After guiding the Boston Celtics to a 12-4 record in March, which included a nine-game win streak featuring eight different lineups and the Celtics beating teams by +17.2 over that span, Joe Mazzulla has been named Eastern Conference Coach of The Month.
Mazzulla, who has been the Celtics' coach for roughly 18 months, has now won the award three times, which is tied for the second-most in Celtics’ franchise history. He is tied with his boss, Brad Stevens, and trails only Doc Rivers (6).
Speaking of Stevens, the recipient of the Western Conference Coach of The Month award, Ime Udoka, got his first head coaching gig under the Celtics and was Stevens’ first coaching hire after being promoted to President of Basketball Operations.
Udoka led his Houston Rockets to a 13-2 record in March, highlighted by an 11-game win streak, which tied the Celtics for the longest winning streak this season. Over that stretch, the Rockets won seven straight road games.
Udoka’s Rockets were the only team to post a better record in March than the Celtics. Boston led the NBA in scoring (121.7), made three-pointers (18.0), three-point percentage (.418), net rating (+15.8), and assists/turnover ratio (2.77).
This marks the second time this season Mazzulla has won the award, joining Ty Lue of the Clippers as the only coach to be recognized twice this season. Mazzulla is only the seventh head coach in NBA history to earn at least three Coach of the Month awards in the first two seasons.
Since taking over the reins of the franchise, Mazzulla has done an admirable job. The Rhode Island native has won 116 of his 157 (73.8%) regular season games and led the Celtics to the Eastern Conference Finals a season ago as a 34-year-old thrown into the fire.
Mazzulla and the Celtics have already clinched the number-one seed in the Eastern Conference with their 59-16 record. With a win over Oklahoma City on Wednesday night, they can clinch the top record in the NBA and home-court advantage throughout the NBA Fianls.
Mazzulla has left no doubt that under his leadership, the future is bright.
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