Celtics’ Joe Mazzulla named NBA Coach of the Year
After a disappointing postseason ending to a sparkling regular season, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was named NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday night.
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It’s the first time a Celtics coach has been honored since Bill Fitch in 1980, and caps a surprising season in which Mazzulla led the Celtics to 56 wins and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference in what was projected as a rebuilding year.
Mazzulla received 62 of 100 first-place votes and earned 392 total points, edging out Detroit’s JB Bickerstaff (312) and San Antonio’s Mitch Johnson (133). Former Celtics assistant Charles Lee of Charlotte finished fourth.
At 37, Mazzulla becomes the award’s youngest winner in 51 years.
“Thank you to the Lord for the platform he has given me, and to my wife and family who support me on this journey,” Mazzulla said in a statement. “Thank you to our players who compete and give it everything they have each night. I am grateful for every member of the Celtics organization whose dedication impacts winning every day. This award belongs to our staff, who are there for the guys every day. Their relentless work ethic improves our team daily. This award should be named Staff of the Year.”
President of basketball operations Brad Stevens sought to retool the roster and slice payroll to avoid the second salary-cap apron. So he traded Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, while Al Horford and Luke Kornet signed free agent contracts with other clubs.
During Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Knicks last May, Jayson Tatum suffered a ruptured Achilles and was expected to miss most if not all of this season.
With players such as Luka Garza, rookie Hugo Gonzalez, Neemias Queta, and Baylor Scheierman, the Celtics grew into a contender with Jaylen Brown leading the way. Brown was in the MVP discussion and was named second-team All-NBA after a career season.
Mazzulla’s club concentrated more on defense, offensive rebounding, and limiting turnovers to compete. After starting 0-3, the Celtics won 34 of their next 49 games and cemented themselves among the upper-echelon teams in the Eastern Conference. The Celtics enjoyed wins over the Lakers, Thunder, Pistons, Knicks, and Cavaliers, and finished second in the East behind Detroit.
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The Celtics finished the regular season second in offensive rating and fourth in defensive rating.
Queta, once signed to a two-way contract, developed into a quality center. Scheierman became a solid defender and rebounder, and former second-round pick Jordan Walsh became a reliable reserve. Mazzulla relied on his staff for development and found ways to put his younger players in positions to succeed.
It was perhaps the best coaching job of Mazzulla’s four-year career. In the previous three, the Celtics entered with high expectations, and he led the loaded club to the 2023-24 championship. But with Tatum’s injury and the roster being trimmed of talent, Boston was projected to do nothing more than compete for a play-in spot as it reorganized its finances. But Mazzulla devised ways for the younger and unproven roster to compete, while Brown quieted critics by proving to be a bona fide leader and dominant player. Payton Pritchard also took a step forward as a capable scorer, while Derrick White was named first-team All-Defense after another solid regular season.
The season, however, ended in disappointing fashion when the Celtics, with Tatum back in the lineup, blew a 3-1 series lead to the 76ers and lost in the first round. Stevens said after the season that the Celtics lacked athleticism and struggled to score in stretches, which is a testament to the work Mazzulla did during the regular season to turn a flawed roster into a contender.
Mazzulla said in March that he did not hold the award in high regard because it did not represent the work of his staff.
But the honor is an indication of what the national media thinks of Mazzulla’s work and impact.
“This is well deserved recognition and a testament to both Joe and his staff,” Stevens said in a statement. “With all of our unknowns entering the season, Joe did a fantastic job building and growing a team. He pours everything he has into competing at a high level, while helping players find the best versions of themselves within the framework of a team. On top of all of that, Joe leads with an authentic care for the Celtics and everyone he works with — players, coaches, and staff.”
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