As the reigning NBA champions, the Boston Celtics can expect to have a target on their back throughout the 2024-25 season. The hunters will become the hunted after finally bringing the elusive Banner 18 to TD Garden.
Joe Mazzulla isn't concerned about being targeted. In fact, he's looking forward to it.
“People are gonna say the target is on our back, but I hope it’s right on our forehead in between our eyes," the C's coach said on a recent episode of the Locked On Celtics podcast. "I hope I can see the red dot."
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Mazzulla is unsurprisingly motivated heading into the new campaign, but how will he keep his players from getting complacent on the quest for a repeat? Chris Forsberg and Tom Giles discussed on a new episode of the Celtics Talk Podcast.
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"I don't worry about complacency with these Celtics," Forsberg said. "Because I know the coach from probably the day after he got off that duck boat was sitting there telling them, 'Here's what we're gonna do next year. Here's how we're gonna keep this going.' I don't get nervous about this team and the idea of downshifting on day one."
Giles agrees that the Celtics won't let their foot off the gas.
"Joe Mazzulla is not gonna allow that," he said. "That's why I think he is the perfect coach going into this season. I mean, the intensity with the description of the target on their back, just the way he kind of spun that, just kind of tells you a lot about Joe Mazzulla in general. He talked about it at times last year, just kind of the way they try to find the game within the game, and he's gonna continue to do that through training camp, through the regular season.
"I'm not worried about that. I think he's kind of the perfect guy for them because he's so competitive and so hyper-focused."
MORE CELTICS
USA Basketball added another chip to Celtics stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum's shoulders during the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Brown was snubbed from Team USA's roster and Tatum was benched for two of the six games, including the semifinal vs. Serbia.
"If there was an opportunity for Tatum and Brown to sort of get a little content," Forsberg said. "To be like, 'Hey, we finally got this trophy, we've proven we're elite players.' And Team USA in particular was like, 'Wait, just in case you need just a little bit more fuel going into a new season. If you needed to be just a little bit more locked in, here's a little something for you.'
"And if I'm the rest of the league, I'm like, 'Man, why are we giving this team more motivation?'"
Also in the episode:
- How many games will the Celtics win this season?
- Who’s the biggest threat in the Eastern Conference?
- What do you want Jaylen Brown to improve on this year?