Coming off a championship in just his second season as the head coach of Celtics , Joe Mazzulla is widely regarded as one of the best coaches in basketball. He is only 36 years old, younger than Al Horford , and is expected to be a long-term leader in Boston like legends Red Auerbach and Tom Heinsohn.
He is a bit weird.
Most head coaches, at least those who find success, are not afraid to speak their minds, even if whatever they’re thinking of is a bit unorthodox. Gregg Popovich told his players he wanted “some nasty” in the 2012 playoffs, and Erik Spoelstra didn’t mind fighting with his players on the sideline. NBA coaches are special breed.
Unlike most title-winning teams, the Celtics haven’t really enjoyed their summer. Jaylen Brown was snubbed from Team USA’s Olympic roster, and Jayson Tatum , who did get to go to Paris, hardly played. Derrick White and Jrue Holiday did see the court for extended runs in Paris, but the Celtics as a whole feel disrespected after winning the NBA title.
They are the favorites to repeat, so clearly the Vegas oddsmakers respect Boston, but it feels like everyone else in the NBA world is not scared of them. Tatum’s moments after winning the Finals were seen as cheesy, as it became quickly obvious that he was copying past celebrations from Kevin Garnett , Kobe Bryant , and Stephen Curry .
The Celtics seem to have a target on their back (or on their forehead, right between the eyes), but Mazzulla doesn’t think they will have to “defend” anything. Their brand of basketball and Mazzulla’s coaching style clearly work, and it’s up to the rest of the NBA to catch up and try to stop them while they keep playing their winning style of the game.
