Joe Mazzulla would like to rename the trophy “coach of the month”

Even if he is the only decision-maker at the head of the best record in the league, Joe Mazzulla has not lost his sense of collectiveness. Elected coach of the month for December in the Eastern Conference, Joe Mazzulla took advantage of this award for the second time in his career to highlight his entire staff.

As such, the Celtics coach confided that he would like this trophy to no longer reward a single coach but his entire staff. For him, it will be necessary to rename this distinction “staff of the month”, so that the reward can be shared collectively.

“Does this mean anything to me?” In the past, I probably would have said no”, did he declare about his title of coach of the month for December in the East. “But I think it's a testament to what we're building and what we're creating, and so it's a testament to the entire staff. I would like them to change the title to “staff of the month”, because I don't do everything alone. It's not me who controls the scouts, it's not me who decides on duels during the match or who makes suggestions for major five compositions. It’s the staff as a whole. If the players don't let me coach them, I'm not really a good coach. So I think all of that is a testament to the environment that we're creating. So, yes, it means something to me, because it shows that what we are doing is paying off.”

The guarantor of the Celtics DNA

Joe Mazzulla is perhaps thinking in particular of the adjustments made during the offseason within his staff which also contributed to improving the whole and making this Boston team the best in the NBA so far, whether the arrival of Charles Lee, assistant coach in the NBA for nine years, or Sam Cassell, experienced assistant for 14 years after finishing his playing career… in Boston.

President of the franchise, Brad Stevens in any case noted the evolution of Joe Mazzulla in the approach to his position after having had the entire summer to prepare for his second season as head coach, where he had a little thrown into the deep end after the suspension of Ime Udoka. Today, the management of the Celtics no longer has the slightest doubt about his professionalism or his skills.

“I think Joe did a good job of saying, 'This is what we need to be, what we need to do for each other to be the best we can be.' Here are your teammates' strengths. How can we exploit them and make them a central point? “, underlines Brad Stevens. “People often use the word 'sacrifice.' It's the idea of ​​serving a team, of being there for the good of the group. And I think he's done a great job of that throughout his journey. I have attended several of these training sessions where we were coming back from a defeat, a long trip, or even a few victories where we didn't play very well… We do whatever it takes to improve. We won't be perfect, but I think we'll have a chance, and we have an incredible group where everyone is pulling in the same direction. You know, my phone doesn't ring often. It’s a very good group.”