This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/celtics/onsi as Shocking Celtics Guard Has Become a Top Defender in NBA. A surprise Boston Celtics guard has emerged as, statistically, one of the best defenders in the league early into the season.

"I think at the end of the day ... they just have to continue to put great possessions together," said Mazzulla.

Regarding the tanking aspect, however, head coach Joe Mazzulla didn't even want to bring that up, saying that he doesn't pay attention to it and that he has a responsibility to the fans in Boston and the players in Boston to go out every single night and do his best job to ensure the team has a chance to win.

The Boston Celtics and Houston Rockets have announced their first fives for Saturday night's encounter between the two proud squads, both of whom have righted t

The Philadelphia 76ers will take on the rival Boston Celtics on Friday to begin NBA Cup group play looking to stay unbeaten.

The Sixers came back from 19 points down to beat Washington 139-134 in overtime on Tuesday in D.C. Tyrese Maxey posted game highs of 39 points and 10 assists in 47 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back. Joel Embiid scored 25 points in 23 minutes, while Quentin Grimes added 23 points off the bench.

Just a day removed from enacting their vengeance against the Philadelphia 76ers in another one-point nailbiter and winning their third straight game this season

Joel Embiid dissects the team's defensive struggles after the Philadelphia 76ers fall to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Cup.

It seemed possible that Scheierman might have a tough battle ahead of him to get back on the court with Boston early in the start to the season, and such dynamics do not exactly lend themselves to the sort of confident play needed to snap whatever errors were keeping the Hastings,