The Boston Celtics gutted out a 109-102 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night at TD Garden. Jayson Tatum sat with rest. Payton Pritchard left in the third quarter with an eye abrasion. Boston built a 21-point halftime lead, watched it disappear, and had to fight through a fourth quarter where Milwaukee briefly took the lead.
Paul George scored 25 points. Derrick White added 24. The two of them carried the offense down the stretch when the Celtics needed it most.
After the game, George’s attention turned to a teammate whose early stretch in Boston has been a topic of conversation for different reasons.
What George Said About Robinson
Mitchell Robinson came to the Celtics as a key offseason addition.
Through the first few weeks, the fit has not been entirely seamless. Robinson has moved between the starting lineup and the bench, and his impact on the offensive glass has not matched the standard he set during his time with the New York Knicks.
George was asked about it postgame.
“We actually need him to do a little bit more and want him to do a little bit more,” George said. “I think he’s just going through that of a different play style for him, and he’ll get there.”
George did not leave it at that. He included himself in the learning curve.
“I’m still learning. I’m still figuring it out,” George said. “But I have no doubt. He’s got a high IQ and he plays hard. I think it is just an adjustment.”
George acknowledged the expectations while making clear he believes Robinson will meet them. It was a teammate putting his belief on the record.
What Mazzulla Said
Robinson’s stat line on Wednesday backed up the confidence. He grabbed 11 rebounds, including 6 on the offensive glass, giving him his first game this season with rebounds in double figures. He struggled to convert at the rim, finishing 1-for-8 from the field, but his presence on the boards was exactly what Boston signed him for.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla gave his take.
“He played great tonight. You saw the best version of him,” Mazzulla said. “The greatest thing you can give a guy like Mitch, who’s been in the league for nine years, played on a championship team, and decided to come to our team is to empower him and to ask more of him. That just takes a little bit of time.”
Mazzulla pushed back on the idea that Robinson’s early numbers were cause for alarm.
“It’s really more of a compliment because he is one of the best rebounders of all time, so any chance there is a little bit of a dip, we all have to hit the panic button,” Mazzulla said. “It’s just not the case.”
Final Word for the Celtics
Two days earlier in Houston, Robinson had a quiet admission about his adjustment. He said he needed to figure it out soon. Wednesday night, the teammates and coaches around him delivered the same message with a different tone. Not concern. Belief.
The finishing at the rim still needs work. The role is still being defined. But 11 rebounds and 6 offensive boards showed the kind of player the Celtics went and got.
Robinson is adjusting. George sees it. Mazzulla sees it. Wednesday was the clearest sign yet that the fit is starting to take shape.
Celtics Star Makes Honest Admission About Mitchell Robinson’s Early Struggles