For a coach who boasts a staggering 74.4% winning percentage — the highest in NBA history — Joe Mazzulla certainly attracts a lot of criticism.
After leading the Celtics to a 57-25 season in his first year on the job, marking the second-most wins by a rookie head coach in Celtics history behind Bill Russell, Mazzulla has steered the team to a remarkable 62-16 record this season. This achievement places him among just seven Celtic coaches in franchise history to achieve at least 60 wins in a season.
With his 62nd win of the season on Sunday night, the second-year bench boss added another impressive accomplishment to his resume, one that is sure to leave critics searching for excuses.
According to Dick Lipe, Sunday night marked Mazzulla’s 119th career win, the second most ever for a head coach in his first two seasons, behind just Steve Kerr, who was 140-24 during his first two years with the Warriors. Mazzulla is now 119-41.
In two seasons under Mazzulla, the Celtics are outscoring their opponents by nine points a game.
By now, Mazzulla’s story is well-known. The then-34-year-old was hired on an interim basis just five days before the start of training camp following Ime Udoka’s suspension. After leading the Celtics to an NBA-best 42-17 record at the All-Star break last season, Mazzulla was officially named the 19th coach in franchise history.
Prior to that, the Rhode Island native had never been a head coach above Division 2 in the college and had served as an assistant under Brad Stevens and Udoka since 2019.
From the outset, Mazzulla has been underestimated. Yet, many fail to grasp the immense challenges he faced in assuming the reins amid a depleted staff on such short notice for a team coming off a trip to the NBA Finals.
With a full offseason to prepare, Mazzulla has left an indelible mark on the culture of the Boston Celtics. Whether by tapping into the team’s rich history, inviting former champions to be more present at practices and games, or keeping the team focused with his emphasis on ‘mindset’ and winning the day, Mazzulla’s construction of the team’s culture has been nothing short of remarkable.
Sure, the team is incredibly talented; however, that doesn’t mean Mazzulla’s contributions should be overlooked. It’s simply lazy to point to the talent as an excuse for somebody winning 74.4% (!) of their games. While it’s certainly beneficial, his fingerprints are all over this team’s success.
Managing expectations, talent, and constant criticism is no easy feat, yet Mazzulla handles it admirably, and the Celtics are reaping the benefits of the culture he has built.
Stevens made the right decision by appointing Mazzulla as interim head coach 18 months ago and naming him the head coach 13 months later.
The numbers speak for themselves — all Mazzulla has done is win. With a revamped coaching staff and an entire offseason to prepare, Mazzulla has propelled the team in a whole new direction in year two.
Heading into the postseason, there is every reason to believe Mazzulla is capable of bringing home Banner 18.
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