The Boston Celtics dropped their season opener 121-113 to the Detroit Pistons on Tuesday after giving back a comfortable second-half cushion. Mitchell Robinson played 18 minutes and pulled down just 3 rebounds in his Celtics debut. The defensive anchor the team invested $47.4 million in was the first to admit it was not good enough.
On Thursday, coach Joe Mazzulla addressed Robinson’s role and what he expects going forward. His words reflected how central the center position is to everything the Celtics want to do.
Mazzulla Sets the Standard
Mazzulla did not lower the bar after one game. He raised it.
“It’s Game 1 obviously, and for us, he’s a very important piece to what we do,” Mazzulla said. “So the standard is a little higher and the expectation is a little higher. I think it just comes with timing, understanding that at every play, you’re at the nucleus of what we’re trying to accomplish on both ends of the floor.”
The message was clear. Robinson is not a role player in this system. Mazzulla sees Robinson as one of the foundations the Celtics will build on, and he is coaching him that way from the start.
Mazzulla reached out to Robinson after Tuesday’s game with encouraging text messages. Robinson admitted he did not even respond to the last one. He was still stuck in his own head about how he had played.
Robinson Takes Full Ownership
Robinson was harder on himself than anyone else could have been.
“I’m one of the best defensive bigs in this league, and I didn’t show it,” Robinson said. “I got to take ownership of that. I gotta be better.”
He said he was playing too fast and could not settle into the game. He twisted his ankle in the second quarter and returned, but dismissed the injury as a factor. The performance ate at him regardless of any physical issue.
Robinson added that he does not care about scoring or stat lines. Rebounding and interior presence are what he measures himself by. By his own standard, Tuesday was a failure.
“What can I do to help my team?” Robinson said. “Once I feel good about that after the game, that’s when I know I did pretty good.”
He did not feel good about Tuesday.
Knicks Visiting The Celtics
Robinson will face his former team for the first time on Friday when the New York Knicks visit TD Garden. He spent eight seasons in New York, from a 17-win season as a rookie to a championship last June. He was the longest-tenured player on the roster when they won it all.
Robinson said he did not watch the Knicks’ ring ceremony on Tuesday night. He was too frustrated with his own game to celebrate the moment, even one he was part of.
The matchup carries obvious storylines. Robinson is not interested in any of them. Friday night is about proving Tuesday was an outlier.
Final Word for the Celtics
Mazzulla called Robinson the nucleus of what Boston is building. Robinson called himself one of the best defensive bigs in the league and acknowledged he did not play like one.
The standard has been set. The expectation has been voiced. Now it is about meeting it.
Friday night against the Knicks. The bounce-back starts there.
Celtics Coach Makes Mitchell Robinson Stance Clear Ahead of Knicks Game