Ahead of the 2022-23 NBA season, Joe Mazzulla found himself thrust into the role of interim head coach for the Boston Celtics. After spending time as an assistant coach under Brad Stevens and Ime Udoka, Mazzulla was the logical choice to replace the suspended Udoka.
As the season started, it was clear Mazzulla had his own ideas on how the Celtics should be playing. He shifted their focus away from defense and onto the perimeter.
Fast forward a year. Mazzulla no longer has the interim tag on his name, and Brad Stevens has made roster changes that clearly indicate he’s on board with Mazzulla’s vision for the Celtics.
A recent report by ESPN’s Brian Windhorst via the “Hoops Collective Podcast” also indicates Stevens has helped shape Boston’s new style of play.
“They are absolutely headlong into the Mazzulla mindset. And the Mazzulla mindset is shaped by Brad Stevens, too. Mazzulla no longer has the interim tag on his name. This is the way Stevens and Mazzulla want to play. And if they’re gonna go down, and if they’re gonna take a step back and if they’re gonna fail, just know that it was the two of them in alignment going forward.”
In Mazzulla’s first season as the Celtics head coach, Boston ranked second in the NBA for attempted three 3-point shots (3,492) and finished sixth in 3-point percentage shooting 37.7% as a unit. With the addition of Kristaps Porzingis, Boston has another reliable perimeter threat who can also help crack open zone defenses and provide a post presence during half-court situations.
Following an active start to the offseason, the Celtics are better positioned to fulfill Mazzulla’s vision on the offensive end. Hopefully, those roster changes, and a shift in mentality, will be the missing pieces to the Celtics championship puzzle.
