Stephen A. Smith defended Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla after the Boston Celtics’ loss in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals that bought the curtains down on their 2022-23 season.
“Here’s the thing about Joe Mazzulla,” Smith said on First Take. “They (Celtics) were down 0-3 and it was inexcusable. From a talent perspective, they were considered the team with more talent. They were getting thoroughly out-played… I got that. But if we’re going to give him that criticism when he’s down 0-3, we’ve got to give him some love for coming back from 0-3.”
He added: “Only three other teams before that had done it in NBA history. To be down 0-3 and force a Game 7, we can’t sit up there and crucify the dude, and then forget to praise him at that particular moment. There’s a lot to be said about Joe Mazzulla.”
.@stephenasmith is still giving praise to Joe Mazzulla:
"If we're going to give him that criticism when he's down 0-3, we've got to give him some love for coming back from 0-3." pic.twitter.com/FNPs2Aspcv
— First Take (@FirstTake) May 30, 2023
It’s safe to say that Mazzulla did his best to lead the side to the playoffs, especially after their offseason suffered a jolt in the form of Ime Udoka’s suspension.
To add, they were runners-up in the NBA Finals the previous season, and the expectations were lofty. While he is relatively new in handling the reins, Mazzulla did a fantastic job in getting Boston to the Conference Finals.
Joe Mazzulla Unlikely To Be Fired, Says NBA Insider
According to NBA insider Shams Charania, Mazzulla is not going to be shown the door after the Celtics lost the Conference Finals 4-3.
Speaking on FanDuel TV, Charania said the Celtics will “likely use the offseason to bring in more veteran assistants who can help take some of the pressure off the young coach.”
“If he got swept, I think there would be a lot more questions… but the fact that it did go to game 7, I think it allowed the Celtics to see that there is a little bit of runway, some potential here.”@ShamsCharania on Joe Mazzulla’s future with the #Celtics#RunItBack pic.twitter.com/dSjCIGtZR1
— FanDuel TV (@FanDuelTV) May 30, 2023
Earlier, there were reports that the head coach would pay the price if the Celtics fell short of their objective. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski: “There is a wave of anger from New England and a rising expectation elsewhere Joe Mazzulla will pay the price for this 0-3 hole the Celtics find themselves in.”
Now, Charania’s latest update will surely mean that the Celtics will have some work to do in the offseason packing in some resources to add more teeth to the Celtics think-tank. Given Mazzulla’s impressive run in his first run as coach, the future looks bright if the front office makes the right calls.
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