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 Celtics fumbled all of an early 24-point lead and gave the hosts multiple shots to win at the end, but still managed to avenge their season-opening loss.

Brown was whistled for a technical foul with 7:04 left in the third quarter which helped the Sixers to kickstart a 9-0 run and tie the game at 72-72. Boston was able to bounce back from that outburst and retake control after squandering a double-digit lead but Brown took responsibility for losing his cool.

With their recent run of successful seasons, the Celtics have not had a top 10 draft pick, or even one higher than No. 14, since they took Tatum at No. 3 in 2017. On Thursday, however, they gave a powerful vote of confidence to their 2024 first-round pick, taken at No. 30 overall out of Creighton.

What is going on with this Celtics start -- and can it be fixed? Should it be fixed, or is tanking the right call for this club?

The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Boston Celtics meet Wednesday night at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Tip-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. ET.