PHILADELPHIA — Al Horford began his postgame interview in the Celtics locker room, standing in front of a television screen that broadcast the NHL’s 4 Nations championship game between the USA and Canada.
Fittingly, just as the 38-year-old veteran began to field his first question about the Celtics’ sharp early rhythm, Team USA scored a goal.
“Oh, hell yeah!” Derrick White, a self-proclaimed hockey fan, bellowed toward the television, before breaking into a patriotic chant:
“USA! USA! USA!”
Vibes were high after another postgame victory for the Celtics, their fourth straight win and seventh consecutive on the road. Players recounted their respective All-Star breaks, and later, Sam Hauser, Luke Kornet, and White collectively burst into laughter over something on one of their phones in the corner of the locker room.
With the 124-104 thrashing of the Philadelphia 76ers, the Celtics improved to 40-16 on the season, meaning they’ve hit the elusive 40-20 rule, which has long maintained that legitimate NBA title contenders should reach 40 wins before 20 losses on the season and the numbers back it up. The Celtics now join the Cavs and the Thunder in reaching that milestone.
A well-balanced offensive performance got it done
Boston got hot early on and never looked back, sinking 8 first-quarter three-pointers, leading by 16 at the half — and extending the advantage to as many as 29 points in the second half.
Jrue Holiday, back in the lineup after four absences due to a right shoulder impingement, looked refreshed. Jaylen Brown (20 points, 6 assists, 6 rebounds) was controlled and efficient. Payton Pritchard was massive off the bench, recording a game-high 28 points (on 8-15 shooting) and 4 assists, or, as Tatum put it to TNT’s Allie LaForce: “He’s got to be the sixth man of the year.”
Kristaps Porzingis added 17 points and Derrick White posted 16 points. From start to finish, these looked like the championship Celtics, with the ball flying and defensive focus crisp.
“We just did a good job of getting to our spacing,” Joe Mazzulla said. “Making the right read versus the coverage, finding the two-on-one, and taking the right shots. It’s important to do that against a team like this.”
Jayson Tatum is not shy about chasing greatness
If you only looked at the box score, you wouldn’t know just how impactful Tatum was in this one. The 26-year-old tallied 15 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists en route to his fourth career regular-season triple-double.
But, his impact extended even beyond just his stat line, as Tatum largely controlled the tempo of the game with his playmaking.
Afterward, when asked about what’s fueling him this season, he candidly acknowledged his desire to be an all-time great.
“Since I’ve gotten in the league, it’s just trying to get better every single year,” Tatum said. “I’m very accomplished at a young age, but the truth is, I envision myself as one of those guys — the LeBron’s [James], the Steph’s [Curry], the [Kevin Durant’s]. I want the next generation to view me as that.”
So, moments like Spurs rookie Stephon Castle deeming Tatum his favorite player and wearing his sneakers are milestones in the pursuit of that goal, Tatum said.
Jayson Tatum was asked about what fuels him by @Globe_Tara:
“The truth is, I envision myself as one of those guys — the Lebron, Steph, KDs. I want the next generation to view me as that.”
I asked him if moments like Stephon Castle are milestone in that journey:
“Yeah. Those… pic.twitter.com/kI9sJwgnNO
— Noa Dalzell (@NoaDalzell) February 21, 2025
Tatum’s aspirations have no bounds. Last week, after a win against the Heat, he passionately debated with his Celtics teammates about Bird being the franchise’s all-time best player. Not everyone in the locker room agreed, but Tatum was steadfast in the belief.
After Thursday’s win, the seven-time All-Star admitted that he’s chasing Larry Bird in hopes of becoming the greatest Celtic to ever play.
“I always wanted to be the best,” Tatum said. “And he’s, in my opinion, the best Celtic ever, and he did it the right way, and he’s a great guy to chase in a sense.”
“Even if I never reach that — maybe I do, maybe I don’t — if you aspire to chase that guy, it comes with a level of focus and motivation every single day to be the best you can.”
Celtics fans take over Wells Fargo Center — again
There were so many Celtics fans in the bleachers of Wells Fargo Center pregame that the in-arena announcer had to jokingly address it before tip-off, and express assurance that the 76ers crowd was eventually going to show out.
The reality, though, is that even when the game was within striking distance, Philadelphia’s home arena was devoid of substantial support for the 76ers. After the game, as each Celtic walked into the tunnel after completing their on-court media obligations, they acknowledged the raucous Celtic crowd. White threw one kid his towel, carefully selecting him from the many calling for it in the crowd.
Afterward, Payton Prtichard mentioned that Joe Mazzulla often reminds the players how lucky they are to play for the Celtics.
“It’s always awesome to see the support on the road — we have the best fans in the world,” Pritchard said. “Joe talks about it all the time: it’s just a privilege to be able to play in an organization and a fan base like this. Definitely thankful, and hopefully we can keep winning and bring home another one.”
Al Horford enjoys continuing to infuriate 76ers fans
The 76ers fans who were in attendance were audibly frustrated from the moment gameplay began.
After the loss, Philadelphia sits in 11th place in the Eastern Conference — 9 games back of the postseason — and despite having their big three of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George all available tonight, they simply weren’t able to withstand the Celtics’ punches.
Embiid acknowledged postgame how much his knee injury is inhibiting him.
“The way I was playing a year ago is not the way I’m playing right now,” he said. “It sucks, but I believe I probably need to, you know, to fix the problem, and then I’ll be back at that level.”
But, the Philadelphia crowd seemed specifically bothered by Al Horford’s presence, and effectiveness. Horford tallied 11 points on 4-7 shooting in 18 minutes and was a +20 in his minutes — and the crowd loudly booed him when he was introduced.
Such has been the norm since Horford returned to Boston in 2021 after an unsuccessful season with Philadelphia.
Horford doesn’t mind the animosity he faces in Philadelphia; in fact, he likes it.
“They care enough to boo,’ he said. “It’s good to be cared for.”
And, as much as fans made sure to express their dislike for Horford, it’s clear that they recognize, and are bothered by, his impact.
“Yo Joel, a 38-year-old is guarding you, do something,” one yelled at the former MVP.
“He’s a senior citizen guys, come on,” yelled another fan as Horford saved a loose ball from going out of bounds.
Is Torrey Craig an elite rim protector?
The 34-year-old veteran, playing just his second game as a Celtic, was hugely impactful in a limited stint.
He only played 8 minutes — all blowout fourth-quarter minutes — but Craig tallied 3 blocks in that span, and spurred the Celtics bench to erupt each time.
“Torrey has been able to fit into our group right away,” Horford said. “The luxury that we have to have him on our team, knowing that he can come in and impact the game defensively and bring that energy and toughness.”
The Celtics are back at home on Saturday to take on the Knicks. Then, they’ll hit the road for two more road games — first against the Raptors on Tuesday, then against the Pistons on Wednesday.
