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Moments earlier, Parish had raved about Mazzulla’s performance as coach of the Celtics while comparing the current team to the championship squads of the 1980s. Parish, who was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003, racked up three championships with Boston. “I think the two eras’ coaching philosophies, or whatever you want to call it, mirror one another,” Parish said. “They have the right coach in place. Because that’s where it starts: with the coach. And the team has definitely taken on Joe’s personality: that toughness, grinding out on both ends of the court, take no prisoners (mentality). I like the fact that another area they mirror us in, they play hard, they play smart and they play together. And I like that."
“We all bought into this philosophy (that) you’re playing for the name on the front of the jersey, not the name on the back of the jersey,” Parish said. “And I think we all bought into that. We checked our egos at the door, and I think that’s paramount. We were always on the same page. We wanted to win the championship. And we knew we weren’t going to win championships playing like individuals. We’ve got to do it from a team perspective. And it started with our leader, Larry (Bird). He checked his ego at the door. So, if our leader can check his ego, clearly the rest of us could check our ego. And that’s where it starts: with the leader. “And I think that, as I said before, that’s one thing I like about today’s Celtics. They win collectively. Not one person doing the work. They’re winning and being successful collectively. They’re doing it as a team. And I respect that.”
Noa Dalzell: Joe Mazzulla on the Phoenix Suns: "I think they are one of the toughest teams in the league."
It doesn’t take long to realize that Tony Dobbins, in many ways, serves as the antithesis of the intensity that exudes from (the majority) of the Celtics’ bench, in particular from Joe Mazzulla and DJ MacLeay. He’s soft-spoken and comforting, frequently putting his arms around players, fellow assistants, and even referees. “I’m not going to be able to be more intense than Joe or more intense than DMac [DJ MacLeay],” Dobbins told CelticsBlog in a lengthy sit-down conversation. “But I can offer a different perspective, or in a moment, I can offer a different lens through which to view the situation, whether it’s my conversation with a player or an official.”
That calm, even-keeled demeanor makes Dobbins a favorite in the locker room. When tensions are high, especially in-game, his very presence lowers them. “He’s one of the best people you’ll ever be around,” said Jayson Tatum matter-of-factly.
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“He has been in the trenches with me, essentially, since I was able to start 15-minute workouts on the court,” Tatum said. “He’s been there, and he’s been able to find the line of pushing me and understanding where I’m at and what I’m coming back from.” “As far as human beings go? He’s one of the most patient people I’ve been around,” said Payton Pritchard. “I don’t think you could ever say something bad about him.”
This article is titled The Truth Behind the Success: Inside the Celtics’ Maniacal Film Study, Starting With a One-of-a-Kind Session. Tell me more about what that’s like. I think that’s maybe more rare than what you’re used to in the organizations you’ve played for. It came to me as a surprise that you guys do that. Derrick White: No, I’ve never done it before. This is the first time. Usually, the coaches kind of tell you who’s starting and tell you who you’re guarding. Joe was like, “Alright, you guys are going to tell me who’s going to start and what the matchups are.” So everybody was kind of quiet for a second, like, “What do you mean?” He was like, “Yeah, talk amongst yourselves. Who should start? What should the matchups be? What are we thinking? How is this going to go throughout the game? How can we change different things?” I think that’s the dope part about Joe—how much he trusts us. He wants us to think differently.
MrBuckBuck: Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla implies Derrick White doesn't believe that the moon landing happened. Joe Mazzulla protecting Derrick White there lol, as it sounds D-White said: "No." Via: @ZoandBertrand
Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla implies Derrick White doesn't believe that the moon landing happened
— MrBuckBuck (@MrBuckBuckNBA) March 12, 2026
Joe Mazzulla protecting Derrick White there lol, as it sounds D-White said: "No."
Via: @ZoandBertrand pic.twitter.com/95B89c1VTP
Boston Celtics: Joe Mazzulla on Ron Harper Jr.: "The way he plays in a game against San Antonio or OKC is the way he plays in a Stay Ready Game, the way he plays in a G League game, it's the way he plays in practice. He cares about winning. He cares about competing. He executes the details really well in all settings.
Paul Pierce: I got to believe that coach Joe Mazzulla is hand down the coach of the year. Look who's out there on the court, the supporting cast, and not this not a knock on them but like, Payton Pritchard is the only mainstay… and then you out here with Scheierman and Garza contributing.
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Boston coach Joe Mazzulla credited an offseason FIBA stint for Queta’s native Portugal for helping him turn the corner in his third season with the Celtics. “(When) he was playing in FIBA this summer, I thought he had a different approach to it. And then, just his growth,” Mazzulla said. “I think the evolution of his game, but also the evolution of his mindset, taking on the ownership and responsibility of what it means to be the starting center for the Celtics. He takes a lot of pride in that.” For his part, Queta credits simple repetition for his emergence, especially on defense. “Just being aware overall,” he said. “Just being able to capitalize on every opportunity … go through film, repetition on the court, workouts. We do a pretty good job of emphasizing stuff that we want to (know), and we really just go down that line.”
Jay King: Joe Mazzulla said Jayson Tatum will play Saturday. He’s out tonight.
Brown had eight points, seven assists and two rebounds before exiting. “I just give a ton of credit to my high school principal. He had the balls to throw a student out,” Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla said after the game, per ESPN. “He didn’t leave it to the hall monitor. … “I understand completely where Jaylen’s coming from. Absolutely. And I’ve got his back 100 percent, I think he was 100 percent right to be frustrated and do what he did.”
Noa Dalzell: Joe Mazzulla on Jaylen's ejection: "I just give a ton of credit to my high school principal. He had the balls to throw a student out. He didn't leave it to the hall monitor." "He was a hell of a principal."