Advertisement - scroll for more content
“What I will say is Neemi has been getting better each year, and Coach Mazzulla has been pretty tough on him,” Porzingis told reporters. “I believe that he’s getting to a point where he deserves some real minutes, some real rotation minutes. He’s been putting in the work, and you can see how he’s playing now in the tournament. I’m happy for Neemi. He’s a great, great dude, really cool person, and puts in the time, puts in the work. I’ll be happy to see him getting a lot more minutes this year.”
“I don’t know what the Celtics are thinking, but other than Jaylen Brown, there’s not a better scorer than Simons on that roster,” he said. “I mean, they obviously aren’t going to play the same way they played when they had (Kristaps) Porzingis and (Al) Horford and Holiday. Joe Mazzulla’s going to have to completely change the style of play. And Simons… nobody can score like him on that team other than Brown. He’s the second-best scorer, and it’s not even close.”
It seems like you'll be the starting center for them next season. How do you approach this bigger role? Neemias Queta: Right now, nothing is guaranteed—we’re just ready to go. All the guys have been working their tail off this summer. When training camp comes, Joe (Mazzulla) will make his decision. I’m here to help and contribute. Our team has been versatile for years and still will be. We’re all used to playing in different positions, whether starting or guarding multiple spots. It's a long season— 82 games—and you have to be malleable.
Chisholm thinks Mazzulla’s player development skills and embracement of an underdog mentality will suit this team. “I’m really excited to see what he does in this kind of environment,” Chisholm said. “I think people will really appreciate what he’s all about. When he doesn’t have the loaded team, what can he do? And I think that’s going to be really interesting, and I have every confidence he’s going to crush it.”
“You have to be there to have a sense of what’s going on, and I’m not,” he starts. “I get the impression that [coach Joe] Mazzulla did a good job and had their attention. But in the playoffs, in my experience, the best team wins. There are upsets occasionally, but I have no understanding of how the Celtics could collapse, especially against the [expletive] Knicks. As the Knicks proved in the next round, they were not a legitimate contender." Many of us blamed the loss on Boston’s overreliance on 3-point shooting. “I like the three as a weapon, but not as the first [expletive] option,” Cousy says. “It’s always going to be there for you. It’s not something you have to create. You’re going to have it when you want it. So why eliminate the other options?"
Advertisement
Marc Stein: Pep Guardiola: "The NBA has always been important in my life." Also in Palermo tonight: City's boss lauded Boston for extending the contract of friend Joe Mazzulla -- "I love it" -- and named Stephen Curry, Luka Dončić and LeBron James as his favorite modern players post-MJ.
Never thought I would listen to Pep Guardiola talk about NBA…but @TheSteinLine made that happen pic.twitter.com/WTiksSNQKs
— Iztok Franko (@iztok_franko) August 9, 2025
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla on multi-year extension: This is truly a blessing
The Boston Celtics announced today that the team has signed Head Coach Joe Mazzulla to a multi-year contract extension. Per team policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed. “This is truly a blessing,” said Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla. “I would not be here without my faith, my wife, and my children. We are thankful for the partnership with our ownership groups, Brad’s mentorship, and the support of our staff. Most importantly, I am grateful for the players I have been able to coach the past three seasons. I look forward to competing for the Celtics and the city of Boston.”
“We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,” said Celtics President of Basketball Operations Brad Stevens. “He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans. He’s worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach – including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship. Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.”
Advertisement
Joe Mazzulla on practicing ju-jitsu: Because I put myself in these situations with ju-jitsu, with training with him, I have to I put myself out there to the class or to the to the art in general. You're just putting yourself out there. That's what the players do every night. So it actually humbles me because by the time I get to them, I have a level of empathy for what they're going through. It helps me coach them better. It helps me understand. Helps me assess the environment better. But it humbles you because sometimes I now that I know what they're going through, I have to find a different way to hold them accountable. I got to find a more empathic way to hold them accountable at the same time.
Jordan Walsh told the Globe on Saturday that coach Joe Mazzulla, after the season, told him his role is uncertain because of the uncertainty of the roster. Now that the Celtics have lost Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, and Luke Kornet, and with Torrey Craig a free agent, there are available minutes for several positions, including the 3-and-D role Walsh is vying to fill. “Now that we’re closer to the season and we know what the roster will look like, I gotta revisit that conversation to see what I can do,” Walsh told the Globe. “If there’s something open for me, how do I maximize my opportunity, get to it, and take advantage.”
Joe Mazzulla: "I don’t want to come off as dark, but I think there’s a lot of lightness in the dark. I think a lot about the duality of life and death, and the decisions you make… the balance of the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, and how that mirrors the rise and fall of dynasties, organizations, yourself, your family. I think about that probably 30 times a day— The duality of competition, what that means, your own mortality, and how to play your part in that while going after something."
Celtics want Hugo Gonzalez right away
A youth product of Real Madrid, Gonzalez made his professional debut in 2022 and became a regular for the senior team during the 2024-25 campaigns in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and domestic competitions in Spain. As widely expected, the 2025-26 season is extremely likely to be his first in the NBA. “Yeah,” Stevens replied to a question about looking to immediately add him to the team coached by Joe Mazzulla, during a post-draft press conference on Wednesday evening.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement