When the NBA playoffs roll around, the word “adjustments” becomes the phrase everyone is talking about. But it is not always clear what people mean when they refer to them, given pretty much every team in the postseason makes changes in response to the looks being thrown at them by their opponent. And such was the point made by Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla when asked about making adjustments and anticipating those of your foe.

“I think you obviously want to be prepared for what might happen at the same time, not be distracted by the fundamentals and the intangibles,” explained the Celtics coach. “There’s a game left, a ton of possessions where we have to be better.”

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“So, it’s really just about the same stuff, beat, come back, watch those 15, 20 — sometimes 25 (adjustments) in the playoffs, and then tell your guys we’re good and we’re going to be done.”

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 19: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics applauds his team during the second quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

BOSTON, MA – APRIL 19: Head coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics applauds his team during the second quarter of Game One of the Eastern Conference First Round NBA Playoffs against the Philadelphia 76ers at TD Garden on April 19, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images)

“And I said that because both teams (adjust); last night there were a ton of adjustments made on both ends throughout the entire game,” said Mazzulla. “So you look at (how) they went zone in the middle of the second quarter.”

“They went to a couple different pick and roll coverages in the end of the third and the start of the fourth quarter and we did a little bit of that, and I think the way you prepare throughout the season helps you navigate in-game things, where it’s like, ‘Now I’ve got to go do this, because they’re doing that.'”

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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Joe Mazzulla on making adjustments in Celtics series vs. 76ers