I don't blame the coach. This group had three different coaches and always just comes up short. A lot of egos and three point shooters on this team.
Joe Mazzulla officially named head coach
- Thread starter Beale13
- Start date
I dunno, I think I would tend to trust the team's leadership over a random fan poll over who should coach the Celtics. And the media's opinion is (a) much less negative towards him than you portray; and (b) totally and absolutely worthless.
This is getting silly. No one is asking anyone to trust anyone, except you, who wants those of us who disagree with the decision to trust management, because -I guess- it’s their decision. Don’t know if you are going to convince any doubters with that perspective.
And the idea that the media’s view is “totally and absolutely worthless” is ridiculous. The media has far more access to the team than any of us, and unlike the team’s leadership (who has good reason not to divulge internal debates Re: this decision ) they openly share their perspective.
Totally.
In fact, when the players bought in hard to alternative lineups, they produced some really good D in games 4-7. (I was fine with the defense in game 7: they didn't give up a ton of points, and were probably unlucky to gave up what they did.)
I blame the coaching staff somewhat for not getting them to buy into that during the season to the same degree, but sometimes adversity is needed to jolt people out of mental ruts.
Celtics assistants Ben Sullivan, Mike Moser and Garrett Jackson are joining Ime Udoka’s staff on the Rockets, @hoopshype has learned. Celtics assistant Aaron Miles has drawn interest from the Rockets and other teams. Jarrell Christian has also drawn interest from teams.
Sounds like every single Asst Coach wants out of Boston
Sounds like every single Asst Coach wants out of Boston
Not surprising, all low level and all have a connect with Ime. Rare that more than 1 or 2 guys on a staff stays on when a new coach takes over, especially if the coach getting fired has a new job.
Didn't they all sign on to work for Ime only to find out as the season started that now they were working for practically one of their subordinates?
It doesn't seem surprising that a bunch of them now want to go join Ime, and probably checked out weeks ago.
It doesn't seem surprising that a bunch of them now want to go join Ime, and probably checked out weeks ago.
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Yeah. I mean anyone who wants to coach in the NBA wants it known that they will check out if things don’t go exactly according to plan. This is absurd. You really think the assistant coaches stopped trying?
It's funny that the narratives never end.
Mazzulla sticks to lineup/rotation....he doesn't adjust.
Mazzulla adjusts in Miami series based on matchups....he's not committed to his defense so there is no identity.
Weeks ago? We've been discussing this all year but yes espeically once Ime was named coach of the Rockets. All those guys knew they would end up wherever Ime landed....then as the playoffs began they were house shopping with their RE agents the minute practices ended.
Maybe checked out is hyperbolic but since Ime got announced, some version of it. Ime was their guy.
For real. There was an obvious experience gap on the staff, but for as terrible as a lot of folks think the coaches were, other teams are sure happy to offer them jobs.
Maybe they got sick of watching The Town over at CJM's house 4 days a week.
You likely still won't be able to drive 55.
He's a trainer, and preceded Udoka by a year. Though he did come thru San Antonio, so I guess you never know.
yeah, but he started the year further down, he wasn't going to be top assistant this year even if he stayed. Not sure he'll even be top assistant in HOU.
Yeah but not as your key #1 and #2 guys but most importantly there has to be some natural level of disconnection with Mazzulla who was in the second row with all of them last year while they wait for their guy to get a head job. This stuff filters to the players at some level and the timing of some weird stuff occuring once Ime was announced isn't a coincidence from my seat. It was kinda expected as this shit affects culture and togetherness if all involved.
You're a rookie head coach who took the job on two days notice and your top guy was sitting in the second row with you last year.....and everyone knew he was gone this summer. For all the obstacles Mazzulla faced the lack of an experienced staff was at the top of the list.
Yes, I already was on board with Mazzulla, but he's looking better as this stuff shakes out, imo.
The amount of weird vibes and shit he had to deal with was absolutely not normal for a rookie coach, or any coach, and I think he played a tougher-than-realized hand fairly well.
Maybe Doc will take the lead assistant job. (j/k but worse career moves have been made).
I think the assumption that Brad will be hiring coaches for Joe is wrong. Joe is going to get to hire a full staff, but Brad will have input and sign off. Like a typical NBA coach. Brad might help identify candidates also, but I highly doubt that Brad is going to force people on Joe. I mean, part of that Jay King article talks about disconnects between the players and staff. That's not going to be helped by creating new disconnects, this time within the staff.
I remember, maybe from the Ime intro presser, Brad counseling Ime to not neccessarily go for an experienced NBA coach as an assistant because it would drive speculation.
But this is a vastly different situation - for one thing, Joe will have that speculation no matter who the assistant coaches are. For another, Ime had a ton more experience than Joe, obviously.
That's a gross oversimplification. And even players criticized Mazzulla for the lack of focus on D.
Brad did direct Ime that Mazzulla would be staying on when Ime was hired. Admittedly, the key difference is that Mazzulla was already behind the bench; I don't think CJM has that problem with an incumbent assistant this time around
To restate the obvious, it will be incumbent upon Mazzulla to establish a strong working relationship with his newly hired staff.
This team has relied on that adversity — whether it was the bad start to last season (jolting a mid-year renaissance) or the ending of last season’s playoffs (fueling this year’s thermonuclear beginning) — regardless of coaching staff. And it’s a lot of fun when the threes are dropping and they’re rolling opponents by twenty. They just have not shown a willingness or ability to sustain it or, in this case, be accountable for it.
Exactly. Clearly, Joe had an immensely tough hand with his Asst Coaches not aligned with him or the system he was trying to implement. I imagine that energy was passed along to the players during the course of the season.
I'd be very inclined to run it back with this roster with a fresh staff.
(Please hire Drew Hanlon or one of his Senior Coaches at Pure Sweat)
If *you* (or anyone else) wants to tag his inexperience and its relationship to bad results, that's fine. And not implausible or irrelevant to message board discussions. But "the fans and media" dont like him *is* irrelevant, IMO to that discussion. Its not that media members are know-nothings. Though some are. But do individual media members criticisms bear up under any scrutiny?. (Made up example---reporter x says celtics suck in clutch. Stats say they dont). Some media members are water-carriers for certain agents, etc.
I doubt Joe was part of a "take it or leave it" offer from Brad to Ime. And, reportedly, the players liked Joe and were happy to have him back. I suspect it was more Brad selling Ime on the benefits of keeping Joe around than Brad insisting that Ime keep him.Brad did direct Ime that Mazzulla would be staying on when Ime was hired. Admittedly, the key difference is that Mazzulla was already behind the bench; I don't think CJM has that problem with an incumbent assistant this time around
When we watch a team in the Finals, winning games in the playoffs when their (well-earned, quality) 3s drop, and losing badly when they don't, are we that sure that Joe was crazy for emphasizing taking and making 3s, given the personnel he had?
I'd like to change the personnel somewhat, but holding that constant, I don't see a huge difference between him and Spo, besides one of them having the guys who hit all their open shots.
I'd like to change the personnel somewhat, but holding that constant, I don't see a huge difference between him and Spo, besides one of them having the guys who hit all their open shots.
I wonder if The Sons of Fat Lever are complaining about Miami’s shooting and Malone’s refusal to call that late Time Out?
Or, same author but more concisely:
View: https://twitter.com/dangercart/status/1665702925417496579?s=46
Math nerds mess up everything.
Edit: And just to add some substance, even if you disagree with the wide open three strategy, its not just Mazzulla who is employing it. Its how the game is played now.
Edit: And just to add some substance, even if you disagree with the wide open three strategy, its not just Mazzulla who is employing it. Its how the game is played now.
Was hoping for Silas too, but he is heading to Detroit. I’m assuming this means Cassell was offered the “top” assistant job.
View: https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/1665732540429156354
View: https://twitter.com/briantrobb/status/1665743716105977856?s=46&t=Yv-0viabFQl7Lk7DrSRbBA
I would bet that this is contingent on Lee not getting any “top assistant” jobs, which I believe are all filled with the exception of Toronto and Philadelphia?
I would bet that this is contingent on Lee not getting any “top assistant” jobs, which I believe are all filled with the exception of Toronto and Philadelphia?
Yeah probably one or the other and neither is going to accept a non-top Asst gig. It will be interesting to see if any of his younger guys follows Silas.
Seems like a safe bet after his performance at the Battle of Monmouth.
(Not a general, wheeeeeeeeeeeee!)
I'll never understand why people care one whit how Joe Mazzulla acts with or handles the press.
CJM's assessment should be on his court strategy and getting the most out of the roster.
As far as I'm concerned he can go with 1-word answers to those dumbass end of the Quarter interviews with Cassidy, so we can get back to the action.
CJM's assessment should be on his court strategy and getting the most out of the roster.
As far as I'm concerned he can go with 1-word answers to those dumbass end of the Quarter interviews with Cassidy, so we can get back to the action.
I've always wondered why reporters can't take the time to think of different questions to ask rather than just defaulting to, "What was your mindset when ________________?" or "What was going through your mind when ____________." I mean if a guy can figure out 60+ different uniform configurations, reporters should be able to figure out a unique question for each game; there really is so much to talk about.
Yes, but he should give longer answers to Ali LaForce because she's worth talking too.
I can understand why the media care. I don’t understand why any non-media member cares.
I've always wondered why reporters, such as Weiss, dont write a story or two about the very subject he talks about. In real time. "The guy we talk to is not the same guy as the guy who talks at press conferences" seems newsworthy. Not as teh second paragraph of *every* story, but in a similar vein to stories about Tatum's son, or Brown's social causes or similar color pieces.
These aren't long form interviews where the media is trying to learn something interesting and write something that will last, these are quick hit stories that 99% of the time will vanish in a day. I've always assumed that most reporters go into these things not looking to shine a light on something, they are just looking for a quote from the team (player or coach) to back up what they're already planning on writing. If they don't get it right away, they'll keep pushing until they do.
The thing that leapt out of that column for me is that Weiss seems to think fairly highly of Mazzulla.
If I'm the type of person who is convinced that Mazzulla is destined to fail, the tone here might give me pause. Weiss certainly has incentives to take a shot here but does not. Instead he paints a picture of young coach who has skills but needs refining.
I don't know if Mazzulla will ever be a good NBA head coach but given this color as well as his track record to date, its not inconceivable that he gets there over time. Aside from his press conference demeanor, he seems to have all the ingredients.
If I'm the type of person who is convinced that Mazzulla is destined to fail, the tone here might give me pause. Weiss certainly has incentives to take a shot here but does not. Instead he paints a picture of young coach who has skills but needs refining.
I don't know if Mazzulla will ever be a good NBA head coach but given this color as well as his track record to date, its not inconceivable that he gets there over time. Aside from his press conference demeanor, he seems to have all the ingredients.
It's a lot of the press saying that it's important to fans how Mazzulla treats the press.
And some people seem to have bought it, but no, I don't think the average person cares anymore about local press, because that isn't how people consume information anymore. The Globe? The local news? Seriously? How many people even actually watch press conferences these days?
Yeah, we see this in the "they shoot too many 3s" meme as well. In game 6 they managed to win SHOOTING 20% FROM 3 and only taking 35 of them because they adjusted and got to the line a lot. This may have worked in game 7 too but the guy who got 15 FTA hurt himself on the first play of the game and the guy who got 10 turned the ball over 8 times to those two players got 6 free throws instead of 25 (who knows how the whistle would have gone, but point stands). I am not sure what Joe should have done in that situation other than hope they could make more 3s.
This is patently absurd, especially the bolded.
The media is hanging on for their dear lives for their industry to survive another day and for their paychecks to continue to clear. And unfortunately, this has brought us to a point where they write what will get clicks and callers with little regard for whether the shit is true or not. That's not to say that there aren't guys that are connected and have sources. They do. Sometimes they print reality too, especially when reality is interesting. But when reality isn't all that interesting, they can and will resort to printing unverified bullshit because boring doesn't pay the bills.
It's not 1985 anymore. Taking anything in print or said on tv/radio without a front-loader full of salt is a mistake. It sucks, but here we are.