The Boston Celtics are the reigning champions now, but their title was years in the making.
It all started when Danny Ainge hired Brad Stevens to be their coach, and now that he’s transitioned into a front-office role, his impact has been even bigger.
Notably, one of his best decisions was to trust Joe Mazzulla, who was unproven and was on the rise as an assistant coach, to lead the way.
Moreover, he stood by him after he proved to be a little raw and unprepared in his first season in charge of the team, and it didn’t take long before it paid off.
Mazzulla has proven to be excellent at making adjustments and game-planning, and even a well-known Celtics critic like Udonis Haslem had no choice but to tip his hat to him.
Talking on his The OGs podcast, the three-time NBA champion claimed that there was a method to Mazzulla’s madness.
UD calls Joe Mazulla an ‘analytical junkie’
Watch full episode here: https://t.co/P8IFFhhIsW pic.twitter.com/Pqi29fzxuP
— The OGs Show (@theOGsShow) August 10, 2024
He claimed that he was an ‘analytics junkie,’ adding that there are reasons why they take so many threes and do everything they do.
Mazzulla is young, but he’s already earned his colleagues and players’ respect.
They know how much of a basketball freak he is, and the very first thing he said when they won the title was that they could even hang another banner next to that one.
It’s nice to see young coaches making their way in the league, and the Celtics should continue to be a force for years to come for as long as he’s there.
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2024 NBA Champion Changing Teams With New Contract