Joe Mazzulla criticizes Coach of the Year award: « It’s a stupid award »

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla surprised everyone Monday by expressing his complete disdain for the NBA Coach of the Year award, even though he’s among the favorites for this distinction. His sharp statements reflect his philosophy centered on the collective rather than individual honors.

A radical stance that sparks debate

« I don’t need it, » Mazzulla stated bluntly. « I think it’s a stupid award. They shouldn’t have it. And it’s more about the players. It’s more about the work the staff does. It’s as simple as that. I really don’t want to be asked or talked about it again. It’s just that stupid. So, the players play. It’s about them. The staff works their tails off. I’m grateful to have them. »

This outburst comes even though Mazzulla has led the Celtics to their fifth consecutive 50-win season, despite a significant summer overhaul and Jayson Tatum‘s prolonged absence. Boston currently sits in second place in the Eastern Conference, a remarkable feat given the circumstances.

Quin Snyder, Atlanta Hawks coach, praised his counterpart’s work: « He’s done a great job identifying where their strengths are — and they play to them. Whenever your roster changes, when you lose a player of Jayson Tatum’s caliber, you adapt. What Joe has done is find a way to play that maximizes the personality they have. »

Joe Mazzulla GOING OFF about the Coach of the Year award 🤣💀

« I think it’s a STUPID award. You shouldn’t have it. It’s more about the players and the work the staff puts in… I really don’t want to be asked or talked about it again »

h/t @NBA__Courtside
pic.twitter.com/XfTM45uimr

— Hater Report (@HaterReport) March 30, 2026

Tatum honored despite absence against Hawks

Ironically, while Mazzulla rejects individual honors, Jayson Tatum was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week on Monday. The forward averaged 25.7 points, 9.7 rebounds and 6.7 assists per game during a perfect 3-0 week for Boston. He also became the youngest Celtics player to reach 14,000 career points.

However, Tatum didn’t play in the 112-102 loss against Atlanta, rested on the second game of a back-to-back. Jaylen Brown, returning after missing two games with left Achilles tendinitis, took responsibility for this poor performance: « This game was my fault. I need to be better. Probably one of my worst performances in a long time. And it cost us the game. »

The Coach of the Year race promises to be tight with candidates like J.B. Bickerstaff in Detroit, Mitch Johnson in San Antonio, or Quin Snyder in Atlanta. But unlike his competitors, Mazzulla has already made it clear he doesn’t want any lobbying on his behalf, preferring to focus on the Celtics’ collective goals.

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