Hilarious Neemias Queta clip reminds fans of legendary Joe Mazzulla moment

Boston Celtics center Neemias Queta went viral during Sunday’s win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

No, it wasn’t for any of the three blocks that accompanied his 10-point, 12-rebound double-double, or his loud dunk over Luka Doncic.

It was for a block that didn’t actually count. Queta swatted away an Austin Reaves layup attempt, after Lakers head coach JJ Redick called a timeout midway through the second quarter. The NBC broadcast caught the post-whistle swat as they cut away to the commercial break.

The clip garnered over 180,000 views online, as NBA Twitter reacted to the optional defense from Boston’s starting center.

Queta's block was similar to Joe Mazzulla's contest in 2024

Celtics fans who caught the play likely felt a hint of deja vu. Queta’s unnecessary rejection came in a similar scenario as Joe Mazzulla’s block attempt on then-Phoenix Suns forward Royce O’Neale back in 2024.

Mazzulla closed out on a post-whistle three-point attempt from O’Neale, which, of course, caught the attention of anyone watching the game.

"It's a gamesmanship thing. NBA basketball is competitive," Mazzulla explained during an April 2024 appearance on Pardon My Take. "I just think you have to find any little advantage that you can. So I'm not going to let a guy -- and he hadn't been shooting the ball well the entire game, so what if that one kind of gets him the rhythm that he needs to make one?"

The origin of the no-free-looks tradition started in Mazzulla’s first season at the helm for Boston, he explained.

"We've been doing that for two years. It started last year, where in Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell took a free throw and one of my assistants just watched them and I berated him. I was like, ‘bro, what are you doing? You can't allow the best player on the other team to just take a shot in front of -- I don't think there's anything more insulting than allowing your opponent to do that.’

So, we just put a stop to it from there on out. We've had four or five really, really good closeouts by the staff, and unfortunately (the one in the Suns game) was on live TV and people saw it, so we can't do it anymore."

Though Mazzulla and his coaching staff were told they can no longer contest shots from opposing players, the rule clearly doesn’t apply to his players.