The Boston Celtics secured a 124-97 victory against the Chicago Bulls on Tuesday, propelling them to the in-season tournament quarterfinals via some unorthodox methods to get the necessary point differentials that some players — even on the Celtics — found somewhat distasteful.
One such player was veteran floor general Jrue Holiday, who said via NBC Sports Boston (h/t to Boston Dot Com’s Trevor Haas) that it was “a little weird” for the team’s starters to stay on the floor with a 30-point lead. “I guess maybe there’s some things I don’t agree with, but I also know that there are rules,” said the UCLA alum.
Initially focused on securing a win rather than a specific margin, the Celtics found themselves in a position where the margin mattered. Winning by 22 or fewer points wouldn’t have been enough, putting their potential tournament advancement at risk.
Celtics Lab 229: Assessing the East at the 2023-24 NBA season's quarter-mark with Ky Carlin https://t.co/GhCtpFeorG pic.twitter.com/lUkQPBlOCG
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) November 29, 2023
“We also want to win,” added Holiday. “We want to make the tournament and have the best seed that we can.”
“I don’t like it, but I understand it,” he suggested, echoing his peers on both teams regarding the introduction of point differential to NBA basketball.
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