Joe Mazzulla’s coaching had been a point of criticism entering this season and throughout last year. The youngest head coach in the league doesn’t have the experience that many elite coaches do, and it showed at times. With a full year of experience, an improved roster, and a solid coaching staff around him this season, many expected Mazzulla to make a jump. Let’s evaluate Mazzulla’s second season as a head coach so far.
Evaluating Joe Mazzulla’s Second Season So Far
The Good:
Mazzulla’s Curveballs
Before the season started, Mazzulla discussed the idea of flexibility and throwing some “curveballs” with different lineups and defensive schemes. This flexibility and versatility have been on full display for Boston’s defense all year. This includes switching Jrue Holiday or Derrick White on bigger players, allowing Kristaps Porzingis to thrive as an off-ball roamer or switching Jayson Tatum on fast downhill perimeter players like we saw against Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Additionally, Mazzulla has utilized zone defense more and even pulled out some full-court presses to throw opposing offenses off. These adjustments perfectly suit Boston’s versatile and switchable roster. Mazzulla has experimented with it all and isn’t afraid to make the necessary adjustments. On a similar note, Mazzulla’s lineups and rotations make much more sense than last year, when they were sometimes questionable.
Activating Porzingis
As the season progressed, so did Porzingis’ involvement in the offense. From the start, Porzingis’ versatile defensive abilities were utilized. However, it took time to integrate him into the offense. In November, Porzingis averaged 11.9 field goals per game. In December, that number went up to 14.6. Porzingis’ points per game also increased from 18.5 in November to 22 in December. He adds a different element to the Celtics’ offense, giving them a post presence and elite lob threat. As a result, the Celtics’ post-up frequency has shot up from 24th in the league last year to second this year. Furthermore, in December, the Celtics were undefeated (8-0) in games Porzingis played. Ultimately, it’s clear when Porzingis is at his best, so is the team, and Mazzulla deserves credit for prioritizing him in the offense.
Everyone Eats
Balancing a team that is loaded with star talent can be a difficult task. But through great ball movement and unselfish basketball, the Celtics have made it work. All five starters have vital roles in the offense, and nobody feels left out. Moreover, Boston tends to feed the hot hand. Tatum and Jaylen Brown have no problem taking a back seat if it’s White or Porzingis’ night. It’s clear the Celtics have bought into the unselfish culture Mazzulla has established.
The Bad:
Over-emphasis on the Deep Ball
The Celtics lead the league with 43 three-point attempts per game. Mazzulla has made it clear he believes there’s no number too high in terms of three-point attempts. I generally don’t hate this philosophy, especially given Boston’s elite shooting abilities. However, shot diversity is crucial, especially in a playoff setting. The Celtics have the roster to be an elite finishing team. Currently, they rank 24th in shots at the rim despite ranking fifth in field goal percentage at the rim. Generating more rim pressure while slightly cutting back on the threes would greatly benefit the team. It makes them less predictable and better plays to the strengths of their stars.
Closing Out Games and Timeout Management
The Celtics’ late-game problems from previous years have vastly been improved upon. However, there are still some signs of this issue, including a 1-3 season overtime record. Late-game issues are often paired with inexplicable offensive breakdowns, settling for three-point shots, and blown leads. These issues were on full display in earlier losses to the Golden State Warriors, Charlotte Hornets, and Minnesota Timberwolves. While these games are rare, and most of the Celtics’ clutch time stats are quite good, it’s still a problem worth mentioning and one that could worsen in the playoffs. Furthermore, Mazzulla’s unwillingness to call a timeout when the Celtics’ offense breaks down has continued to be an issue. The Warriors and Timberwolves games are perfect examples of a situation where Mazzulla should have called a timeout to set a more structured play, as it was clear that’s what the offense needed at the time.
Deja Joe pic.twitter.com/DseEIPGlNQ
— Bill Simmons (@BillSimmons) December 20, 2023
The Last Word on Joe Mazzulla
Ultimately, this year has been a huge improvement for Mazzulla. He has significantly benefited from a year of experience as well as the improved staff and roster around him. Additionally, he has made more adjustments and has found his style as a coach. Mazzulla’s experimental nature and adapting to the new roster have been my favorite parts about him this season. The negatives I discussed about Mazzulla are somewhat easy fixes but ones that could be vital for the Celtics to reach their full potential.
