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Celtics Discuss Joe Mazzulla's Head Coaching Debut
After having to dig out from being below .500 in January last season, the Celtics are determined to get off to a faster start to the 2022-23 campaign.
That motivation is evident in their energy and attention to detail during training camp and translated to their first preseason game. In Boston's 134-93 win over the Hornets, the Celtics assisted on 41 of 48 field goals, drilled 22/47 threes (46.8 percent), shut down the visitors in the half court, and limited their points in transition. Charlotte made just 5/33 long-range attempts (15.2 percent).
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After the win, Malcolm Brogdon, who provided a bit of everything in his Boston debut, registering 11 points, a game-high nine assists, and five rebounds in 24 minutes, said the following of how Joe Mazzulla handled himself in his first game as the Celtics head coach.
"I thought he was excellent. I thought he was composed (and) I thought he had some great out of timeout plays."
Brogdon later added when it comes to Mazzulla’s coaching style, he’s not one to get his points across by yelling.
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"Practice has been a lot harder than the game," conveyed Jaylen Brown, who produced a game-high 24 points to go along with five rebounds. "Don't let this game fool you, we've got a lot of work to do."
Masked by the lopsided score, Boston committed 25 turnovers, the Hornets took 28 free throws, and Charlotte converted 16 offensive rebounds into 21 second-chance points. That will have to get cleaned up going forward.
Still, the Celtics had far more positives than negatives at both ends of the court in their preseason opener and everyone who played scored.
Afterward, Mazzulla expressed: "(it) felt like I was coaching a great team that wanted to win. That was fun to coach."
He also stated: "they want to play the right way," pointing to Boston's 41 assists. "They had good intentions."
Further Reading
Top 5 Plays from Celtics Win vs. Hornets in Preseason Opener
Here's What Stood Out in Celtics' 134-93 Drubbing of Hornets in Preseason Opener
Marcus Smart Discusses Blake Griffin Signing, His Role as a Team Leader, and His Offseason Focus
Celtics Showing Interest in Multiple Former Head Coaches (Report)
Celtics Sign Blake Griffin; Here's What He Provides and Why They Chose Him
Joe Mazzulla Discusses Dynamic Working with Celtics' Coaching Staff Mostly Brought on by Ime Udoka
