Head coach Joe Mazzulla and the Boston Celtics have gotten off to a strong start to the 2023-24 NBA season. The Celtics currently sit in first place in the Eastern Conference with an impressive record of 14-4 heading into Friday's matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers, and Mazzulla has looked more comfortable on the bench in his second season at the helm in Boston.

Recently, Mazzulla, who is the youngest head coach in the NBA at 35 years old, was asked about his relationship with other coaches around the league and whether that camaraderie is important to him.

“How do I say this nicely? I don't care,” said Mazzulla, per Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe. “But I also have respect for people. Like I learn from every coach, I think they're a lot of great coaches in the league. I've studied what other teams do but as far as having an off-court relationship with a coach? I don't. That's like last on the list.”

Joe Mazzulla was promoted to head coach of the Celtics at the beginning of last season following the scandal with Ime Udoka, and at some points of the year, the perception was that Boston was winning in spite of him rather than because of him.

Mazzulla's inexperience was at least partially blamed for the Celtics' flameout (if getting within one game of the NBA Finals is considered a flameout) in last year's postseason against the Miami Heat. This season, Mazzulla has appeared to have no issues integrating the new faces–namely Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday–into the fray around stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.

The Celtics and Sixers are slated to tip off at 7:30 PM ET.