Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla sends clear message to NBA after victory over Cavaliers

The Cleveland Cavaliers entered Tuesday’s NBA Cup opening-round game with an undefeated 15-0 record to start the season. However, their streak came to an end at TD Garden, where the Boston Celtics showcased their strength and winning mentality in a hard-fought 120-117 victory. After the game, head coach Joe Mazzulla sent a bold message to the rest of the league.

When asked about Cleveland’s physical approach, which targeted Boston’s stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, Mazzulla praised his players for their resilience. “I thought both of them handled the pressure and the physicality well,” Mazzulla said. “I hope teams continue to be physical, ’cause it just gets us reps.”

Tatum led the way for Boston, scoring 33 points, grabbing 12 rebounds, and dishing out 7 assists in 38 minutes. Brown contributed 17 points, 3 rebounds, and 8 assists. “They had a great balance of handling the pressure, driving to attack, driving to get to the free throw line… they handled it really well,” Mazzulla added.

The head coach also explained the strategic adjustments that were key to defeating the Cavaliers. “We lulled the offense. We played a little bit slower, but it was more important to get to the proper spacing,” he said. “It was more important to get our drive-and-kick reads.”

Jayson Tatum #0 of the Boston Celtics speaks with head coach Joe Mazzulla during game one of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat at TD Garden on May 17, 2023 in Boston, Massachusetts.

Mazzulla’s concern

Despite the victory, Joe Mazzulla expressed concern about the team’s ability to sustain its high level of intensity over the course of the season. When asked whether the Celtics’ effort was a natural evolution or driven by the importance of the game, Mazzulla replied, “If you ask the players, I’m sure they would say it’s a little bit of both.”

He elaborated: “To me, I care more about, can we do it again in 72 hours? Can we do it again a month from now, a month later? Understanding we’re not gonna be at our best all the time, but the most important thing over the course is can we just chip away and do that?” And then Mazzulla added: “It’s great that we did it tonight, it showed the level that we can get to, but we just got to do it over and over again.”

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Looking ahead

After their big win, the Celtics will have three days to rest before facing the Washington Wizards on Friday at Capital One Arena, another NBA Cup opening-round matchup. Meanwhile, the Cavaliers will need to regroup quickly. Kenny Atkinson’s team is set to host the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, as they look to bounce back from their first loss of the season.