Joe Mazzulla is a tireless observer. No matter the context, he takes note. When he attends a U.S. Open match, for example, he observes how often the players communicate with the coaches. The same process during a Broadway show, where he pays attention to how the actors regulate their breathing.
The Celtics coach knows the importance of details. The fundamentals are what counts. It doesn't matter whether you win a title or not. You have to get into the details and understand what makes you win and what makes you lose. “, the technician told the Boston Sports Journal.
Last year, the Celtics and he paid a little more attention to these famous details to go and win their 18th banner. While several of their opponents showed up with no strings attached, the C's didn't do things by halves: only three games conceded in the playoffs out of a total of 19 games played.
A switch in match 3
Looking back, Joe Mazzulla shares a paradox: the series against the Pacers, in the conference final, ” was by far the most difficult ” Indiana is the only team that the Celtics have taken out in four games, where it took them five sets to push back the three other opposing teams (Heat, Cavs and Mavs).
“ We swept them away, but it should have been decided in seven games “, the coach figures. The explanation? The famous details that turned in their favor.
“ There are so many things that we cannot control. We try to make a mistake and we offer (Aaron) Nesmith a wide-open corner 3-pointer. If he makes it and we go to overtime on the road, it's a completely different game. ” he said, referring to the outcome of Game 3 in Indiana.
The challenge of simple things
He continues: “ There's a list of things I wrote down that I like. These are all the things that happened that we had no control over. We have to practice from that list of things to try to control them a little bit more. But there are always things that you have to 'surrender' to in a match. » Surrender to the uncertainty of a moment.
To gain peace of mind, Joe Mazzulla wants to rely on what he has seen in athletics and his passing of the baton.
” It is a simple thing, which they have probably practiced over and over again and succeeded. It is not a question of practicing over and over again, but of knowing whether one can do the simplest things under the greatest constraint. For me, this is the challenge of our future. ” he explains.
With the key, the double? People will say the target is on our back, but I hope it's on our forehead, between our eyes. I hope I can see the red dot. “, the coach hopes.
