Joe Mazzulla Isn’t Making It Personal, But Erik Spoelstra ‘Challenge’ Awaits

BOSTON — Joe Mazzulla will face arguably the toughest task of his young career when the Boston Celtics take on Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals.

Mazzulla, a first-year head coach who garnered plenty of criticism throughout the campaign, will go toe-to-toe with the league’s best manning the opposite bench. Spoelstra, in an NBA landscape where some of the ones with the most recent success find themselves without jobs, has been a force in Miami since taking over 15 seasons ago. He’s the second-longest tenured head coach behind San Antonio Spurs’ Gregg Popovich. And for good reason. Some, including Celtics guard Malcolm Brogdon, believe he’s one of the best to ever do it.

Mazzulla, however, isn’t making it personal. Well, at least not publicly.

“No, it’s the Boston Celtics versus the Miami Heat,” Mazzulla responded Tuesday at the Auerbach Center when asked if he takes it as a personal challenge.

Maybe it is. But in a playoff series where every little detail is magnified, Mazzulla’s chess moves to Spoelstra and Spoelstra’s ensuing adjustments to Mazzulla, won’t go undocumented. Celtics players know the storyline it will present.

“It’s definitely going to be a challenge for Joe, but I think he’s going to handle it well,” Brogdon said. “He’s handled it well all season.”

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The organization’s belief in Mazzulla is undeniable. Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens has made it apparent from the jump, ever since Mazzulla took over for then-suspended head coach Ime Udoka on an interim basis. Stevens and company have since doubled and tripled down, including when Mazzulla had the interim tag ripped off midway through the season.

It remains that way with the defending Eastern Conference champions nearing their chance to repeat.

“All the confidence in the world,” Jaylen Brown said when questioned about Mazzulla. “We’ve been learning on the fly together. Joe has come in with great humility. He’s learned throughout the series against Philadelphia. He’s learned throughout this entire year that has presented him new challenges that he’s ready to take on first and foremost. It’s not like he’s by himself. The coaching staff, all the experience that we’ve got on our team has been contributing to what Joe needs and his mindset as well. We’ve got each other’s back and we’re looking forward to a great series.”

Brogdon added of Mazzulla: “He’s been scrutinized, but he’s done a good job. He is a rookie coach, but he’s taken a championship-caliber team and now we’re back in the Eastern Conference finals. He deserves some credit for that.”

Mazzulla mentioned how both he and the Celtics will have to make adjustments, and have to pinpoint exactly what is hurting them in times the Heat find success. It’s one of the aspects he finds most exciting about the coaching matchup — without making it personal, of course.