Celtics HC Joe Mazzulla Explains Surprise Starter Change vs Grizzlies

The championship coach made a stunning move in Boston's ninth straight win.

Mar 29, 2025; San Antonio, Texas, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla looks on in the first half against the San Antonio Spurs at Frost Bank Center. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images / Daniel Dunn-Imagn Images

The reigning champion Boston Celtics extended their ongoing win streak to nine straight games and improved their 2024-25 season record to 56-19 in besting the struggling Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night, 117-103. It marked the Grizzlies' third straight loss.

With four-time All-Star small forward Jaylen Brown absent, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla made an unorthodox starting decision.

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Mazzulla inserted reserve power forward/center Xavier Tillman, a former Grizzlies big man, into his starting five. Tillman jumped at power forward, moving six-time All-Star Jayson Tatum down a spot to small forward.

First five in Memphis ✋@DraftKings pic.twitter.com/UvXrGzBmSG

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) March 31, 2025

Prior to Monday, Tillman hadn't appeared in a single game since March 6.

He didn't have a particularly remarkable outing. The rust showed in a big way. In just 7:49 of mostly symbolic action, Tillman scored two points on 2-of-2 shooting from the free throw line, while missing all five of his field goal takes. The 6-foot-7 Michigan State product did grab three rebounds and swipe a steal.

Tillman had been with the Grizzlies for the first three-and-a-half seasons of his pro career, before being flipped to Boston at the 2024 trade deadline as frontcourt insurance. Though he went on to claim his first title with the team, he played sparingly last year — and has only been squeezed out of the rotation further this year.

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But Mazzulla remains confident that Tillman is a plus player, per Jonah Dylan of The Memphis Commercial Appeal.

“He can still impact winning,” Mazzulla said. “I just appreciate who he is as a person and I think you’ve got to validate the roster at times. I know that he can still help us, and there may be an opportunity where he does. I was grateful that we were able to give him that opportunity to be able to do that.”

Xavier Tillman got the start against the Memphis Grizzlies — a very cool decision by Joe Mazzulla, who continues to demonstrate his ability to connect with and invest in each & every guy on the roster pic.twitter.com/5VoqWOBXdQ

— Noa Dalzell 🏀 (@NoaDalzell) April 1, 2025

Mazzulla went on to highlight Tillman's ability to draw two fouls expediently from rookie starting Memphis center Zach Edey.

“It’s crazy because I was more so focused on seeing my old teammates and checking on them,” Tillman said. “The fans, when I got here and even the staff members and security people, when I walked by, they showed me so much love. It’s pretty amazing.”

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