The Boston Celtics have been one of the most successful teams so far this season, and Jayson Tatum believes it has a lot to do with one of coach Joe Mazzulla’s stories.
At the time of writing, Boston is first in the East with an 18-4 run, with their latest win coming against the Miami Heat.
For a team that endured a controversial offseason that led to their head coach Ime Udoka being suspended, the Celtics hit their stride from game one to launch another title campaign under interim coach Joe Mazzulla.
According to the Boston Herald, Tatum revealed how Mazzulla would show them a picture of a sandcastle during the team’s film session.
“The metaphor (is) you build the best sandcastle on vacation and when the tide comes up it’s going to wash it away,” Tatum said. “Basically, today was a good game we won, but when we go to film (Thursday) or Friday, we’ve gotta build another sandcastle. And it’s a little cheesy, but it’s something that we’ve bought into.”
And it’s worked so far for the Celtics. They look locked in each game, and their latest 134-121 win over Miami further cements the theory.
Jayson Tatum Praises Joe Mazzulla And The Team For Committing To A Shared Goal
The Boston Celtics were one of the favorite teams to win the 2021-22 championship but were out-bested by the Golden State Warriors. And while the latter has struggled this season, Boston continues to chalk up one dominant performance after another.
For Tatum, who has been on an MVP run himself, the results were because of Mazzulla’s messaging, and the team committing to a shared goal.
It’s a choice that we’ve gotta make every day when we come in and try to be the best version of ourselves,” Tatum said. “And knowing that it’s never going to be easy. We’re always going to get the other team’s best shot. I think Joe’s done a great job of not letting us be satisfied or complacent, which we aren’t. Coming off a Finals loss, we know what the ultimate goal is. But just trying to take the right steps along the way in getting back to that point.”
He used Blake Griffin as an example:
“Blake has had a hell of a career. Six-time All-Star, whatever, six-time All-NBA, and was a superstar at one point. And obviously there was an injury, but somebody like that to come in and buy in and do things that you guys don’t see every day. He takes the first bus, he plays pick-up on off days with two-way guys, and then that’s not necessarily always normal, especially for somebody that has accomplished what he has and made the money that he has.”
“For him to still have that mindset of team-first and just being a great teammate, just little things like that that we all notice and everybody shows that in one way or another. So we just got a really great group of selfless guys on this team that just want to win, and do whatever it takes to help the next guy.”
It’s no surprise the Celtics are playing winning basketball. And their early performances suggest they enter the playoffs as favorites again. They face the Miami Heat again, followed by a skirmish against the Brooklyn Nets.
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