Joe Mazzulla Mar 18, 2023; Salt Lake City, Utah, USA; Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla glances at the scoreboard during the second half against the Utah Jazz at Vivint Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

Self-deprecation and humility can be rare sometimes. But Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla let it rip on Friday afternoon. His Celtics are tied 1-1 with the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA Eastern Conference Second Round.

Mazzulla spoke to the media earlier this week as his team awaits Game 3 in Philadelphia this evening. The Celtics coach fielded questions, as captured by CLNS Media Boston Sports’ YouTube channel. Five minutes later, Mazzulla concluded the presser. The coach up from his seat but then could be heard, loudly, deprecating himself.

“I am the worst coach ever,” Mazzulla muttered after finishing his Zoom call.

Mazzulla was put in an enviable position earlier in the season. The Celtics fired Ime Udoka after it was revealed he had a consensual but improper relationship with someone on the staff.

With the Milwaukee Bucks out of the NBA Playoffs, the Celtics are the highest seed remaining in the Eastern Conference thanks to Mazzulla and the All-Star cast. He jumped aboard and helped push the Celtics to another Atlantic Division Championship. They edged the Sixers with a 57-25 record to Philadelphia’s 54-28 mark.

Mazzulla and the Celtics responded well to a tough loss in Game 1 of the series. They blew the Sixers out at TD Garden. If the team can defeat the Sixers on a night where Joel Embiid will likely be presented MVP, maybe Joe Mazzulla isn’t the “worst coach ever.”

[Bob Manning]

About Chris Novak

Chris Novak has been talking and writing about sports ever since he can remember. Previously, Novak wrote for and managed sites in the SB Nation network for nearly a decade from 2013-2022