Celtics ‘All in’ On Joe Mazzulla After Gifting Him First Win of His Coaching Career

After the Boston Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers on opening night, 126-117, interim Coach Joe Mazzulla made sure he thanked his Celtics players for their contributions during a dominant performance over their oldest and most bitter rival.

Afterward, the Boston locker erupted in joy as they gave Mazzulla a customary water bottle shower to celebrate the first win of his career and team owner Wyz Grousbeck gave Mazzulla the game ball. The locker room commemoration was a fantastic moment for a team dealing with controversy after Ime Udoka was suspended for violating team rules days before training camp started.

“I’m grateful for the relationship we have,” Mazzulla said, per ESPN. “These guys have been through a lot together, and they’re great players. So it’s just a matter of working together. So I appreciate their trust and buy-in, but they come up with a lot of good stuff as well, and we kind of just figure it out.”

On a mission. 📸: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/5aZy88VquF

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 19, 2022

Boston opened the season with a win due to their speed and quickness over Philadelphia. The Celtics outscored the 76ers 24-2 on the fast break and were torching the nets over the final 36 minutes as they shot over 60 percent from the field to erase an early Philly eight-point lead.

“Pace is the virtue of this team,” Grant Williams (15 points) said. “We have a bunch of guys that can bring it, a bunch of guys that are playmakers for one another, and we trust everybody. We trust everybody to make the right decision, to make the right read, to make the right play. So that’s why we keep the ball ahead, and we play freely. That encourages players to be who they are and that allows a lot of freedom and opportunity. It makes everybody a threat.”

Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum became the first pair or teammates to each score 35+ plus during a season-opener since Wilt Chamberlain and Jerry West did it for the Lakers in 1996. Tatum added 10 rebounds on the night and became the first Celtic to drop 35 and 10 during the first game of a season since Paul Pierce did it in 2004.

The last Boston Celtics to drop 35+ points and 10+ rebounds in the first game of a season:

Paul Pierce (11/3/2004)
Jayson Tatum (10/18/2022) pic.twitter.com/bJkUacfiKQ

— NBA History (@NBAHistory) October 19, 2022

The Celtics were filled with praise for Mazzulla during post-game interviews. Offseason trade acquisition Malcolm Brogdon complimented Mazzola for his even-keeled demeanor, Marcus Smart (14 points and seven assists) said it’s apparent the interim coach is “oozing” with confidence, and Brown said he’s “tough as nails.”

“He wouldn’t have took any of the credit for tonight, but the thing that I like about Joe and admire about him is that he’s very honest that he doesn’t know everything,” Tatum said. “He wants us to help him out as much as he’s helping us out. It’s like we’re in a relationship, and we’re all on the same page and trying to accomplish the same thing. We’re all in this together.”

Fly high. 📸: @sammironko pic.twitter.com/x9AzxZGrv7

— SLAM (@SLAMonline) October 19, 2022

After their convincing opening night victory over Philly, it looks like Boston will be going about the season like it’s business despite a messy start to the season. Boston’s All-Star wing duo of Tatum and Brown will remain dominant, they’ll be reliant on their speed, quickness, and length to rev up their offense and defense, and Boston will continue to play with the intensity that helped fuel their run to the 2022 NBA Finals.

The most important thing to understand is that Mazzulla seems to have gotten a resounding endorsements from the Celtics players. This season, that’ll be the most important difference in whether or not they can replicate their success from last season.

“It was a proud moment,” Mazzulla said. “I think it started with the Bill Russell ceremony and just talking to the team about the legacy he left on and off the court and the responsibility we carry to be able to hold that and build our own legacy.

“I think at the end of the game, the ‘Let’s go, Celtics’ chant, we picked up right where we left off. I pride myself in the Boston fans and the city of Boston, and when they’re cheering for you, it means you’re doing something right.”