BOSTON (AP) — Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla desires to win, irrespective of the opponent.
Even when taking part in towards reporters.
Right here’s what occurred: The Celtics had instructed their reporters that they may use the Auerbach Heart courts for a media recreation after observe on Tuesday. However Mazzulla had a shock deliberate as properly.
“You’re not taking part in towards one another,” Mazzulla instructed the group. “You’re taking part in towards the coaches.”
With that, he walked away from the post-practice media scrum. Recreation on.
Properly, form of.
Last rating: Celtics coaches 57, Celtics media 4. And sure, the coaches have been nonetheless capturing deep 3-pointers as time expired. Mazzulla really fist-pumped after the ultimate basket. There was no operating out the ultimate seconds of a lopsided recreation, as would usually be the case in an NBA contest.
“I do know Joe needed to maintain us scoreless,” Boston.com’s Khari A. Thompson good-naturedly posted on X after the sport. It must be famous that Thompson was answerable for one of many two baskets by the reporters.
In equity, the Celtics’ coaches who performed Tuesday have been no slouches. Amile Jefferson received a nationwide championship at Duke. Mazzulla and Da’Sean Butler performed within the Last 4 with West Virginia. Phil Pressey scored 4 or extra factors 52 instances in his NBA taking part in profession. The media contingent certainly knew it had no likelihood. The coaches ended the sport on a 15-0 run, which form of doesn’t matter contemplating additionally they began the sport on a 42-2 run.
“The sheer hole in athleticism — pace, dimension, instincts, you title it — felt so insurmountable that I can hardly pinpoint what even went down,” Celtics reporter Noa Dalzell wrote after the sport. “I’d love to check out a field rating, however the quantity of live-ball turnovers we accrued would in all probability make me sick.”
Mazzulla, to his credit score, caught round for the “actual” media recreation afterward. Final score there: 25-22.
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