Sports
No. 2 scorer Stojakovic returns to loaded Illinois
Andrej Stojakovic is back at Illinois for his senior year, boosting their title hopes!
ESPN News1 min read
NBAFeature
Why NBA Writer Voted Celtics' Joe Mazzulla For Coach Of The Year
TL;DR
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla is a strong candidate for Coach of the Year after leading the team to a 56-26 record despite losing key players. The Celtics are currently favored to win the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Key points
- Joe Mazzulla is a prime candidate for Coach of the Year.
- Celtics finished the season with a 56-26 record.
- The team is favored to win the Eastern Conference playoffs.
Mentioned in this story
Joe Mazzulla
Boston CelticsJayson Tatum
Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla
Why NBA Writer Voted Celtics' Joe Mazzulla For Coach Of The Year originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
Joe Mazzulla may not care much about the award, but he's a prime candidate to win Coach of the Year.
The Celtics lost several key players before seemingly embarking on a gap year during Jayson Tatum's recovery from an Achilles tear. They instead went 56-26 and begin the playoffs as betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference.
ESPN's Tim Bontemps released his official ballots for the NBA's major end-of-season awards on Friday morning. He explained why Mazzulla earned his Coach of the Year endorsement.
"My vote went to Mazzulla because of how the Celtics recovered after losing several critical veteran players last summer --Ā Kristaps PorzingisĀ andĀ Jrue HolidayĀ via trade andĀ Ā andĀ Ā in free agency -- and realigned the roster around a new set of talent," Bontemps said. "Jayson TatumĀ also missed most of the season while recovering from a right Achilles tear. Tatum's fairly seamless reintegration into Mazzulla's lineups has been no small feat, either."
Q&A
Why is Joe Mazzulla considered for Coach of the Year?
Joe Mazzulla is considered for Coach of the Year due to his leadership in guiding the Celtics to a 56-26 record despite significant player losses.
What was the Celtics' record this season?
The Boston Celtics finished the season with a record of 56 wins and 26 losses.
Who are the Celtics' betting favorites against in the Eastern Conference playoffs?
The Celtics are betting favorites to win the Eastern Conference playoffs, although specific opponents are not mentioned.
