Joe Mazzulla Had Enough And Immediately Lost His Shit After Once Again Being Asked About The Celtics Three Point Shooting Philosophy

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Of all the narratives and crying that tend to exist when talking about the Celts and Joe Mazzulla, by far the most tiring (and most incorrect) is all the crying about three point shooting. We went from the sports world crying about the Celtics 3PT volume after their title run and then again to start the season the following year to the point where people legitimately thought the NBA needed to change the rules and change the court. It's was just as pathetic as people who say the NFL should ban the tush push. It's legal, if you don't like it, stop it.

Whenever the Celtics lose, it's the only thing people point to. I'll never understand it. Take the Knicks series for example. How many times have you heard this idea that "the Celtics playstyle" lost them the series? That they lost to the Knicks because of their 3pt volume? It was lazy analysis then, and it's lazy analysis now. No mention of how the entire 4th quarter of Game 2 was shots in the paint (that the Celtics all missed). No mention of the defense being nonexistent. No mention of the Celts inability to rebound. Nope, it was all Joe Mazzulla and his obsession with 3pt shooting.

Meanwhile, in reality, the Celtics have had the best offense in the NBA since the second Joe Mazzulla took over. They have the most wins in the NBA, the most playoff wins in the NBA, and an NBA title, all playing his system, or as I call it, Mazzulla Ball. Cry about it if you want, but the proof is in the pudding. His offensive philosophy not only works, it's exactly how the team should be playing.

The beauty of Mazzulla Ball is that it's more of a concept than it is a flat-out "Take 50 3s a game". This is what I've spent years trying to explain, and what casual observers or those who are stuck in their ways often struggle to grasp. If the best shot is a 3PA, then you take it. If the best shot is a layup, then you take it. Mazzulla Ball is about finding the advantage and exploiting it based on the talent you have on the floor. Always has been, always will be. He tells us that, yet nobody seems to want to listen, instead focusing on the 50 3PA number rather than how those looks were generated (which is what matters). 

So I certainly understand why after the Celts dominant preseason win over the Cavs backups that Joe lost his shit the second he was once again asked about the Celts 3P volume/approach

Now to be fair to Jack Simone who asked the question, I think it's fair. The Celts played at a 109.0 pace in Game 3 and took 45 3PA (18-45, 40%) in their 138-107 win, and it was like we were watching the Celts of old. It was in my opinion, peak Mazzulla ball in terms of elite defense, clean defensive possessions ending in rebounds, getting out and finding the advantage, and when you have it, burying such a heavy dose of 3s that you suffocate your opponent.

He's right when he says he's been saying this exact thing forever. We've heard it time and time again whenever the topic comes up

That was a week ago, and goes along with what Joe's said for years. The foundation of the Celtics offense is finding the 2-on-1 and making the defense make a choice. Do you want death by 3PA or death at the rim? You choose.

Earlier in September, this was something that I asked Derrick White about during my weekly segment on his podcast, and his answer was right in line with what Joe said tonight (as you would expect)

It also felt great to watch Joe lose his shit for the first time this season. One of the best parts of the Celts season is Joe not taking any shit, especially from the media. Especially on the topic of his offense and 3P volume. It's not his problem that nobody is listening to him and paying attention to the words he is saying. He very clearly explains it, and I would be frustrated too if I were still dealing with that bullshit 3 years later. 

When it comes to the 2025-26 Celts season, as we've seen in the preseason, they just need to play their way. The formula and the approach is proven. You tweak it in areas to address what you've lost and what the game needs at any moment, but the overall principles of their offense should never, ever change. 

Just wait until the season starts and we have our first 50+ 3PA. Watch the brains melt and we'll go around and around doing this stupid dance once again. If they lose? Nothing else will be mentioned by their 3PT shooting. It's bizarre, but oh well. On the court it's been the most dominant offense the NBA has ever seen, and call me crazy but that's all I care about.