Boston's basketball team, the Celtics, have sealed a deal on extending their head coach's contract, Joe Mazzulla.
In the upcoming 2025-26 season, Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla faces an intriguing challenge as he navigates a roster with less star power due to injuries and roster changes. With Jayson Tatum recovering from a torn Achilles, Mazzulla's strategies will likely focus on maximising development from younger and lesser-known players, tactical ball movement, and defensive cohesion.
The Celtics' lineup features a mix of experienced players like Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, and Payton Pritchard at ball-handling positions; wings such as Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Baylor Scheierman; and bigs like Neemias Queta and Luka Garza. With several two-way players and Exhibit 10 contract signees, the team appears to be focusing on depth and development through their G League affiliate.
Mazzulla's coaching style prioritises an analytics-friendly shot spectrum for the Celtics, and this is expected to continue. The team has led the league in three-point attempts in each of the last two seasons, and it's likely that this focus will result in a higher number of attempts compared to other teams in the upcoming season. Under Mazzulla's leadership, the Celtics' mid-range shots are primarily reserved for Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
The potential recruitment of star talent like Damian Lillard remains speculative but, if realized, could alter strategic priorities dramatically. However, with the current near-complete roster, Mazzulla’s challenge will be to build team chemistry, manage minutes efficiently, and emphasise a system-oriented style of play over relying on isolation scoring from stars.
Trade rumours involving players like Anfernee Simons suggest that roster moves might continue, which could further influence Mazzulla’s approach. Despite the lower expectations for the upcoming season compared to previous years, Mazzulla has expressed gratitude towards his family, the team's ownership, Brad Stevens, and the players he has coached.
Brad Stevens, who made the decision to hire Mazzulla initially, praised him for his understanding of the job, passion for the Celtics, and accomplishments in his first three years as a head coach. Stevens described Mazzulla as a gifted leader with a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximising each day for the Boston Celtics. The team has recently signed Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension, with Stevens expressing excitement about the decision.
Last season, the Celtics' title defense ended against the New York Knicks in the conference semifinals. Despite this setback, Mazzulla helped lead the team to a championship in 2024. As the 2025-26 season approaches, Mazzulla and the Celtics will be a team to watch, as they manage their business in what is being viewed as a "gap" year. Whether they make the playoffs or not, the focus will be on resilience and adaptability amid a less-talented but still competitive roster.
- With the upcoming 2025-26 NBA season, the Boston Celtics, led by coach Joe Mazzulla, aim to navigate a roster that has less star power due to injuries and changes.
- The Celtics' team features a variety of players, such as Derrick White, Anfernee Simons, and Payton Pritchard, who specialize in ball-handling, and they also have wing players like Jaylen Brown, Sam Hauser, and Baylor Scheierman.
- Under Mazzulla's leadership, the Celtics have been leading the league in three-point attempts for the last two seasons, and this trend is likely to continue in the upcoming season.
- In the upcoming season, the focus for the Celtics will be on resilience and adaptability, even with a less-talented roster, as they strive to make it to the playoffs and potentially even reach the finals in this "gap" year.
