There was some doubt creeping up on the Boston Celtics after they allowed a Joel Embiid-less Philadelphia 76ers to steal away their home-court advantage by winning Game 1 of their NBA Playoffs second-round series. Well, Jayson Tatum and Co. blatantly restored any faith that was lost by completely blowing out the Sixers in Game 2 on Wednesday. It was exactly the type of response Celtics fans were hoping for after their shock loss in Game 1, and as expected, Boston delivered.

After their victory on Wednesday, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was asked to shed some light on his team's reaction to their stunning loss in the series opener. Understandably so, Mazzulla revealed that his players were “angry” and “pissed” after losing at home to a shorthanded Sixers side in Game 1. The Celtics shot-caller also revealed that he liked how his team reacted to their defeat:

Article Continues Below
More Boston Celtics News
image thumbnail
Clippers trade proposal lands Jrue Holiday from CelticsJedd Pagaduan ·
Cavaliers' guard Darius Garland with Timberwolves' Anthony Edwards and Julius Randle - NBA trade rumors and scenarios
Timberwolves’ Darius Garland trade headlines 4 intriguing scenarios before NBA DraftBrett Siegel ·
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) defends Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) during the second quarter at Paycom Center.
Colin Cowherd shades Jayson Tatum with ‘alpha’ Shai Gilgeous-Alexander takeMalik Brown ·
Apr 29, 2025; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34) during game five of the first round for the 2024 NBA Playoffs against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images
ESPN analyst floats Celtics as Giannis Antetokounmpo landing spotZachary Draves ·
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (4) controls the ball while LA Clippers guard Terance Mann (14) defends during the second half at TD Garden.
NBA rumors: Clippers eyeing Jrue Holiday trade after past loss to CelticsDaniel Donabedian ·
Kristaps Porzingis photoshopped in Magic jersey. Include his jersey number.
Magic offseason trade proposal for Kristaps Porzingis as Celtics get finances in checkBailey Bassett ·

More importantly, though, the Celtics were able to translate their anger into a huge Game 2 performance. They knew they had to make amends for their Game 1 loss, and that's exactly what they did on Wednesday night. It resulted in a 121-87 win in favor of Boston, as they now tie this series at 1-1.

This was the best type of response for the Celtics heading into Games 3 and 4 of this series, which will now shift to Philadelphia. Boston could not afford to lose this one, and they made sure not to give the Sixers a chance.

It's now down to a best-of-5 series with Game 3 scheduled to tip off on Friday.