No, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla wasn’t actually trying to throw hands with his best player.
Mazzulla garnered a ton of attention on the heels of a “New Heights” podcast appearance by Jayson Tatum. Tatum told the Kelce brothers that after Boston’s March 23 game in Portland, Mazzulla told the star forward he would’ve preferred to square up with each other as opposed to Tatum receiving a technical foul for arguing with officials.
On the latest episode of Barstool Sports’ “Pardon My Take” podcast, Mazzulla explained he’s “not the fighting kind of guy” but does try to instigate people “all the time.” But Tatum, who “does a really good job of not responding” to his coach’s negs, didn’t fall into the trap.
“I was like, ‘Instead of getting another technical, why don’t you and me just break out into a fight on the court during the game? Instead of taking it out on the ref and getting a tech, just take it out on me and see where it goes?'” Mazzulla told the “PMT” crew.
Of course, faux fighting challenges are something you can do late in the regular season when your playoff spot is secured and you’re in cruise control. Mazzulla now will have to put his hijinks on the back burner, as the Celtics surely will kick into a higher gear of focus with their postseason opener set for Sunday.
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Featured image via Petre Thomas/Imagn Images
