The Celtics’ NBA Cup respect grows by the year

Writer Sam LaFrance argues that respect for the Emirates NBA Cup is steadily growing as the Boston Celtics opened their tournament campaign with a 125-111 victory over the Chicago Bulls in Boston. Although head coach Joe Mazzulla described the win as just one of 82 regular-season games, he acknowledged his appreciation for the potential of what the competition can become in the future.

Celtics players expressed increasing motivation to win the tournament, with Neemias Queta highlighting past shortcomings as motivation and Payton Pritchard noting that competing in high-stakes Cup games serves as valuable preparation for the NBA playoffs. Following the victory, Boston sits second in Group B with a plus-14 point differential ahead of their next tournament matchup against the Charlotte Hornets.