The Boston Celtics finished the regular-season fourth in clutch time production. They won three of their four Eastern Conference finals games against the Indiana Pacers in clutch-time. When the Celtics backs are against the wall, they find a new gear and usually claw their way to victory.
When speaking to the media during his postgame news conference following Boston’s Game 4 win on Monday (May 27), Jrue Holiday credited Joe Mazzulla for how the Celtics approach tight-game situations. Mazzulla earned credit for consistently putting his team in awkward situations during training, allowing them to feel comfortable when the pressure gets ramped up in tight games.
“I think Joe’s pretty good at, I wouldn’t say predicting situations, but kind of putting this in awkward situations or situations that are very, very possible,” Jrue Holiday said. “…I think we have the mindset and the character for it, and then we just went out there and showed it.”
Since moving into the head coach role at the start of the 2022-23 season, Mazzulla has received relentless criticism.
The @CelticsLab pod REACTS to a #Celtics SWEEP of the #Pacers & a return to the 2024 #NBAFinals!
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However, he has continued to prove himself and is now one series away from becoming a championship-winning head coach. He’s navigated the challenge of having an elite roster full of star egos and has the Celtics playing some of the best basketball in the NBA.
Mazzulla’s unorthodox coaching methods have gotten the Celtics this far. Now, Boston’s star-studded roster has to take the final step and finally bring back a championship banner for the first time since 2008.
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