Joe Mazzulla shouldn't be coaching for his job in Game 5
As the Celtics have struggled, Joe Mazzulla has taken the heat, but the outcome of the series shouldn't cost him his job.
Mazzulla has consistently blamed himself for Celtics losses, deflecting blame away from his players. He's been criticized for not calling timeouts, as well as his lineups, but he's still a 34-year-old coach who led his team back from a 3-2 deficit in the second round.
The Celtics fired former coach Ime Udoka before the season for an inappropriate relationship with a team employee. Mazzulla took over as interim head coach, after just three years as an assistant. The Celtics likely would have given the gig to Will Hardy, but Utah hired him as their head coach.
Boston didn't hire a replacement assistant coach after Mazzulla was elevated to the head job, nor did they replace Damon Stoudamire when Georgia Tech hired him as their head coach.
Despite the short staff, Mazzulla led the team to an 18-4 start. ESPN called them "the best offense in league history." Mazzulla was the NBA's Coach of the Month for October and November, and he coached Team Giannis in the All-Star Game.
NBA insiders no longer think Mazzulla's job is safe.
But would the Celtics really hire their fourth coach in four years, because he only reached the conference finals? As one of Brad Stevens' former assistants, Mazzulla is one of the few pieces of continuity on Boston's coaching staff.
The other question is, who is a better option? Detroit, Phoenix, Milwaukee, Philadelphia and Toronto already have a head start in their interviews. And is a top coach going to want to take the Celtics job, with its lack of security?
Boston may well exit the playoffs in Game 5 Thursday. But that shouldn't force Mazzulla's exit from Boston.
More must-reads: