Joe Mazzulla has worked to rid the Celtics of expectations. Shedding what can easily become a losing habit has fed into the “win the day” mantra they’ve adopted this season.
With Boston rarely playing down to its competition and quickly moving on from one matchup to the next, regardless of outcome, opponent, or that it’s no longer the regular season and the stakes are elevated, has helped produce a 64-18 campaign, registering the best record in the NBA. They’re 8-2 to start the playoffs, reaching the conference finals before anyone else.
“I think the value comes from not having an expectation, voiced Joe Mazzulla on Friday while discussing the Celtics’ playing without giving into the expectation for how a game is supposed to go.
“I really think that’s the key to really anything. If you go into something thinking it’s supposed to go a certain way, then your mind and your body is clouded by what is necessary to do in that moment. And so, the one thing this team has done a good job of this season is not playing with any expectations. If you’re winning by a lot, if you’re losing by a lot, it doesn’t really matter. At the end of the day, it takes what it takes, and you’ve got to be present. And so the team has done a good job fighting for that. I think that’s important. Managing our own expectations.”