Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla lost his cool Thursday night, needing to be held back by staff after a frustrating loss to the Chicago Bulls at TD Garden.
The usually composed Mazzulla erupted after watching his team collapse in the fourth quarter, getting outscored 35-22 by the Bulls.
What really set him off? A series of technical fouls called on him and stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum in the closing minutes.
When the final buzzer sounded, Mazzulla charged straight for referee Justin Van Duyne. Staff members had to physically restrain him from reaching the official.
“I haven’t seen them in a while, so just a ‘Merry Christmas’ and a ‘Happy Holiday,'” Mazzulla said afterward with obvious sarcasm. “I just can’t let somebody go by without wishing them the best to them and theirs and their families.”
But video footage told a different story, capturing Mazzulla shouting expletives at Van Duyne as he tried to confront him.
It’s a rare display of emotion from the typically steady Celtics coach, who’s led Boston to the NBA’s best record this season.
The good news? The Celtics won’t have to wait long for revenge. They face these same Bulls in Chicago on Saturday.
Boston’s been practically unbeatable this year, and they haven’t lost back-to-back games since last season. That’s pretty remarkable.
They looked a bit rusty Thursday, having played just twice in the past 11 days. But don’t expect that to last.
Vegas oddsmakers still love the Celtics’ chances. They’re heavy favorites to win it all this year and become the first repeat champs since the Warriors did it in 2017-18.
Saturday’s rematch in Chicago, where the Celtics have won three straight, couldn’t come at a better time. Something tells me Mazzulla’s “holiday greetings” might be a little different this time around.
