He may be the Coach of the Year, but Joe Mazzulla’s adjustments ain’t working. For the second game in a row, the Boston Celtics failed to close out the series and now face a do-or-die Game 7. After scoring only 11 points in the fourth quarter on Tuesday, Boston tallied only 14 in the third quarter, which prompted the head coach to remove his star players, which did not sit right with the fans.

With 10:23 remaining in regulation, the Beantown fell behind a game-high 23 points in the fourth quarter against the Sixers. So, Joe Mazzulla preferred keeping his players healthy for Game 7 and pulled the plug on the lineup. With no Jayson Tatum, no Jaylen Brown, the team had Luka Garza, Jordan Walsh, Baylor Scheierman, Ron Harper Jr, and Payton Pritchard taking the floor. CelticsBlogs reporter, Noa Dalzell, stated what this decision actually meant.

“If you haven’t watched this team all year, it looks like a “wave the white flag” move by Joe.” The head coach in the post-game 106-93 loss explained his thought process. “Wanted to give the game a different feel. I mean, all year we’ve had 14-15 guys be able to impact winning. Just wanted to give the game a different look.” It seemed this move from Joe Mazzulla was the right one for a while. Because the Boston reserves played with some spark as well when they entered the game, putting together an 11-0 run. But it wasn’t enough to make a dent due to the third quarter’s poor display.

On the back of 14 points in the third, Boston was held below 100 points for the second straight game and the third in the series (all losses). They again struggled with their shooting, making 42% on the night, and made 29% from the 3-point line. None of the starters had a positive +/-. In fact, none of them could cross the 20-point mark in the crucial encounter. The changes only took place when Joe Mazzulla’s team was down by 23 points. This made it difficult for the reserves to pull it back.

From the beginning, the 76ers began to dominate at the Xfinity Mobile Arena, and they built an early 11-4 lead on the play of Embiid, Maxey, and George. The Sixers had a 12-point lead at halftime. In the third frame, the Boston starters scored just 14 and shot 26 percent from the field and 15 percent from 3-point range, going a dismal 2-of-13 from beyond the arc. That’s why the fans wanted changes, but removing all of their starters was not a great move.

Fans complain about Joe Mazzulla’s tactics

Again, Philadelphia didn’t have the best night shooting. 44% from the field and 33% from three-pointers are not elite numbers, but it was enough to put pressure on Joe Mazzulla. A massive edge the Celtics held over their competition all season was their depth. But in the playoffs, the head coach has stubbornly stuck with his starters even when they’re not working. That’s why a fan questioned Mazzulla’s answer after the game.

“I’m a Joe guy but I gotta call him on this B.S. You look like you gambling and the casino man. We needed a different look since the 2nd quarter, not 5 minutes left in the 4th in a blowout.”

Another netizen was furious by the comments from the head coach and even demanded that he be fired. “This quote has made me even more pissed off FIRE THIS GUY NOW.” This will be harsh because, against all expectations, the Celtics were the #2 from the East. It was all because of his constant tinkering with the rotation, experimenting with different styles and lineup combinations. But it seems for the post-season, it is a set-and-forget strategy. Which again didn’t sit well with many fans.

“He’s hilarious. Develop players all year and throw them in during garbage time for a “different look” They should be replacing guys who have struggled for 6 games.” Another comment read, “Bro this guy is making these adjustments with a game 7 on the line lmao what in the hell.” This was just another game where Joe Mazzulla didn;t make the right change until the very end.

On Tuesday, with Pritchard on the floor, Boston was outscoring their opponents by eight points in his 27 minutes. But he was on the bench for long stretches. In the final frame of Game 5 loss, Pritchard was pulled with eight minutes left as the entire starting five was brought back into the game. By the time Joe Mazzulla turned back to him with four minutes left, Boston was down by double digits. That’s why a fan added, “A Lil late pal. Try using your bench through out the game. U need defense.”

The decision to rest the starters can also stem from Jayson Tatum’s injury in the third frame. Tatum wore a wrap around his left leg — not the same leg he tore his Achilles on during last year’s playoffs. “My leg was just a little stiff when I came out in the third quarter. But just kind of assessing the moment, like, the game was a little out of reach. We took the starters out,” said Tatum. For now, he expects to play in Game 7 and “wasn’t overly concerned” about his left leg.

Again, it will be a challenge for Joe Mazzulla as the 76ers are riding high on momentum.