JJ Redick was one of the members of the broadcasting team for the highly anticipated Eastern Conference clash between the Boston Celtics and the New York Knicks in Madison Square Garden. During the second quarter of the contest, Redick dished out lofty praises to Joe Mazzulla, shedding light on the Celtics’ head coach’s obsession with the game.
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As Bojan Bogdanovic made a trip to the charity stripe at the 11:11 mark of the second quarter, Mike Breen asked JJ Redick to reveal the trait of Joe Mazzulla’s that impresses him the most. While answering Breen, Redick called the Boston Celtics head coach an “absolute sicko” implying that Mazzulla was one of the few individuals who was obsessed with the game. The analyst also highlighted how the 35-year-old coach was extremely thoughtful as well.
“It’s his thoughtfulness around the game. It’s the attention to detail. I talk all the time about people that are truly obsessed with this game, they are sickos and Joe Mazzulla is an absolute sicko,” JJ Redick said.
Following JJ’s praises, Doris Burke revealed her opinions on Mazzulla. She also explained how Derrick White mentioned that the coach would find comfort in uncomfortable situations, which was one of the most unusual traits for anybody in the league.
“You know what I love? His willingness to try things. Derrick White said this about him, he said ‘Joe seems to be in a position of comfort when he’s uncomfortable’. That’s unusual,” Burke said.
Finally, Breen praised Mazzulla for getting results using the most unconventional methods.
“He likes to make other people uncomfortable because when he does it with the team it helps them grow. Puts the team sometimes in uncomfortable situations and they learn from it. When you hear the word unconventional he goes against the norms often but look at the results,” Breen said.
Right from analysts to the players, everyone has spoken about Mazzulla’s untraditional style of coaching. While the methods might not suit the other coaches in the league, it’s worked out well for him as he’s become the third fastest among active coaches to reach 100 wins.
Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics are #1 in the Eastern Conference
The likes of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday, and Derrick White have received a lot of praise for the Boston Celtics’ success this season. However, more credit needs to be given to Joe Mazzulla. It’s not easy for a coach to manage a star-studded team. But, Mazzulla has been successful in doing so, getting the multiple All-Stars on the team to co-exist.
After their unexpected loss against the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, the Boston Celtics have come out seeking vengeance. Having won 45 out of the first 57 games, the team is not only #1 in the Eastern Conference but also has the best record in the association. Further, with 25 games remaining, Jayson Tatum and co. have a shot at finishing the regular season with the franchise’s best record since the 2007-2008 championship campaign.
The addition of two-way stars in Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday has enabled the team to improve drastically. Further, Derrick White’s breakout season has helped the Celtics to have all five starters as legit scoring options. With capable players such as Payton Pritchard and Al Horford leading the team’s second unit, the Boston side has the most well-balanced squad in the league. After losing four conference finals since 2017, this season, the Cs have a golden opportunity to end their championship drought.
