Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla becomes the third rookie coach to be called up to the All-Star Game in 24 years. A consecration for the young coach, while many denounced the choice of the Celtics to place a “blue” in the Greens last October.
Everything is going well in the city of the bean. Joe Mazzulla will therefore travel to Salt Lake City with his franchise player Jayson Tatum (and most likely Jaylen Brown) for the All-Star Game 2023. The rookie coach was thus chosen to coach Team Giannis during the all-star game scheduled for February 20, by virtue of the C’s first place which can no longer be disturbed by All-Star Weekend. A happy epilogue to an ideal end to the first part of the season for the C’s: First in an ultra-competitive East this year, Boston has more than 70% of victories. We especially remember the exceptional start to the season of the Green Army, with 21 triumphs out of the first 26 meetings. Despite a slight drop in consistency in recent games (“only” 16-10 since), Boston remains the league leader, ahead of Denver by a game and a half.
Leading the East ✅
Coach is headed to Salt Lake City for #NBAAllStar pic.twitter.com/GpGbIbfqAN
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 31, 2023
A record certainly influenced by the exceptional season of the pair Jayson Tatum – Jaylen Brown, accumulating between them more than 58 points per game, but the youngest coach in the league is not demerit either since Joe Mazzulla is at 34 the architect of a smart, dynamic collective, which defends hard, and of a group which lives well.
In addition to the great story, the coach from West Virginia University is wiping out the pans at the start of the season. As a reminder, before training camp, Ime Udoka held the reins of the team, before the affairs of a relationship with a staff member surfaced. Mazzulla was on the team at the time, having joined Boston internally in 2019. After only three years of experience as an assistant coach, the latter was then propelled to the rank of head coach within a team struggling for the title. And while many believed Boston had shot itself in the foot, Mazzulla has now silenced the critics for good and becomes the third rookie coach in just 24 years to be called up to officiate at an All-Star. Game, the latest being… Tyronn Lue in 2016. Another statistic, this time a little more complimentary: the 34-year-old coach becomes the 8is Celtics all-time coach to be picked for All-Star Gamejoining a group with prestigious names like KC Jones (84-87) or the mythical Red Auerbach (57-67).
Successful bet for the collective of Brad Stevens! However, the most important is yet to be verified. Will this team, led by a rookie coach, be able to thwart the set traps and go for the franchise’s first title since 2008?
