BOSTON — Since changing into head coach of the Celtics, Joe Mazzulla has at all times burdened the significance of his Catholic religion.
After profitable the 2024 NBA Championship, Mazzulla donned a black T-shirt that learn: “However first… let me thank God.” In his first speech following the title, he mentioned: “To start with, a very powerful factor for us, for me, is our religion.”
Mazzulla’s connection together with his faith has routinely come up in his pregame and postgame press conferences all through his three-year teaching tenure.
Final Spring, when requested in regards to the significance of getting two Black head coaches face off within the NBA Finals for the primary time since 1975, he replied: “I ponder what number of of these have been Christian coaches.”
And, in his first season teaching in 2022, when the Prince and Princess of Wales attended a Celtics sport at TD Backyard, Mazzulla was requested by a reporter if he met “the royal household.”
He flatly responded: “Jesus, Mary, and Joseph? I’m solely accustomed to one royal household. I don’t know an excessive amount of about that one. However hopefully, they’re Celtics followers.”
Joe Mazzulla appreciates the chance to compete on Easter Sunday
So, with the Celtics set to face off in opposition to the Orlando Magic for Recreation 1 of the primary spherical of the playoffs on Easter Sunday, Mazzulla was requested pregame his ideas on taking part in on the vacation.
“I cherish it,” he mentioned. “I believe it’s turn into a part of simply our household and who we’re.”
The Celtics additionally performed on Christmas this yr, and usually compete on non secular holidays.
“I don’t assume it’s something higher than Easter and the Celtics,” Mazzulla mentioned. “We get Christmas, Easter, and the Celtics — so what’s higher than that?”
The Celtics and Magic will tip off at 3:30 pm ET for Recreation 1 of the playoffs on Sunday at TD Backyard.
