Joe Mazzulla’s late-game Mitchell Robinson decision almost cost the Celtics

Writer Ben Handler argues that Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla made a near-costly mistake by playing Mitchell Robinson in the final seconds of regulation against the Brooklyn Nets. With Boston leading late, Robinson secured a rebound, was intentionally fouled, and missed both free throws, enabling the Nets' Mike Brown Jr. to hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer that sent the game to overtime before Jayson Tatum secured a Celtics victory.

Handler criticizes the tactical decision to expose a career 51 percent free-throw shooter in clutch moments. Despite Mazzulla publicly defending the move as an intentional effort to empower Robinson, Handler maintains that tactical prudence should take precedence over motivational gestures in high-stakes situations.