Fire Joe! ... or critique Joe ... or defend Joe... or worry about Joe's coaching

[BudweiserCeltic]

Joe Mazzulla, after his superstar is dangerously blindsided in a game we're winning by 20 with about a minute left:

“I was kind of excited about the whole situation. I enjoyed watching it.”

Yeah, super exciting and enjoyable.  I bet Wyc was thrilled, too, watching his $300 million player getting knocked around like a piñata in garbage time.

Probably saw it wasnt as bad as it looked…if JT had gotten injured I’m sure he’d be singing a different tune 

Yeah, and JT popped right back up after the fall and show poised and maturity instead of going for an altercation. So I think he was looking at it through that lens.

Though I don't know if he was excited for that or if he was hoping Tatum would've karate chopped Martin.

[SHAQATTACK]

Joe Mazzulla, after his superstar is dangerously blindsided in a game we're winning by 20 with about a minute left:

“I was kind of excited about the whole situation. I enjoyed watching it.”

Yeah, super exciting and enjoyable.  I bet Wyc was thrilled, too, watching his $300 million player getting knocked around like a piñata in garbage time.

Probably saw it wasnt as bad as it looked…if JT had gotten injured I’m sure he’d be singing a different tune 

Yeah, and JT popped right back up after the fall and show poised and maturity instead of going for an altercation. So I think he was looking at it through that lens.

Though I don't know if he was excited for that or if he was hoping Tatum would've karate chopped Martin.

I think Joe was hoping for an airplane spin move …..with an atomic drop finish

[ozgod]

Joe Mazzulla, after his superstar is dangerously blindsided in a game we're winning by 20 with about a minute left:

“I was kind of excited about the whole situation. I enjoyed watching it.”

Yeah, super exciting and enjoyable.  I bet Wyc was thrilled, too, watching his $300 million player getting knocked around like a piñata in garbage time.

Probably saw it wasnt as bad as it looked…if JT had gotten injured I’m sure he’d be singing a different tune 

Yeah, and JT popped right back up after the fall and show poised and maturity instead of going for an altercation. So I think he was looking at it through that lens.

Though I don't know if he was excited for that or if he was hoping Tatum would've karate chopped Martin.

Might even have been that they wanted to show that Miami's physicality wasn't going to rattle them like it did last year when they got bullied in the ECF.

[Roy H.]

Jared Weiss @JaredWeissNBA
about 7 minutes ago
Joe Mazzulla looking ahead to Game 2 vs. Heat: “If you think that you’re not gonna see a different version of Miami, you’re kidding yourself. So at the end of the day, it’s giving what that game needs and having the expectation it’s gonna be a fight. So get ready for the fight.”

This is definitely the right message.

[green_bballers13]

Despite a dominant regular season, it didn't count for many fans.

At what point are we allowed to start judging Joe positively? ECF? Finals?

[Roy H.]

Despite a dominant regular season, it didn't count for many fans.

At what point are we allowed to start judging Joe positively? ECF? Finals?

Ring.

[Donoghus]

Despite a dominant regular season, it didn't count for many fans.

At what point are we allowed to start judging Joe positively? ECF? Finals?

This season was never about the regular season.  From day 1 of training camp back in the fall, it has been about the playoffs & a championship.   The failure and flameout of the '22 Finals & '23 ECF has led to this expectation. It's essentially been title or bust. 

Regular season was never going to prove anything. Not with this team.

The reason that Joe hasn't received his due adulation yet is because he hasn't done anything that Brad or Ime hasn't already done yet.  This team needs to break thru that ceiling.

[green_bballers13]

Despite a dominant regular season, it didn't count for many fans.

At what point are we allowed to start judging Joe positively? ECF? Finals?

Ring.

That is a pretty high standard to place on one person. It doesn't seem reasonable. If Tatum and Brown wilt under the pressure, it will be Joe's fault?

[Roy H.]

Despite a dominant regular season, it didn't count for many fans.

At what point are we allowed to start judging Joe positively? ECF? Finals?

Ring.

That is a pretty high standard to place on one person. It doesn't seem reasonable. If Tatum and Brown wilt under the pressure, it will be Joe's fault?

We are by far the best team in the East.  If we get upset in the playoffs for the second season in a row, with an even better set of players, I would have to question Joe's ability to have the team ready.

I would feel the same way if we lost to any team other than Denver. With the Nuggets, it would depend on how the team lost.

[SparzWizard]

Despite a dominant regular season, it didn't count for many fans.

At what point are we allowed to start judging Joe positively? ECF? Finals?

Ring.

That is a pretty high standard to place on one person. It doesn't seem reasonable. If Tatum and Brown wilt under the pressure, it will be Joe's fault?

We are by far the best team in the East.  If we get upset in the playoffs for the second season in a row, with an even better set of players, I would have to question Joe's ability to have the team ready.

I would feel the same way if we lost to any team other than Denver. With the Nuggets, it would depend on how the team lost.

If it's an early playoff exit, then fire Joe and ship Jaylen...blow up a Jay as I've had enough with the yearly failures.

It's championship or championship for Boston this szn. You ain't 64-18 for nothing.

[SCeltic34]

Early critique for game 2 against the Heat -  Joe's decision making in the 1st quarter has been undeniably bad.  Terrible substitution pattern and lineup decisions.

[SHAQATTACK]

Joe needs some coaching lessons.

[SCeltic34]

Joe does in fact need coaching lessons.

Fails to adjust the defense to the Heat's hot shooting.  Keep the same coverage with Porzingis who is getting torched the entire game.

Goes back to the double big lineup that failed miserably in the 1st quarter, only to see it fail quickly within a few possessions since subbing Al back in with KP in the 3rd.

Allowing his players to stupidly go under the screen despite getting killed from 3 the entire game.

Win or lose, this is an unacceptable coaching performance.  I could outcoach this clown.

[Roy H.]

I'll say that tonight is a great reminder that the regular season is completely different than the playoffs.  Only one team was ready tonight.

[Phantom255x]

I'm asking a Yes/No question to this entire forum: Are these issues the same as the last 8 years?

Because honestly, I feel they are. And that was even with Ime/Stevens. Also, the team has guys like JVG, Cassell, etc. as assistant coaches and advisors. At some point I start to look at the players more. A ton of reliance on the 3. Players becoming soft and mentally weak. Some terrible lapses in-game.

Mazzulla deserves some blame but I think blaming primarily him is just missing the point frankly.