Joe Mazzulla reveals the logic behind Hugo Gonzalez’s trade in the OT win over the Nets

Joe Mazzulla he had huge praise for Hugo Gonzalez’s clutch display in Boston Celtics double overtime thriller against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday night.

Gonzalez is coming off the rookie campaign of his career with the Celtics. While his playing time fluctuated during the first half of the season, he shined in bright moments defensively and showed a smooth 3-point shot.

His shooting was great during the first overtime against Brooklyn. Macula set up a play where Gonzalez was waiting in the corner, getting the ball as he drained a 3-pointer to keep Boston alive in the second overtime. Head coach immediately praised the newcomer for his effort in the biggest moments of the night during the postgame presser, via reporter Justin Turpin.

“We had Amari there just in case they matched up in certain coverage and it looked like they were going for something different. And so we just wanted Hugo to go out there. And Hugo made a great play. Credit to him. He’s always ready,” Macula said.

Joe Mazzula on what he saw from the Nets that led him to put Hugo Gonzalez in the game:

“We had Amari out there just in case they matched up in certain coverage and it looked like they were going for something different. And so we just wanted Hugo to go out there. And . . . https://t.co/2k8vV0TVJ1 pic.tvitter.com/KSPKPZCrMok

— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) January 24, 2026

As Joe Mazzulla, the Celtics played against the Nets

Joe Mazzulla will continue to look forward to the growth of Hugo Gonzalez in the rotation. His effort in the Celtics’ 130-126 win over the Nets is a great example of his potential for the team.

Both teams traded blows throughout the game as Brooklyn took Boston down to the wire. However, Gonzalez and other Celtics players made big plays down the stretch as they helped Brown and the starters finally put away the Nets.

Six players scored in double figures for Boston in the win, including Brown. He finished with a triple-double of 27 points, 12 assists, 10 rebounds and one steal. He shot 9-of-27 from the field, including 4-of-10 from beyond the arc and 5-of-10 from the free throw line. Peyton Pritchard led the team with 32 points and four assists, it was Sam Hauser’s turn with 19 points and four rebounds, Luca Garza had 12 points and three assists, while Anferni Simmons and Hugo Gonzalez combined for 10 points each.

Boston improved to a 28-16 record on the season, taking second place in the Eastern Conference standings. They are two games ahead of the New York Knicks and Toronto Raptors while trailing the Detroit Pistons by 4.5 games.

The Celtics will look forward to their next game, staying on the road. They face the Chicago Bulls on January 24th at 8:00 PM ET.