In his latest interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel surrounding his future in the league, Giannis took his time out to praise Coach Mazzulla’s mentality. “Everything about my decision is based on winning— look at Joe Mazzulla. He had so many opportunities this season to make excuses, but never did.” The contrast inevitably returned to his coach, Doc Rivers, known for his excuses during difficult stretches. When asked about the remarks, Joe Mazzulla did not directly address the alleged implied contrast with Doc Rivers. Instead, he pivoted toward his own philosophy.
“My reaction was like, you can’t do anything unless you have the players. I say it a lot, but it’s just that simple. I think the greatest gift you can have as a coach, especially in the NBA, is a group of players that have a high competitive character, care about winning, and want to get better. And so that’s kinda my response to that.”
Joe Mazzulla on Giannis Antetokounmpo’s comments:
“My reaction was like, you can’t do anything unless you have the players. I say it a lot, but it’s just that simple. I think the greatest gift you can have as a coach, especially in the NBA, is a group of players that have a high… https://t.co/SEoB8xPyTM pic.twitter.com/yKBRMY37IB
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) April 7, 2026
Stressing that they “have a long way to go” in the season, Joe Mazzulla kept the focus on perspective rather than praise. The Celtics coach explained that he understood the strength of his roster and knew how each player would respond to adversity. Especially, speaking of Jaylen Brown, he added, “We know JB is going to lead, get better as a player, get better as a leader. He’s gonna be in position. He thrives in situations like this.”
For Mazzulla, the stretch wasn’t about surviving the setback; instead, it was more about collective belief.
With Giannis Antetokounmpo’s remarks floating, can the Celtics pull off the unthinkable?
One of the unimaginable things to witness this season would be the Celtics winning a second ring under Joe Mazzulla. No one would have believed the Celts’ dominating run would fetch them the second seed at the start of the season. Given Jayson Tatum’s Achilles injury, they were written off for good.
However, the team has continued to improve throughout the season. Since Jayson Tatum’s return, the team has looked like a different outfit, posting a 13-2 record. The team has slowly regained its offensive rhythm and the spacing that seemed to pause in his absence. With JT averaging 21.6 ppg in his reduced role, the offensive load on Jaylen Brown’s shoulder was considerably lifted.
With the team locked in for the second seed, the league grants them home advantage for the most part. Moreover, they would likely face the 76ers, Raptors, or Magic in their first round. Considering their sweeping records against these three teams in the regular season, except for a single loss against the Magic, the Celtics seem the favorite to enter the second round easily!
Meanwhile, Giannis Antetokounmpo, who might find a new home this offseason, hopefully gets into a team with a winning mentality for the groove!
