Joe Mazzulla Views Criticism Of Lackluster Win ‘Ultimate Compliment’ For Celtics
The standard is always incredibly high for the Boston Celtics and even more so this season.
That’s what happens with the Celtics coming off an NBA title and expected to be the first team since the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors to repeat.
So, the criticism rightfully has rained down with the Celtics in a rut over the past month — they are just 7-6 in their last 13 games. It comes even in wins for the Celtics as they put together a less-than-inspiring performance in a 120-119 win over the lowly New Orleans Pelicans at TD Garden on Sunday night.
There were plenty of mistakes to point out that almost cost Boston in the final seconds against New Orleans and Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla understood it comes with the the territory.
“I would say the ultimate compliment is we’re 28-11 and these are the types of conversations that we’re having. So, it’s a beautiful place to be in,” Mazzulla told reporters, per NBC Sports Boston postgame coverage. “I’m serious. I think it’s great. It’s a great standard and a great expectation to have and we have to deliver. And we all know that. That’s the process toward it. What are we, the third(-best) team in the league right now? Which isn’t great, but it sounds like a morgue in here. And that’s how it should be because of where we’re trying to get to. So, it’s the ultimate compliment and we just continue to work through it.”
The good vibes certainly aren’t billowing from the Celtics due to their recent sluggish stretch. But Mazzulla’s right, they still own the third-best record in the NBA and plenty of teams would love to switch places with them.
And perhaps this is the best place for them. A defending champion not playing its best but with still a ton of time left in the season for the Celtics to rediscover their identity.
“When the reference points are different — there are two great teams in the league that are having historic seasons, so they become the reference point of like, ‘Oh, you’re not as good because you’re not them.’ And they’re great, great teams having historical years and we’re on our own path that we have to be able to work through,” Mazzulla said. “And just because we were this last year, you can’t take for granted the details, habit, execution, togetherness, trust, like all that stuff has to be rebuilt. And I think sometimes when you have the same team, we have this expectation that we’re just going to pick up there and it’s different. Different year, people and different spaces. And so, we have to reestablish that, you have to work that and it just takes time.
“So, this is the space that we’re in. I love the fact that we’re not happy, best place to be in and we’ll figure it the hell out.”