The Boston Celtics and head coach Joe Mazzulla will look to get some revenge on their bitter and most hated rivals, the Los Angeles Lakers, and their head coach, JJ Redick.
It will be the second time Mazzulla and the Celtics will see Redick and his Lakers this year, but it may not be the last. If things pan out, these two teams could be on a crash course for a meeting in the NBA Finals.
It would be one of the more highly anticipated finals in a long time, and it would be against two dear friends.
Mazzulla and Redick have built a strong relationship over the past years, and there was a chance the Lakers head coach would have been on Mazzulla's coaching staff.
The Athletic's Jovan Buha shared how Mazzulla made a compelling pitch to Redick about joining him as an assistant coach prior to the 2022-23 season.
“It was in those early stages of knowing I wanted to coach but not sure what the timing would look like,” Redick said ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers’ 117-96 win over Boston on Jan. 23.
Mazzulla also touched on the topic and said they talked more than once about it.
“We had a couple talks about it,” Mazzulla said. “Definitely was interested in it. But I don’t know as far as where he was in that process. But you learn from each other. He’s an analytical mind, he thinks the game, thinks on his feet. He’s definitely someone you can learn from.”
Ultimately, Reciuck declined Mazzulla's offer and instead focused on continuing his 'Old Man & The Three' podcast, commentating on the ESPN broadcast, and as an analyst.
Not only are the coach's friends, but Redick leaned on Mazzulla for help throughout his journey as a head coach.
“When I was going through this process, he, along with a few other coaches in the NBA, were really helpful,” Redick said. “Not just in preparing for an interview, but just really helping me understand what this was and what it required.”
The conversation about Redick potentially joining Mazzulla's assistant came after the Celtics suspended Ime Udoka for the 2022-23 season due to violating team policies. Mazzulla was named interim head coach and eventually was named the Celtics' 19th head coach in franchise history and signed him to a contract extension in February 2023.
Two years later, the Lakers took a chance on Redick. A few months later, Redick appears to be a slam dunk hire for L.A. Both coaches seem to be the right guy for the job, and this could be the beginning of something special for both sides.
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