Why the Celtics’ strong win against the Rockets boosts Joe Mazzula’s Coach of the Year bid

ByNBAUSA


Less than 10 games in the 2025-26 regular season Boston Celtics were completely embarrassed by Houston Rockets. They fell 128-101 at TD Garden and fell to 3-4 after being outscored 53-36 and shooting under 40% from the field. Flash forward to Wednesday night, and the Celtics have only just begun to destroy the Rockets in Houston without their two best players — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — active.

For the second night of back-to-back games, it was the Green Team’s turn to embarrass the Rockets, as the C’s grabbed a season-high 65 boards against one of the top starting lineups in the NBA. Boston also held Houston to its lowest score since Jan. 15, and the 114-93 loss marked the biggest margin of defeat by a Western Conference contender all season.

So what changed in those three months? It’s not like the Celtics got much taller or talented in that span. In fact, the The Celtics gave rookie point guard Ron Harper Jr. the first nod his entire career on Wednesday with Tatum, Brown and a part-time starter Sam Hauser aside.

As the head coach Joe Mazzulla has improved the Celtics

But when it comes to sidelines, maybe that’s where the answer to this question lies. Celtics coach Joe Mazzula has helped transform a lackluster Celtics team into an Eastern Conference contender that ranks third in offensive team rating and eighth in defensive team rating.

Simply put, Mazzulla pushes the right buttons night after night.

Wednesday was a prime example of that as Harper Jr., who has played fewer than 20 NBA games and is under a two-way contract, excelled in his starting role. The 25-year-old finished with a game-high 11 points in 33 minutes with nine rebounds. His performance certainly had many unknown fans Googling his name, and it was another example of Macula putting his trust in the right people at the right time.

Just 24 hours before Harper Jr. blew the Rockets away, Macula made another move that helped secure the win. On Tuesday night against the Dallas Mavericks, the fourth-year head coach moved the point guard Payton Pritchard for the first time this season on the bench.

While some might expect this to throw Pritchard off his game, the reigning Sixth Man of the Year dazzled with 26 points on 60% shooting. Pritchard outscored the Mavericks bench individually and also dished out seven assists en route to a 110-100 victory.

Pritchard came off the bench again on Wednesday, recording 27 points and seven assists in 33 minutes of action. His win-at-all-costs mentality, paired with Mazzula’s flexibility, is a recipe for success in Boston.

Why Joe Mazzulla Should Be Coach of the Year

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzula talks with guard Peyton Pritchard (11) during the first quarter against the Brooklyn Nets at Barclays Center.
Brad Penner-Imagn Images

However, Macula will never take credit for the Celtics’ victory. The five-time Eastern Conference Coach of the Month will always praise his players and staff first.

“Credit to the staff at Maine and here, getting all our young guys ready and then sticking together and being physical the whole freaking game,” Macula told the team in the locker room after Wednesday’s win.

The New England native’s humble nature and refusal to back himself may not help him win Coach of the Year honors, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t deserving. Macula played a key role in turning an 0-3 start to the season into a brilliant campaign that saw the Celtics go 33-18 overall and shatter preseason projections.

Tatum’s extended absence has led many to believe the C’s will falter this season, and some in the NBA world even suggesting that they pee without their healthy boyfriend. Macula never accepted those low expectations. Instead, he used them as motivation.

“Everybody thinks we’re going to be shit, I love that,” Celtics guard Derrick White said back in July.

Although Macula is not the favorite for coach of the year according to some betting sitesincluding BetMGM, he has as good a case as anyone. Detroit Pistons head coach JB Bickerstaff and first year Phoenix Suns coach Jordan Ott has more favorable oddshowever, the first team did not have as low expectations as the Celtics coming into the season, and the second team does not have as good a record.

These two skippers undoubtedly did a great job at the helm; however, neither had to count on a true championship core crumbling in front of them. The Celtics traded away two starters, had another injury and lost more key pieces off the bench during the offseason.

Despite this roster overhaul, The C’s have improved in a big way and in the east they are in third place. If the Celtics manage to usurp the top seed from the Pistons and take their season series with the Suns, Macula will be Coach of the Year in a just world.

However, the Pistons hold a five-game lead and the Suns have been just as bad as the C’s. No matter what happens, Mazzulla isn’t worried about Coach of the Year. He just wants to create winning habits and instill confidence in his players — from the stars to the bench players — at every turn.

“I think the best thing about this roster is each guy’s ability to impact a win in different ways,” Macula said before the game. A 107-79 win against the Milwaukee Bucks last week. “And so it can happen whether you start, whether you come off the bench, whether you play five minutes, whether you play 20 minutes – every guy on this roster has helped us win a game.”





2026-02-05 16:25:00

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