Joe Mazzulla is a man of strong beliefs. He always sticks to them, no matter what.
This happened when the Celtics were winning against the Suns at TD Garden. Jaylen Brown made a big slam dunk on Grayson Allen, giving the Celtics an 18-point lead with three minutes to go. The Suns' coach, Frank Vogel, called a timeout and seemed ready to give up and take out his main players.
Mazzulla stayed focused on the game even after the whistle blew. As Suns' Royce O’Neale tried to make a 3-pointer, Mazzulla unexpectedly tried to block the shot.This was very unusual. Usually, players on the court contest after-the-whistle shots, not a coach from the sideline.
Mazzulla explained that it's a team rule, and he expects everyone to follow it, whether it's a player or a coach.
Mazzulla said, “I saw a guy going in to try to get a shot,” Mazzulla said. “He hadn’t made one, and I didn’t want him to feel good about himself going to the bench. … That’s the bench rule. Guys don’t shoot shots in front of our bench to go back to their bench to feel good about themselves. If I’m going to ask the guys to contest, (the) staff has to do the same.
“I just think it’s important. I think it’s a small detail of the game. It’s a little gamesmanship, but you can’t have guys going back to the bench feeling good about themselves.”
Mazzulla believes that the game situation and time left didn't matter. He has set a standard and expects everyone to follow it without exceptions.
Mazzulla said, “There’s a dead ball. I did it last year. We’ve done it multiple times. I mean, I don’t care. At the end of the day, it’s about the mindset and approach that we bring in. It’s within the rules of the game.
“It’s about just setting the tone. It’s that. So one of my biggest pet peeves is just thinking that a guy’s just going to get a free shot, and it’s just not the way it works. And if we’re going to hold our team to the standard, then hold the staff to the same thing. So there’s been times where we’ve missed it and I’ve held the staff accountable to it, and you’ve got to do the best job you can of not doing it.”
Brown didn’t see Mazzulla’s contest of O’Neale because he was busy celebrating after his dunk, but he wasn’t surprised when he heard what transpired.
“That sounds like Joe Mazzulla,” Brown said.
“I’ve definitely seen him do it in the past. If the guy keeps trying to shoot, Joe will just keep playing defense. He’ll take it as far as he needs to. I missed that one. I wish I would’ve seen it, though.”
Jayson Tatum saw it, and he didn’t blink an eye.
“Joe being Joe,” Tatum said.
“That’s who Joe is. So when he did it, I wasn’t caught off guard. I expect him or one of the coaches to do that. Gotta love Joe for Joe.”
