Joe Mazzulla Compares Defending a Title to the Animal Kingdom

On the Locked On Celtics Podcast, Boston Celtics Coach Joe Mazzulla spoke with John Karalis and discussed the Celtics defending their 2024 NBA Championship. Mazzulla stated that he did not like the term “defend a title,” saying “The word ‘defend’ is a very passive-aggressive term. You go back to the animal kingdom, some of the strongest animals don’t defend; they’re the most aggressive, and they attack the most.” This response gives another look into the mind of Joe Mazzulla and his thoughts on the Celtics heading into next season.

Joe Mazzulla’s Aggressive Mindset

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Joe Mazzulla has always been one for a viral quote. On the Locked On Celtics Podcast, he spoke about the target on the Celtics’ backs, in another quote that gained traction on social media, saying “I hope it’s right on our forehead in between our eyes.” Mazzulla has made it abundantly clear that he welcomes and embraces the challenges the Celtics will face. But, judging by this insight on the animal kingdom, Mazzulla also wants the Celtics to attack those challenges aggressively. He does not want them to defend anything, he wants them to go out and beat teams.

This aggression was the same way the Boston Celtics played in their championship run. Going by round, the Celtics won in five games in the first round, five games in the Eastern Conference Semifinals, four games in the Eastern Conference Finals, and five games to win the NBA Finals, ending the playoffs with a record of 16-3.

In past seasons, the Celtics, at times, have struggled to put teams away, even if they are the better team. In Joe Mazzulla’s first season with the Celtics, they allowed the 7th-seeded Atlanta Hawks to take them to six games. Then, in the next round, the Celtics were on the edge of defeat, beating the Philadelphia 76ers in seven games, where they lost game one when Joel Embiid was out with injury. And in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics infamously went down 3-0 to an 8th-seeded Miami Heat team, losing in seven games.

But this playoff run was different. The Celtics were dominant. While they did get some injury luck, they still soundly beat every team in front of them and had their own injury issues with Kristaps Porzingis missing the majority of the playoffs.

Celtics Staying Motivated

Joe Mazzulla wants the Boston Celtics to remain on the attack in the 2024-25 season. A few players already have their own reasons for motivation, with Jayson Tatum’s Olympic drama and Jaylen Brown being snubbed from Team USA entirely. Somehow, after winning an NBA Championship, the Boston Celtics still feel like there is a chip on their shoulder. And that is a good thing.

With the Eastern Conference getting stronger, and the West being as deep as ever, Joe Mazzulla believes that the Celtics will need to attack and be aggressive if they want to replicate the previous season’s success. Especially with Kristaps Porzingis expected to miss time to start the season, the Celtics will need to assert their dominance to continue on their path towards back-to-back championships.

Final Thoughts

Joe Mazzula’s thoughts on the animal kingdom give an intriguing insight to his plans with the Boston Celtics. He does not want them to simply defend the title. Mazzulla wants them to be the aggressors and attack every night. They cannot afford to rest on their laurels, and Mazzulla knows this. But now, it is up to him and the Boston Celtics to prove it. Through training camp and preseason, it will become clear whether that aggression and motivation can be harnessed into success in the next NBA season.

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Article originally written by Payton Townsend