The Boston Celtics were not expected to be very good this year. Not only did they lose Jayson Tatum to an Achilles injury before the season even started, but they also lost key veterans Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet over the offseason.
Instead, the Celtics have shockingly been one of the best teams in the NBA. After routing the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night, they're 36-19 and have won seven of their last eight games. They own the fourth-best record in the NBA, the second-best record in the Eastern Conference and the league's third-best net rating, dominating on both ends of the floor.
Horford, who now plays for the Warriors, credited Joe Mazzulla for Boston's stunning success this season prior to Thursday's game.
Al Horford on the Celtics:
“The biggest thing is that everybody's bought into what Joe is telling them, and he's just running a really good program over there. Him and all those assistant coaches, they're really doing a good job getting the guys ready, getting them to commit and… pic.twitter.com/nITdYFIXzT
— Justin Turpin (@JustinmTurpin) February 20, 2026
"The biggest thing is that everybody's bought into what Joe is telling them, and he's just running a really good program over there," Horford told WEEI's Justin Turpin. "Him and all those assistant coaches, they're really doing a good job getting the guys ready, getting them to commit and play at a high level, and that's why I feel like it's so smooth."
That's definitely true. Mazzulla has done a fantastic job preparing his players, keeping them motivated and getting the most out of them throughout the season. He may not have the most talented roster, but he gets everyone to play hard for him, give their all an play good team basketball.
Mazzulla is a championship-winning coach for a reason. His intensity, competitiveness and passion are legendary, and that rubs off on his players. He wants to win every game, and so do they.
More NBA: Celtics Rout Former Teammates In Easy Win Over Depleted Warriors