Joe Mazzulla Had a Reflective Quote After Celtics' Title Defense Fell Short

The Knicks eliminated the Celtics in Game 6 on Friday night.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla watches from the sideline. / David Butler II-Imagn Images

The Boston Celtics were eliminated from the NBA playoffs on Friday night by the New York Knicks, effectively ending their chances at being repeat champions.

Despite the unfortunate ending to their postseason, Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla didn't dwell much on the loss in his postgame press conference. He wanted to give his team their flowers in regards to all that they accomplished this past year.

"At the end of the day, we set a goal out and we didn't achieve that goal," Mazzulla said. "It shouldn't take away, for me, from the mindset and the effort that the players put in. ... I thought they gave it everything they had throughout the season—obviously we didn't achieve [a championship]. You can't take away from what they did. This is the price you pay for trying to go after something, and that's how it goes."

"This is the price you pay for trying to go after something, and that's how it goes." 🙏

Joe Mazzulla with appreciation for the Boston's journey this season. pic.twitter.com/c0LOJtk7fp

— NBA TV (@NBATV) May 17, 2025

The Celtics gave fans some hope after their Game 5 win at TD Garden on Wednesday, which Boston was fully expected to lose since Jayson Tatum ruptured his Achilles in Game 4 and underwent surgery. The success ended on Friday, though, especially after the Celtics went down by 33 points in the second half. Boston never fully got their footing in the second half, losing 119-81.

The Knicks, on the other hand, reached their first Eastern Conference final since 2000, leaving their fans elated. New York will face the Indiana Pacers beginning on Wednesday.

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