The NBA’s youngest coach Joe Mazzulla of the Boston Celtics, has molded the team to be recognized as one of the best in the league currently. In the current season, the team has been witnessing impressive on-court success, especially with the presence of star player Jayson Tatum.
Following a devastating loss to the Indiana Pacers lately, which ended their in-season tournament journey, Joe Mazzulla has cited the reason behind the heartbreaking loss while also discussing Tatum’s recent accolades and achievements.
Joe Mazzulla points out the reason behind the Celtics’ heartbreaking loss
The In-season tournament’s Knockout round kicked off, as the Boston Celtics were left heartbroken by the Indiana Pacers’ 122-112 victory. The Boston Celtics, despite a convincing performance from their top stars, headed home after being eliminated from the tournament. According to the NBC Sports Boston, head coach Joe Mazzulla cited turnovers as the reason for the loss against the Pacers, which he admitted they had to pay for.
Joe Mazzulla said, “Turnovers. It’s hard to withstand 18 turnovers. So when you turn the ball over, you just let them get out in transition.” The Celtics’ duo of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were exceptional, but their efforts couldn’t avert the loss, which prevented their 3-game winning streak.
Tatum averaged 32 points and 12 rebounds, while Brown averaged 30 points and 9 rebounds. The Celtics missed the presence of Kristaps Porzingis, which made it his fourth straight game absence, through a strained left calf.
When the two teams met on November 1st, the Celtics blew the Pacers away with a 155-104 victory. Many people had expected the November 1st game to motivate the Pacers’ desire to win the recent matchup. The Pacers play again on Thursday against the winner of the Knicks and Bucks, while the Celtics on Friday host the loser of the same matchup.
Joe Mazzulla on Jayson Tatum being named Player of the Month
The Boston Celtics are currently considered the best team in the league, owing to their impressive 15-5 record. Star player Jayson Tatum has been impressive with an average of 27.4 points per game. He recently garnered the Eastern Conference Player of the Month for both October and November, which is the best record in the league.
Per NBC Sports Boston, coach Joe Mazzulla has stated that Jayson Tatum isn’t well-recognized or credited for his potential. Joe Mazzulla said, “I don’t think he gets enough credit for balancing both sides of that coin,” adding that he is both a team player and a star player.
Joe Mazzulla also pointed out that Tatum is a team-oriented player who helps make the game easier for his teammates. Though the Celtics have a history of always praising their dominating superstar, Tatum’s outputs are evident enough for him to receive huge praise.
Tatum is known to always bail his team out with contested 3-pointers, evoking memories of Kobe Bryant, whom he idolizes. The devastating loss to the Warriors in the 2022 NBA finals may have hinted that Tatum struggles in big playoff games, but the team has recruited Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday, making the job much easier for Tatum. The Celtics will be hoping to pick up a win against the loser of the Knicks and Bucks to fuel their momentum for more success.
