Is Coach Mazzaulla The Answer for the Celtics?
Is Coach Mazzaulla The Answer for the Celtics?
The Boston Celtics had an 11-game win streak going into Tuesday night’s game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. They looked like they were on their way to another easy victory, as they led by 22 points with under nine minutes left in the fourth quarter. But then, something went horribly wrong.
The Cavs, led by Dean Wade, who scored 20 points in the final quarter alone, mounted a furious comeback and stunned the Celtics with a 105-104 win. Wade hit six threes in the game, including a putback dunk that gave the Cavs the lead with 1.8 seconds left.
The Celtics still had a chance to win the game, but they messed up their final possession. Jayson Tatum, who had 29 points and 10 rebounds, held the ball for too long and took a contested fadeaway that missed. Kristaps Porzingis, who had 18 points and 13 rebounds, grabbed the offensive rebound, but a foul was called against the Cavs.
However, after reviewing the play, the refs overturned the call, saying that Tatum kicked his leg out and initiated the contact. The game resumed with a jump ball at center court, which Porzingis won and tipped to Derrick White, who tried to call a timeout. But the refs ignored him and ended the game.
The Celtics were furious with the officiating, and rightfully so. There were three questionable calls that went against them in the final seconds: the overturned foul, the time on the clock, and the ignored timeout. But they also had themselves to blame for blowing a huge lead and playing poorly in the fourth quarter.
The Celtics scored only 17 points in the final period, shooting 8-25 from the field and 0-8 from deep. The Cavs, on the other hand, scored 34 points, shooting 11-15 from the field and 8-11 from deep. The Celtics also had 15 turnovers in the game, compared to the Cavs’ 10.
The Celtics’ head coach, Joe Mazzulla, who took over from Brad Stevens this season, admitted that he made some mistakes in the game. He said he called a timeout with 4.6 seconds left, but the refs didn’t see it. He also said he should have told his team to go faster on the final possession, instead of holding for the last shot while being down one point.
Mazzulla, who is only 32 years old and has no prior NBA coaching experience, has been under a lot of scrutiny and criticism this season. Many fans and analysts have questioned his coaching decisions, his rotations, and his ability to lead the Celtics to a championship.
I have to say, I agree with them. I don’t think Mazzulla is ready to coach a team like the Celtics, who have high expectations and a talented roster. He doesn’t have the feel for the game yet, and he lets his players do what they want. He plays too much street ball, and not enough team ball.
The Celtics have a lot of talent, but they also have a lot of problems. They lack chemistry, consistency, and defense. They rely too much on Tatum and Porzingis, and not enough on their other players. They don’t have a clear identity, a clear leader, or a clear system.
The Celtics are currently the third seed in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 47-19. They have a chance to catch up to the Brooklyn Nets and the Milwaukee Bucks, who are the first and second seeds, respectively. But they also have a tough schedule ahead, with games against the Denver Nuggets, the Los Angeles Lakers, the Philadelphia 76ers, and the Miami Heat.
The Celtics have the potential to be a great team, but they need a better coach. They need someone who can inspire them, challenge them, and guide them. They need someone who can make them play as a team, and not as a bunch of individuals. They need someone who can take them to the next level, and not hold them back.
That’s all for today’s blog post. Thank you for reading, and don’t forget to subscribe, rate, and review the Statsbeast Sports Podcast with Jason, where we talk about the latest news, trends, and stats in the world of sports. You can also follow me on Twitter @statsbeastjason, where I share more of my thoughts and opinions on sports. Until next time, this is Jason, signing off.
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