The Boston Celtics are one win away from capturing the 18th NBA championship in team history. They take a 3-0 lead into Friday's Game 4 against the Dallas Mavericks. A win in that game on the road will complete the championship run. Even if the Mavs survive Game 4, the Celtic will have an opportunity to clinch the title in Game 5 at TD Garden in Boston.
Much of the focus in on the team's talented roster that includes a pair of superstars in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown along with a sensational supporting cast. However, head coach Joe Mazzulla is starting to get recognized as a well-prepared and intelligent coach who is a legitimate asset for the team.
Mazzulla is something of an uncoventional thinker and game planner. While his approach was new when he was hired to replace Ime Udoka before the start of the 2022-23 season, his players have trusted him.
Brown has lauded what he has seen from Mazzulla and the Celtics coaching staff this season. “The coaching staff has been fantastic all season long,” Brown said. “It’s been just super organized. We’ve walked through all different types of scenarios. We’ve been, like, overly prepared and making sure that we know (what to do).”
The skill at organization that Brown referred to has led to the confidence that the Celtics have displayed all season. It has come into particular focus in the playoffs. They have a 15-2 record in the postseason and have won 10 straight playoff games. The Celtics are attempting to complete the sweep in the NBA Finals against the Mavericks. They also swept the Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference finals.
Celtics looking for second sweep in championship round
If the Celtics complete the four-game whitewash, it would mark just the second time in team history that they registered a sweep in the championship round. The other sweep took place in 1959 against the Minneapolis Lakers.
Boston was able to build a huge lead in Game 3 as a result of a superior performance in the third quarter. They outscored the Mavericks 35-19 and took a 15-point lead into the final quarter. They were able to stretch it to 21 before the Mavericks mounted a huge comeback.
But there was no doubt on the Boston bench because the players believed in the message that Mazzulla has preached.
Derrick White hit a huge three-pointer in the final moments of the Game 3 victory. He has been a key performer for the Celtics. His contributions on both ends of the court are the result of the team concept that Mazzulla has preached and employed,
“I think Joe is a basketball genius,” White said. “So whatever he says, I’m going to try to just do it to my highest capabilities.”
If Mazzulla can lead the Celtics to one more victory over the Mavericks they will move ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers for the most championships in NBA history. Both teams have 17.
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