Joe Mazzulla praises Celtics’ togetherness in short-handed win over Grizzlies

BOSTON – With the All-Star break quickly approaching, the Boston Celtics have caught the injury bug. Marcus Smart has missed 10 games in a row, Jaylen Brown has been out for two (and will likely be out for another couple of weeks), and both Malcolm Brogdon and Al Horford have been sporadically absent as well.

Heading into their Super Bowl Sunday matinee against the Memphis Grizzlies, they were missing Brown, Smart, and Brogdon. Boston needed their depth pieces to step up and deliver big-time performances.

“Credit to our locker room,” said head coach Joe Mazzulla. “When Mike [Muscala] came here, I told him, ‘cherish this because it may be one of the best locker rooms you have, and the group of guys that we have, and basketball players.’ So, their ability to just be a professional, regardless of their circumstances, it’s special. [I’m] fortunate to be around that.”

Of the nine different Celtics players who checked into the game against Memphis, eight put up double-digit scoring numbers. Boston’s impressive all-around production helped lift them to a 119-109 win over Memphis.

Jayson Tatum ended the night with just 16 points on 3-of-16 shooting from the field and 1-of-8 shooting from deep, but Mazzulla emphasized how important he’s been to the team regardless of his efficiency.

“Tatum’s not going to get enough credit for the way he’s played,” said Mazzulla. “He’s constantly being judged by his results, but I thought, you know, last game, he 41, he did a great job of scoring. [In] two of the last three games, he’s done an amazing job managing the game. Managing the game by continuing to play defense. Managing the game by involving himself but not looking to score [and] making the right play. Superstars don’t get the credit they deserve when they do that. And so, credit to him. I think that allows our guys to play with confidence and makes our team even harder to guard.”

In addition to his 16 points, Tatum added seven boards, three assists, two steals, and two blocks, making his presence felt on both sides of the ball, but his teammates picked up the slack around him in the scoring column.

Sam Hauser, who made his third career start (all in the past week) against Memphis, churned in yet another efficient shooting game.

“I feel like we have a couple of our top dogs…