Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla takes his job very seriously. He makes sure his team is focused on every detail of the game, and has openly suggested there is “no such thing as too intense” when it comes to securing a win. That much was on display during Boston’s victory over the Phoenix Suns Thursday night, during which Mazzulla made sure to deny Phoenix any advantage.
Following a timeout in the fourth quarter, the dead ball landed in the hands of Suns forward Royce O’Neale. As players from both teams headed to their bench, O’Neal lined up for a jumper, something that happens across the NBA night in and night out. For Mazzulla, however, letting an opponent get a free practice shot was simply unacceptable.
“I saw a guy trying to get a shot who hadn’t made one,” Mazzulla explained. “I didn’t want him to feel good about himself going to the bench.”