Joe Mazzulla Celtics don’t defend title, but attack new target

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla knows he thinks differently than many other NBA coaches. One of those is the concept of defending a title. On the Locked On Celtics podcast, Mazzulla said he thinks differently.

“The phrase ‘defending a title’ is a very passive-aggressive term. If you look at the animal kingdom, some of the strongest animals don’t defend themselves; they’re the most aggressive and attack the most,” Mazzulla said. “Whether you’ve won or not, your mindset can’t change. You have to understand what goes into winning and losing, stay focused on the details day to day, and stay aggressive. You’re not defending something; you’re attacking a new target.”

Mazzulla said in the first part of the interview that he embraces having Boston as a target this year. However, the Celtics coach went a step further than the traditional statement about having a target on their back.

“People will say the target is on our backs, but I hope it is right on our foreheads, between our eyes,” Mazzulla said of the upcoming season for the 2024 champions.