The Boston Celtics couldn’t have asked for much more than what amounted from the first month during their 2022-23 season.
Despite entering the new campaign with some major question marks, which primarily surrounded suspended head coach Ime Udoka and the health of Robert Williams, the Celtics haven’t been fazed. Quite the contrary, actually. The Celtics have worked their way to an NBA-best 18-4 record, which has included a nine-game win streak at TD Garden.
And on Thursday, star forward Jayson Tatum — who was named Eastern Conference Player of the Month — wasn’t the only Celtic to receive recognition from the NBA.
Joe Mazzulla, after his debut month as Celtics interim head coach, was named the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for October and November, notching the honors alongside Phoenix Suns head coach Monty Williams of the Western Conference.
Jayson Tatum and Joe Mazzulla are the first Celtics tandem to win Player and Coach of the Month in the same month since Larry Bird and K.C. Jones in March 1986, according to Celtics.com’s Taylor Snow.
According to DraftKings Sportsbook, Tatum leads the MVP race at +250 while Mazzulla headlines the Coach of the Year race at +180.
The Celtics will seek their sixth consecutive victory when they return to the floor on Friday against the Miami Heat. Tipoff from TD Garden is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.
