The C's were snubbed
The NBA released its list of finalists for their individual awards Tuesday, and funnily enough the Boston Celtics were not represented.
It makes sense, as long as you ignore the fact they clinched the league’s top seed weeks before the regular season ended, finished with the fifth-best offense in league history and lost *checks notes* four home games.
Joe Mazzulla, who should be in the running for Coach of the Year, is one of those who was snubbed. He’s not looking at it that way, though, instead seeing it as a positive for the Celtics.
“I think the great thing about this team is that from Day 1 we’ve appreciated the individual awards that we’ve gotten — Player of the Month, (Coach) of the Month and whatnot — but at the end of the day, one of the biggest trends of this team is that they haven’t had the agenda,” Mazzulla said Tuesday, per Justin Turpin of WEEI. “None of the guys have brought it up and I don’t think it’s important at all because we’re all focused on what we need to do as a team.”
The Celtics likely will be represented in the NBA’s end-of-season honorees. Jayson Tatum will earn another All-NBA nod. Derrick White will get an All-Defense selection, and likely will be joined by Jrue Holiday somewhere on that list. Jaylen Brown very well could receive both.
It’s just odd to think the undoubted best team in the NBA doesn’t have a single award winner. The C’s will just look to settle for Banner 18, instead.