In late September, the Celtics were fully prepared to enter the season with a team that, aside from Marcus Smart being replaced by Kristaps Porzingis, looked very much like their previous one.
But when the Trail Blazers traded star guard Damian Lillard to the Bucks and received a package that included Jrue Holiday, the ripple effects were quickly felt in Boston. Coach Joe Mazzulla generally stays out of personnel matters, but he received early indications from the front office that the team would pursue Holiday.
“It was kind of like, ‘Something might happen, something might not happen. Don’t hold your breath. If it happens, this is what it’ll look like and if it doesn’t happen this is what it’ll look like,’ ” Mazzulla said before Wednesday’s 119-116 Celtics victory over the Bucks. “So I was just kind of patient.”
Mazzulla said he did not really dwell on the Lillard trade or how it might affect his team because he had no control over it. But within days, the Celtics had agreed to send Robert Williams, Malcolm Brogdon, and two first-round draft picks to Portland in exchange for Holiday.
Holiday had a season-low five points Wednesday on 1 of 8 shooting, with eight rebounds. Beforehand, he said he did not anticipate the game feeling out of the ordinary, but that the return trip to Milwaukee Jan. 11 could be more emotional.
“I haven’t thought about that yet,” he said. “It’s going to be a lot and I’m not looking forward to that, Just everything about it. But I am excited to play against them.”
Shortchanged in Charlotte
The NBA’s Last Two Minute Report said that some time should have been added to the clock late in the Celtics’ 121-118 overtime loss to the Hornets on Monday.
Jayson Tatum went to the free-throw line with 5.2 seconds left in overtime, Boston trailing Charlotte by three points. He made the first two free throws, but missed the third before Miles Bridges grabbed the rebound for the Hornets.
The Celtics quickly tried to foul, but by the time the clock stopped after the referee’s whistle, just 1.7 seconds remained. The report stated 3.2 seconds should have remained.
The Hornets were not in the free-throw penalty yet, so Boston had to foul once more. Gordon Hayward drilled two free throws with 0.8 seconds left and, after a timeout, Holiday’s cross-court sideline inbounds pass was intercepted by Bridges.
“You never get an explanation [about the clock], so it’s unfortunate,” Holiday said after the game. “You would think, especially in a game like this, maybe they would go and check. But what do I know? I’m not a ref.”
Reflection after 15
Mazzulla has said he likes to break the season into segments. With 15 games — nearly 20 percent of the year — complete, he offered a brief assessment of where things stand.
“We’ve known when we’re playing well and we’ve known when we haven’t been executing well, and we’ve done a good job of fighting to get back to executing and fighting to get back to what we’re doing,” Mazzulla said. “So I think that’s it. I would say 90 percent of the games, the effort has been absolutely consistent. We just have to work to keep it that way, even though it’s going to be hard at times.”
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.