Joe Mazzulla explains Celtics’ controversial Game 7 starting lineup change

The Boston Celtics were dealt a tough blow when they ruled out star Jayson Tatum before Game 7 on Saturday, but coach Joe Mazzulla’s response to Tatum’s absence came under fire following a season-ending 109-100 loss to the Philadelphia 76ers.

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Mazzulla trotted out a brand new starting five never used during the regular season, with Jaylen Brown and Derrick White joined by Baylor Scheierman, Luka Garza and Ron Harper Jr.

The Celtics still leaned heavily on their bench, with Payton Pritchard, Neemias Queta and Sam Hauser all playing key roles, but Garza finished -15 in eight minutes while Harper was -7 in four minutes. Scheierman played 22 minutes but shot 0-for-4. All three players were held scoreless.

After the game, Mazzulla explained what made him roll with a surprise starting lineup with the season on the line.

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Joe Mazzulla explains starting lineup change

Mazzulla was dealt a bad hand with Tatum out, but his decision to craft a lineup featuring Scheierman, Garza and Harper caught many by surprise. After the loss, Mazzulla said he was trying to «give the series a different feel» after back-to-back losses.

«There was a couple things we saw tactically we wanted to test out, give the series a different feel, and take advantage of the roster that we had,» Mazzulla said, «and take advantage of the guys that could impact plays.»

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Joe Mazzulla on the starting lineup change:

«There was a couple of things we saw tactically that we wanted to test out, give the series a little bit of a different feel» https://t.co/OIfws2pz4A pic.twitter.com/z11NcljE1z

— Oh No He Didn’t (@ohnohedidnt24) May 3, 2026

The Celtics instead got off to a brutal start, falling behind 17-6. Scheierman, Garza and Harper, who started a combined 29 games in the regular season, were all held scoreless. Harper played the fewest minutes of any Game 7 starter in NBA history other than Rick Mahorn in the 1988 NBA Finals, while Garza wasn’t far behind with only eight. 

Boston became the first team in NBA history with three scoreless starters in a playoff game. Despite cutting the 76ers’ lead to one down the stretch, the Celtics never totally overcame their sluggish start.

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Asked about the decisions he made before and during the game, Mazzulla had no regrets. «Love the process we had. Just hate the result,» Mazzulla told reporters, adding, «So many times [the idea of] pushing the right button gets linked to a positive result.»

Two years removed from a championship, Mazzulla will head into his fifth season as a head coach under perhaps more pressure than any of his first four as the Celtics deal with the reality of only one playoff series win in the last two seasons.

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