Considering their team is on a nine-game winning streak, statistically has the best offense in the NBA, and possesses the league's top record at 13-3 following Friday's 117-109 victory over New Orleans, Celtics fans must be pleased with the job being done by interim head coach Joe Mazzulla.
One of the few things Mazzulla has been criticized for is his lack of calling timeouts when an opponent goes on a run and the Celtics' lead begins to slip away. Like all sports, momentum is huge in basketball, and when a team goes on a run, it can shift the momentum quickly. The Pelicans made quite a few scoring runs on Friday night, as they hung around with the Celtics after being outscored 40-25 in the first quarter behind 10 made threes from Boston.
The most notable New Orleans run came in the middle of the fourth quarter, when the Pelicans quickly scored seven in a row, cutting the Boston lead to single digits. It started at the 7:21 mark, as the Celtics turned the ball over on four straight possessions, and New Orleans turned those turnovers into points. By the 6:19 mark, the Pelicans found themselves trailing only by six.
Usually you would expect a coach to use a timeout in that situation, especially being on the road, to refocus the team and stop the momentum being built on the other side. Mazzulla didn't though, instead opting to let the team try to figure it out. It's an interesting, and different, strategy that paid off for Boston as Grant Williams would knock down a three on the ensuing possession, followed by an Al Horford dunk, before New Orleans would take a timeout.
When asked about his unique strategy regarding timeouts after the game, Mazzulla said, "I think you have to go through that as a team. You have to build an awareness for your team as to what is going on. I like the fact we have to execute through a run. … In order for us to be a great team we have to handle those situations."
For a team that is 13-3, it makes sense to put some pressure on them and force the team to execute. It could go a long way for the team later in the season when it comes to keeping their composure and sticking with their game. Mazzulla admitted there are times he is going to have to take the timeout, but joked a timeout doesn't guarantee anything but two minutes of rest.
