Joe Mazzulla dishes savage take on Kristaps Porzingis injury: "Like watching him bleed"
Boston Celtics fans dubbed coach Joe Mazzulla "sicko" for his out-of-pocket comments in his press conferences over the past three years. Mazzulla had another savage quote after the Celtics defeated the Orlando Magic in Game 2 on Wednesday regarding Kristaps Porzingis' injury.
Porzingis suffered a big gash on his forehead late in the third quarter after an errant elbow from Goga Bitadze. He had to leave the game because there was blood but was able to return with a patch on his head.
Mazzulla liked what he saw from KP, who finished with 20 points, 10 rebounds, two steals and two blocks in the defending champions' 109-100 win.
"I think he has an innate ability to take things very serious," Mazzulla said. "At the same time, have great perspective, and I think he can control his environment really well. With how he handles the crowd and how he handles the physicality of it. ... I think that helps us, and I like watching him bleed on the court. I think it's important, and then he comes back in and does his job."
Things have been very physical between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic in the first two games of the series. Jayson Tatum suffered a wrist injury late in Game 1 after a flagrant foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. Tatum missed Wednesday's game and is considered day-to-day.
Goga Bitadze was also called for a flagrant foul for his hit on Kristaps Porzingis. Al Horford had to be restrained after a back-and-forth with KCP. It has been an entertaining series, and coach Joe Mazzulla is not concerned about Tatum's injury heading into Games 3 and 4 in Orlando.
Joe Mazzulla's reaction to Jayson Tatum injury went viral
Jayson Tatum suffered a wrist injury after a hard foul by Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in the fourth quarter of Game 1. Tatum was initially listed as doubtful before getting downgraded to out after an MRI revealed that he has a bone bruise in his wrist.
Joe Mazzulla's real-time reaction to the injury went viral when he shouted at Tatum to get up. Some fans criticized him for his approach, especially now that his superstar forward's injury was more serious than initially thought. However, the Celtics coach doubled down on his reaction.
"They allow me to be who I am," Mazzulla said, according to MassLive. "And they trust, we have a trust for each other, but it all starts with love. And so in that moment, it looks different in different moments."
Game 3 is scheduled on Friday at the Kia Center in Orlando, with a tipoff time of 7 p.m. EST.