Joe Mazzulla's funny reaction to Prince and Princess of Wales attending the game: "Jesus, Mary, and Joseph? I'm only familiar with one Royal Family"
Joe Mazzulla and the Boston Celtics logged their 18th win of the season against the Miami Heat 134-121. With their fifth straight win, they improved to 18-4.
Jayson Tatum put up a staggering 49-point, 11-rebound double-double to lift the C's over the Heat (10-12). Jaylen Brown and Derrick White added 26 and 15, with Malcolm Brogdon putting up 21 points.
Miami's Bam Adebayo, Max Strus and Tyler Herro all scored more than 20 points. However, in Jimmy Butler's absence, they failed to get the job done.
The game was marked by the presence of the Prince and Princess of Wales from the British Royal Family. When asked about whether or not he had a chance to meet them, Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla quipped:
"Jesus, Mary and Joseph? I’m only familiar with one royal family. I don’t know too much about them. But hopefully, they’re Celtics fans."
Mazzulla took over as interim head coach after Ime Udoka was suspended earlier this season.
Joe Mazzulla and Celtics off to historic start
The Boston Celtics found themselves in hot water at the start of the season when head coach Ime Udoka was suspended for the season. Udoka had an inappropriate relationship with a woman in the organization, according to The Associated Press.
Udoka, in his first year as head coach, led the Celtics to the second-best record in the Eastern Conference (51-31) and a berth in the NBA Finals in June.
Udoka's suspension was initially deemed detrimental, but Joe Mazzulla and the Celtics have come out guns blazing. They have put forward some of the most dominant basketball the Boston Celtics have produced in over a decade.
Their 18-4 record is one of the best starts to a Celtics season ever. And Jayson Tatum's 31.6/7.5/4.8 statline has put him in legitimate MVP conversations for the first time in his career.
The Celtics' Big Three of Tatum, Jaylen Brown and reigning Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart combine for nearly 70 points per game. Combining that with Malcolm Brogdon's 14-plus points per game, the C's have managed to become the NBA's best offense, at least through the first quarter of the season.
After the win over the Miami Heat, Joe Mazzulla talked about what makes the Celtics good:
"Spacing, ball movement, making the right play. If our guys continue to do that ... it's good."
The Celtics logged 32 assists to Miami's 25 on Wednesday and are sixth in the league in assists per game with 27.5. Despite being 26th in total rebounds per game, the Celtics outrebounded the Heat 41-32.
Mazzulla also commented on Tatum's growth this season:
"He's just making the right play. He's doing a great job reading the coverage, knowing how the defense is guarding him – are they crowding him, are they giving him a step? – he's making the right play for himself and for his teammates."