The Boston Celtics sit atop the NBA Eastern Conference as February approaches. The Celtics are an Association-best 36-15 on the season despite coaching turmoil before the season began. So it’s no surprise that head coach Joe Mazzulla was selected as head coach of the Eastern Conference All-Star team.
Celtics star Marcus Smart offered significant praise to Mazzulla after the league tabbed him as the coach on Tuesday. Smart, yet to be named an All-Star in his career thus far, said via Celtics.com, “Oh, he’s definitely pumped about it. I mean, first time being a head coach and you go to coach the All-Star Game, I don’t see how you’d not be excited. But that’s just Joe. He does a good job of hiding his enthusiasm for certain things and other times, he lets you know.”
Smart wasn’t through praising the head coach either. He explained how proud he and the team was for how they got here. “We’re just extremely proud of Joe for everything and how him and the rest of this team and coaching staff has responded to everything we’ve been through this season,” he told Celtics.com.
The last Boston coach to hold the title of All-Star head coach was Brad Stevens in 2017. That season, the Celtics made it to the Eastern Conference Finals. Boston is hoping to yield similar results this season.
