Joe Mazzulla

I hope I can see the red dot.

Joseph "Joe" Mazzulla (born June 30, 1988) is an American basketball coach and former player, currently serving as the head coach of the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Before going into coaching, Mazzulla played as a point guard at West Virginia.

He joined the Celtics in 2019, as an assistant coach. He was elevated to head coach on an interim basis prior to the 2022–23 season, before being officially named to the position in February 2023. He has led the team to a championship, winning the 2024 NBA Finals.

Quotes

2022–23 season

• Jesus, Mary, and Joseph? [...] Oh no, I did not. I'm only familiar with one royal family. I don't know too much about that one.
  • When asked by a reporter if he had gotten a chance to meet with the royal family (referring to the Prince and Princess of Wales), when they visited the Celtics' facility (2022).

• I still do it. Highly recommend it. There's sleep tape. I actually have a mouthpiece, I upgraded to a sleep mouthpiece, and that kinda helps with it. When I got into the NBA, I kind of learned how long of a season it is physically, mentally and emotionally. And I think coaches and players have to find ways to take care of themselves. It's important to optimize as much as you can. I remember my first year in the league, I wasn't used to having all this great food around. Food in the facility, pregame, postgame, food on the plane. I got really worn down and tired halfway through my first year. I just took a different approach and was like, how can I optimize to make sure I'm at my best as a coach, so sleep is really important and mouth tape plays a part in that for me.
  • When asked on if he still sleeps with his mouth taped shut, and when asked to elaborate on this during a radio interview on Zolak & Bertrand on 98.5 The Sports Hub (March 8, 2023).
  • Goss, Nick (March 8, 2023). Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla explains why he sleeps with his mouth taped shut. NBC Sports Boston. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

2023–24 season

• Ever seen Spider-Man? ... Into the Spider-Verse? There's like, 20 different Spider-Men? That's like our team. Success is going to look different each and every night. I think the guys are doing a good job of understanding what that balance is, and as long as the process towards how we're going about attacking the other team is right, and it fits with what's best for the team, then it's just executing.
  • To reporters, explaining how the Celtics roster achieves success in different ways depending on the situation (February 10, 2024).
  • Roche, Conor (February 10, 2024). Why Joe Mazzulla compared the Celtics to 'Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse'. Boston.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

• I went to Fenway the other day, and I was literally looking at exit strategies to rob Fenway. If we ever decided to rob Fenway, I was like, 'We could probably really get away with this.' How could you not go to Fenway and think you couldn't rob it?
  • During an appearance on the podcast Pardon My Take, while explaining his love for the film The Town (April 19, 2024).
  • Brown, Kaley (April 19, 2024). Joe Mazzulla explains his fascination with 'The Town'. Boston.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

We're all villains in someone's eyes

• Aren't we all? In someone's eyes. We're all villains in someone's eyes.
  • Responding to a reporter's question about how then Dallas Mavericks player and former Celtic Kyrie Irving would be perceived as a "villain" by Boston Celtics fans (May 31, 2024).
  • NBC Boston [@NBCSCeltics] (May 31, 2024). "We're all villains in someone's eyes".

• Unless they changed the light bulbs in the arena, they won't be any brighter than they were last series.
  • Responding to a reporter's question asking about the "brightness of the lights" and bigger stage of the NBA Finals (June 5, 2024).
  • NBA TV [@NBATV] (June 5, 2024). Joe Mazzulla: "Unless they changed the light bulbs in the arena, they won't be any brighter than they were last series." 🍿.

• That's what happens when you lose games in the regular season. After we lost to Atlanta, I went on the mats and punished myself and pounded my body until I couldn't take anymore, and ended up tearing up my knee. It was a great experience for me, I had to do six hours of treatment to coach the next game without too much of a limp. I couldn't walk. It put me in this fight or flight mentality because I couldn't relax. I had to constantly train, get physical therapy, and it was just awesome. I was thinking about maybe getting hurt every All-Star break. It brought a different level of focus that I had to have. I had to walk slower, I couldn't move certain ways. So it forced me to focus more and I'm grateful that it happened. I miss the mats though.
  • While on the podcast Pardon My Take, explaining how he tore his meniscus during a jiu-jitsu session while blowing off steam following a loss to the Atlanta Hawks during the 2023–24 regular season (June 19, 2024).
  • Ryan, Connor (June 20, 2024). How Joe Mazzulla used meniscus tear, 'The Dark Knight' to fuel Celtics' championship run. Boston.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

2024–25 season

• People are gonna say the target is on our back, but I hope it's right on our forehead in between our eyes. I hope I can see the red dot.
  • While on the Locked on Celtics podcast, speaking about the Celtics entering the season as defending champions (September 2024)
  • Ryan, Connor (September 5, 2024). Joe Mazzulla talks killer whales, 'red dot' targets on defending champion Celtics. Boston.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

• Zero. No pressure. We're all going to be dead soon, and it really doesn't matter anymore, so there's zero pressure. You're either gonna win or you're not. And when you win, you try to forget about it a week later and when you lose, you try to forget about it a week later. So it's not pressure, it's an opportunity. We have an opportunity here over the next few years, however long that we're together. [...] [...] So it's not pressure. There's nothing anyone in this circle can do to me that's gonna impact my identity and who I am as a person or a coach. We're either gonna win or we're not, and 40 years from now, none of you are invited to my funeral and that's it.
  • To reporters during media day interviews ahead of the 2024–25 season (October 2024).
  • Ryan, Connor (October 21, 2024). Joe Mazzulla drops an all-time quote when asked about pressure on 2024-25 Celtics. Boston.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

• Blood. I mean, I wish it did. I just thought that was a moment, a way for me to express myself. The parquet, that's where the blood, sweat and tears of the greats (have been). So I don't get to go out there and dive on the floor for loose balls or like I'd love to or do any of that.
  • When asked what the parquet in TD Garden tasted like, as he kissed it during the Celtics' ring ceremony (October 22, 2024).
  • Ryan, Connor (October 23, 2024). Joe Mazzulla drops another classic quote over kissing Celtics' parquet floor. Boston.com. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.

Attributed

• There's no fouls in a war. You either die or you don't.
  • Boston Celtics player Sam Hauser sharing his favorite quote from Mazzulla

Quotes about Mazulla

• He's a sicko.
  • Boston Celtics player Derrick White, stating how Mazzulla probably enjoyed the Celtics' near blown lead in Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals
  • Sohi, Seerat (June 14, 2024). The Tao of Joe Mazzulla. The Ringer. Retrieved on March 7, 2025.