Things did not go well for the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat on Monday night. The Celtics were run out of TD Garden, losing 103-84 in a game that for all intents and purposes, felt over in the opening minutes of the fourth quarter.
And their first-year head coach, Joe Mazzulla, is being heavily criticized.
When the game was over, TNT’s Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal both blasted the Celtics for seemingly lacking a game plan, opting to stick with their largely non-successful strategy of just jacking up three-pointers rather than trying to run plays for higher-percentage looks.
Barkley: "They're so undisciplined and un-fundamentally sound. They win games strictly on talent. They don't even run an offense."
Shaq: "When they went 0-10 to start the game…0-12, that should have told them, 'hey settle it down. Let's get the pacing game back in our favor.'" pic.twitter.com/1dHUBgPDEf
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 30, 2023
"When my team goes 0-10 in the first quarter, you know what I'm telling everybody? 'Don't shoot another three. Shoot another three and I'm gonna punch you in your face.'" pic.twitter.com/tJ5rLv7bK0
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) May 30, 2023
And while that can be seen as two former players who largely made their living in the paint not wanting to embrace the NBA’s more recent three-point trends, it can’t be missed that the Heat made five more three-pointers than the Celtics in Game 7 despite attempting 14 fewer.
But more than that, prior to the game, TNT played Mazzulla’s pregame speech to his team. In that speech, he told the Celtics “You better ******* smile. You better have the most fun you can. That’s the most important thing.”
As the game wore on, that speech became heavily criticized. Yes, there’s something to be said for the notion that “You don’t work basketball, you play basketball and if you play something, it should be fun.” But “You better have the most fun you can. That’s the most important thing” is a message that you might hear a coach of a youth team tell his or her team before a big game. It’s not a message you’d expect to hear a coach give to a professional team minutes before Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals.
That was one of many things that basketball fans criticized Mazzulla about after the game ended.
Joe Mazzulla’s post-game confirms he doesn’t know ball
Do you think you’re too reliant on the three: “No”
“We lost because we shot 21% from three”
“Our defense was there” (Heat shot 50% from three)
What a clown 😂
— Shawn Williams (@5hawnWilliams) May 30, 2023
Then they scored 15 points and the game was basically over after a quarter. https://t.co/xpX124sIdd
— Scott Kacsmar (@ScottKacsmar) May 30, 2023
Grant
12 minutes
-25He doesn't have to play …meanwhile the former dpoy is on the bench to start the quarter… rough rough rough Mazzulla night
— Brian Barrett (@itsbrianbarrett) May 30, 2023
I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, there is a fine line between conviction and obstinance. This answer is on the wrong side of that line. Mazzulla has been there a few times on his philosophies. He altered the TO strategy after basically singing the same song on that. https://t.co/oi2nAzLzx4
— Christopher Gasper (@cgasper) May 30, 2023
This is how I talk to my younger teams (minus the swearing). Don’t think it works for an NBA team. I’ll start the trend. #FireMazzulla https://t.co/7wj0zoEEPJ
— Brett Stinchfield (@Coach_Stinch) May 30, 2023
So embarrassing for the Celtics. Game 7 at home and you’re giving up open layups and losing by 21.
Time to revive that talk about Mazzulla’s job security and Jaylen Brown’s future
— Ben Volin (@BenVolin) May 30, 2023
Mazzulla was thrown into a tough situation this year. For most of the offseason, it was assumed that Ime Udoka would return to coach the team for a second year. But shortly before the season, a scandal broke around him, leading to him ultimately leaving the organization and not coaching at all during the season. Considering that, getting to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals — particularly after falling behind 3-0 in the series — is not a bad result.
But the Celtics definitely lacked a good gameplan, which contributed to Monday’s result. If the Celtics bring back Mazzulla, he’ll need to get better. If that doesn’t happen, next season will likely end disappointingly — again.
