The stark difference between last two Boston Celtics head coaches
Sports Illustrated’s Chris Herring pointed out the stark difference between the coaching styles between current Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla and suspended-then-fired former Celtics HC and new Rockets head coach Ime Udoka — that being the levels of public scrutiny/accountability each man levies towards his players.
“Following the suspension of then coach Ime Udoka, a key question faced the Celtics: Would they still play with a fire without the man who didn’t hesitate to call out their shortcomings so publicly? Rookie coach Joe Mazzulla, who was promoted to replace Udoka, has taken a far softer stance with the team in the media,” Herring wrote.
As Herring had previously pointed out, such leniency on his players led to numerous letdown performances from Mazzulla’s men against completely undermanned opponents during the regular season and first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs.
“Simply put: Boston’s been prone to upsets this season when its opponents are missing a key player, losing to Oklahoma City without Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Miami without Jimmy Butler, Phoenix without Devin Booker, Washington without Bradley Beal and, more recently, Game 5 of the first round, despite the Hawks missing suspended guard Dejounte Murray,” Herring wrote. “It all suggests that Boston takes it foot off the pedal to some degree when it sees a shorthanded foe.”
SI wonders if Boston Celtics have the ‘tenacity and killer instinct’ to win it all
The Sports Illustrated writer openly wondered if the Boston Celtics have the “tenacity and killer instinct” to win it all.
“All of which leaves us with the Celtics, the defending Eastern Conference champs who should be seen as the title favorite based on all the above,” Herring wrote. “But after everything we’ve seen, in their surprising Game 1 defeat and the events that led up to it, the overarching question about this Boston team is whether it has the tenacity and killer instinct to go all the way.”
Herring believes the Celtics have the traits of a champion but based on what we’ve seen in recent months since the All-Star break, there is “ample reason to question” whether or not all of the positives can be put together to culminate in Banner 18.
“Still, even with an abundance of talent, experience, solid health and, perhaps, the clearest remaining path to a crown, this confounding Boston club has repeatedly given us ample reason to question whether it has the will to win the title this season,” Herring wrote.