Praise for Joe

[Roy H.]

I've been pretty critical of Joe in the past, particularly in his first year.  His first three seasons he had a championship favorite with a loaded roster, and only opinion the team underachieved in both of those years.

But this year he's been handicapped with an incomplete and out of balance roster, but the team is overachieving.  Queta looks like a seasoned veteran, Walsh, Hugo and Minotaur are all rotation players, JB is looking like he's 1st Team All NBA, and the team is winning.

Yes, the players get primary credit for stepping up, but this has been Joe's best coaching year, I tin.

[Csfan1984]

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

[Phantom255x]

But this year he's been handicapped with an incomplete and out of balance roster, but the team is overachieving.  Queta looks like a seasoned veteran, Walsh, Hugo and Minotaur are all rotation players, JB is looking like he's 1st Team All NBA, and the team is winning.

Pretty much this. He's definitely no Spo/Popovich but he's definitely shown growth and improvement this year, and yes he's had to really figure things out on the fly given the roster he was handed and I think he's done a solid job of navigating that especially in the last month. And you can't deny the players have bought into him or that they don't play hard for the coach, whereas there was admittedly some questions about that in 2023 during the Heat series (but who knows, maybe some of that was just the players like Smart/Brogdon/GWill). And Stevens clearly lost most of the guys including JT/JB as a HC by 2021.

I'm still not a fan of his 3-point "chuck it" philosophy and worry it'll hurt us in the playoffs like it literally did last year vs. New York. The overall numbers and averages of 3s have dipped a little this season but admittedly it has gone up lately. It's great when they are going down like the last two games but then you have games like DET, or that 3rd quarter vs MIL too

[Who]

Mazzula is doing a great job. This is not an easy roster to handle. Only one playable center in Queta and he only plays 25mpg. Mazzula deserves a ton of credit for how well this team is playing.

[Silas]

Mazzula is doing a great job. This is not an easy roster to handle. Only one playable center in Queta and he only plays 25mpg. Mazzula deserves a ton of credit for how well this team is playing.

Agree....how about two tons of credit!

[mobilija]

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

Huh?
A below average coach has this team at below average, at best.
You think that most coaches in this league with a roster missing half its playoff rotation and best player missing from the previous year would be in the top third of the conference?Unrealistic expectations.
This team is excelling despite the dire preseason predictions, that?s coaching.
This team has players that previously were doing nothing andding to winning and a top 20 player getting MVP like props. That?s excellent coaching.
What exactly is below average from Mazulla right now?

[bdm860]

I've been kind of chuckling about this all year, thinking that his good job this year would actually enrage his critics more.

"Joe had 1 job to do this year, and that was to tank, and he can't even do that right!"

[Vermont Green]

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

Huh?
A below average coach has this team at below average, at best.
You think that most coaches in this league with a roster missing half its playoff rotation and best player missing from the previous year would be in the top third of the conference?Unrealistic expectations.
This team is excelling despite the dire preseason predictions, that?s coaching.
This team has players that previously were doing nothing andding to winning and a top 20 player getting MVP like props. That?s excellent coaching.
What exactly is below average from Mazulla right now?

This is Mazzulla's finish in coach of the year voting:

2022-23   3rd
2023-24   4th
2024-25   6th

Now you can say that is not a good trajectory.  I get that CotY voting is not the end all but that is not indicative of a "below average" coach.

[slamtheking]

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

Huh?
A below average coach has this team at below average, at best.
You think that most coaches in this league with a roster missing half its playoff rotation and best player missing from the previous year would be in the top third of the conference?Unrealistic expectations.
This team is excelling despite the dire preseason predictions, that?s coaching.
This team has players that previously were doing nothing andding to winning and a top 20 player getting MVP like props. That?s excellent coaching.
What exactly is below average from Mazulla right now?

I'd say ATO plays and in-game management where Plan A isn't working and he should be shifting to Plan B.

on the plus side, he's got everyone playing hard for him and he's figured out who's a contributor and who's bench filler without being dogmatic about playing bigs just because he needs one to backup Q.

[mobilija]

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

Huh?
A below average coach has this team at below average, at best.
You think that most coaches in this league with a roster missing half its playoff rotation and best player missing from the previous year would be in the top third of the conference?Unrealistic expectations.
This team is excelling despite the dire preseason predictions, that?s coaching.
This team has players that previously were doing nothing andding to winning and a top 20 player getting MVP like props. That?s excellent coaching.
What exactly is below average from Mazulla right now?

I'd say ATO plays and in-game management where Plan A isn't working and he should be shifting to Plan B.

on the plus side, he's got everyone playing hard for him and he's figured out who's a contributor and who's bench filler without being dogmatic about playing bigs just because he needs one to backup Q.

In game management has been why this team is winning. He has consistently rode the hot bench piece. Adjusting minutes to the role players that have it going or are a good matchup on any particular night. He?s not just riding 8 players with their prescribed minutes, he?s actually fluctuating playing time thru 10 or even 11 guys based on what any given game or even quarter needs. And it?s leading to wins. That?s high level in game decision making from the coach.
I don?t know what Plan A or Plan B ur referring to. But I?m seeing lots of different sets being run, honing in on effective actions and riding those into closing out games offensively.

[slamtheking]

I'm still think he is a below average coach but he is showing growth. He very well could be a great coach in three years. More experience and more refining a system around players is going to help him.

Huh?
A below average coach has this team at below average, at best.
You think that most coaches in this league with a roster missing half its playoff rotation and best player missing from the previous year would be in the top third of the conference?Unrealistic expectations.
This team is excelling despite the dire preseason predictions, that?s coaching.
This team has players that previously were doing nothing andding to winning and a top 20 player getting MVP like props. That?s excellent coaching.
What exactly is below average from Mazulla right now?

I'd say ATO plays and in-game management where Plan A isn't working and he should be shifting to Plan B.

on the plus side, he's got everyone playing hard for him and he's figured out who's a contributor and who's bench filler without being dogmatic about playing bigs just because he needs one to backup Q.

In game management has been why this team is winning. He has consistently rode the hot bench piece. Adjusting minutes to the role players that have it going or are a good matchup on any particular night. He?s not just riding 8 players with their prescribed minutes, he?s actually fluctuating playing time thru 10 or even 11 guys based on what any given game or even quarter needs. And it?s leading to wins. That?s high level in game decision making from the coach.
I don?t know what Plan A or Plan B ur referring to. But I?m seeing lots of different sets being run, honing in on effective actions and riding those into closing out games offensively.

you and I are seeing different things in the games then.  What I'm seeing is still an adherance to his 3-ball philosophy even on the nights when they can't throw it in the ocean.  lack of screening/cutting for easier baskets, continuous passing around the 3 point line until someone shoots one or drives only to pass out to someone else to take one.

[Amonkey]

I think he has done a good job developing the younger players. I am not sure if his 'no nonsense' charisma is for show or if he really is like that, but it seems to be working with the younger players as he looks to be developing end of bench or young players into legit rotational guys. Maybe Brad Stevens has something to do with that as well since that was his strength but I am enjoying the improvements so far. It's only going to help us as we solidify who is going to be on the roster and getting good minutes and who can be traded for assets if another location is best for the player once Tatum comes back.