BRIGHTON - The Boston Celtics had an incredible coaching staff last year. It was one of the main reasons they were able to bring home the 2024 NBA Championship so comfortably. From Sam Cassell to Charles Lee, they had everything in place. But this year, that staff got torn down a bit.
Most notably, Lee left town for the Charlotte Hornets, accepting a head coaching position in Buzz City. Now, despite the fact that he helped the Celtics win a title last year, he’s the opposition. And in Joe Mazzulla’s mind, that means they cannot be friends this season in any capacity.
But Lee decided to break that protocol.
Joe Mazzulla hated Charles Lee's hug
After Celtics practice on Friday, Mazzulla detailed a story of his first interaction with Lee this year. Apparently, the Hornets coach forced a hug onto Mazzulla, which the Celtics coach was not too fond of.
“I told Charles when he left, like, 'I'm not talking to you during the season. I'm not waving to you at the national anthem. Just not doing that. You're an enemy,'” Mazzulla detailed. “And so, he came into the locker . Breached NBA rules and came into the assistant coaches’ locker room and forced me to give him a hug.
“That could easily be a psychological tell that knocks you off your game competitively. So, he knew what he was doing.”
At this point, Celtics fans should be used to Mazzulla-isms. The crazy stories and phrases that come out of Mazzulla’s mouth have become a beloved part of Celtics culture. And while this is just the latest in a long line of wild tellings, it’s still insane.
It makes some sense not to want to be friendly with an opposing coach (even if he was on your staff the previous year). But to completely disregard your past relationship? Treat the guy like an enemy? That’s taking dedication to another level.
And to make things even crazier, Mazzulla believed that the hug Lee gave him was a psychological tool. Something Lee was trying to employ in an attempt to throw him off his game.
What Lee likely saw as a kind way of saying hello to a close friend, Mazzulla saw as a mind game. It takes a special level of mental warfare to get to that point. But Mazzulla has been at that point for years.
The Celtics head coach is a gift that keeps on giving when it comes to quotes.