The Boston Celtics knew they were chasing point differential totals to advance in the In-Season Tournament. Boston needed to not only beat the Orlando Magic, but they had to stay far enough in front of the Brooklyn Nets too. The led to Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla having his team employ the “Hack-A” strategy on Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond in the fourth quarter on Tuesday.
Following the game, Mazzulla apologized to Drummond for the tactic. Mazzulla also said he talked with Bulls coach Billy Donovan about how the circumstances weren’t just about staying in front of the Magic, but also the Nets.
For his part, Donovan said he didn’t like Boston intentionally fouling Drummond. Donovan said, “I just felt bad for Andre in that situation.” However, Donovan said he understood the Celtics were chasing the point differential tiebreaker to win Group C.
Jaylen Brown of the Celtics also said he didn’t like the situation, even if he understood why it was a necessary one.