Overview
- The NBA announced on Tuesday, May 26, that Mazzulla won the Red Auerbach Trophy after receiving 62 of 100 first-place votes from a global media panel.
- Mazzulla led the Celtics to a 56-26 record and the East’s No. 2 seed despite Jayson Tatum missing most of the season and significant offseason roster losses.
- He publicly credited his players and a large coaching staff for the achievement after previously calling the Coach of the Year award “stupid.”
- Boston’s season ended in a first-round loss to the Philadelphia 76ers, a 4-3 defeat in which the team surrendered a 3-1 series lead and prompted questions about playoff adjustments.
- The award makes Mazzulla the fourth Celtics coach to win Coach of the Year and it sharpens offseason stakes by increasing pressure on the front office to address the team’s playoff shortcomings.