Anfernee Simons reveals the harsh compliment he received from Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla

Anfernee Simons appreciated Joe Mazzulla’s backhanded compliment

Anfernee Simons spoke to reporters at the Boston Celtics’ Media Day event. When discussing his first interaction with Joe Mazzulla, Simons pointed to his expectations.

Mazzulla wants him to be a solid defender, and even bluntly told Simons that he isn’t as bad a defender as other people say he is.

“We’ve talked about it, and it’s just a matter of if I want to do it or not; it’s really that simple.

“Coming into a culture like this, you have to be able to adapt, or you’re not going to be in the position that you want to be, whether it’s playing or not playing.

“And that’s the honest conversations we had about it. And he always says that ‘you’re not as bad as people think you are.’

“And so that’s good to hear, but also, I got to do the work to get better in that end. Like I said, I’m pretty excited about being pushed into a new level which I can reach.”

Boston Celtics hoping to survive season without Jayson Tatum

The Boston Celtics don’t really have any high hopes for next season, with Jayson Tatum out next season nursing an injury.

Tatum is recovering well right now, but it would be best if the Celtics don’t try to rush him back too early and let him heal properly.

With Tatum out, the Celtics don’t have a strong chance of competing for an NBA championship. They can use this season to help develop some of their younger stars.

If the Celtics want to get the best out of their young roster, they should focus on lowering expectations so that they can develop in a stress-free environment.