due to illness.
Almost no lead is safe in today's NBA, but given the circumstances and fatigue, down by 22, the Celtics could have called it a night. Instead, they dug deep.
They staged what is tied for the second-largest comeback in the Joe Mazzulla era. It matches a feat they pulled off against the Miami Heat last season. Their largest turnaround came vs. the 76ers, whom they trailed by 26 before rallying for a win in February of 2025.
Jayson Tatum changed the energy in the Celtics' comeback win
He didn't just preach the right message after Tuesday's victory in the City of Brotherly Love. Tatum walked the walk less than 24 hours later.
When he raised his energy in the second quarter, it changed the game. Everyone else in green had to follow suit. The six-time All-Star was a rising tide that lifted all boats.
That shift ignited a 16-0 run. It included a sequence that began with him challenging a Collin Murray-Boyles layup attempt. That got blocked by Derrick White. Tatum gathered an outlet pass from Sam Hauser and fed Neemias Queta in the low post. The former Duke Blue Devil kept going to the basket. Queta shoveled the ball to him, and he threw down a one-handed slam with authority. That sent a loud and clear message to his teammates.
The four-time All-NBA First Team selection finished with 24 points, the most in the matchup. He earned 10 of those at the free-throw line. His aggressive approach put him at the stripe 12 times. That more than doubled everyone except Neemias Queta, who went 6/8 at the line. Tatum also dished out a game-high 8 assists, snagged 7 rebounds, and registered two rejections.
"Trying to get back to my old self," he told NBC Sports Boston's Abby Chin when asked why it is important to him to play on back-to-back nights. "Trying to get back in flow and rhythm, and that's what I used to do. And I worked my butt off to get back healthy, so try and get back."
Celtics' championship resolve on display in 22-point comeback
It wasn't just about their effort and playing with more energy after they fell into a hole.
When the second half got underway, Boston's burst grew into a 29-6 run. The visitors clamped down defensively. The Raptors shot the lights out for most of the first half. They cooled off after that.
Some of those made 3s came on shots the Celtics were willing to live with. For instance, Ja'Kobe Walter made 4/6 attempts from beyond the arc in the first 24 minutes. He's shooting below 33 percent from three-point range this season. In the final two frames, he went 1/4 from long distance. That captures how, as the game progressed, they were rewarded for sticking to their process.
"We had every excuse in the world," said Derrick White after registering 19 points, 7 assists, and 4 blocks in the win. "That DNA, and when you put that Celtics uniform on, it's go out there and win. And so every person that came in there, even if we might not have had it at the beginning of the game, just found a way to find something."
It all goes back to the question they keep asking themselves: What type of team does this group want to be? Ultimately, it's the one that lifts the Larry O'Brien Trophy. To host another parade down Boylston Street, they have to pursue their best selves for the 24 hours in front of them. It was easy to do it on Tuesday night in Philadelphia. To be great means having the competitive stamina and hunger of a champion on Wednesday in Toronto. The Celtics' ability to do so speaks to a team that can live at that level.
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