BOSTON (AP) 鈥� Joe Mazzulla didn鈥檛 want his first practice as the Celtics interim coach to feel any different than his previous three years as an assistant.
So when he arrived at the team鈥檚 facility Tuesday for Boston鈥檚 first training camp workout, he did his best to keep everything about his routine the same, right down to where he parked.
鈥淚 drive a minivan. 鈥� And I鈥檓 not changing it,鈥� Mazzulla said. 鈥淚 park in the same spot. I do what I鈥檓 supposed to do. And I think that鈥檚 part of it. The same thing I鈥檓 asking the players to do I have to do. I鈥檓 going to do my job. I have to do it one day at a time and I鈥檓 not going to skip any steps.
鈥淏ut I鈥檓 not turning in the minivan.鈥�
As the entire organization continues to absorb the changes that'll come with the year-long suspension of coach Ime Udoka, what Mazzulla observed most during Boston鈥檚 first practice was a team eager to get back to some sense of normalcy.
鈥淥nce we got out on the court, it was just nice to get back out the court and review our defense and to talk about offense and doing what we do,鈥� veteran Al Horford said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good thing to just play basketball. That鈥檚 what we鈥檙e here for. It鈥檚 important to just start this thing back up again.鈥�
Mazzulla reiterated that he won鈥檛 be try to reinvent things. It's why Tuesday鈥檚 practice was mostly a mirror of their workouts from last season, right down to the structure, timing and template of the drills.
He'll also seek input and feedback from the players, he said, early and often.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to do it through collaboration. What we鈥檝e done here over the last year has been really successful,鈥� Mazzulla said. 鈥淪o sticking to what the guys are comfortable with has been the most important thing.鈥�
Grant Williams said Mazzulla's familiarity with the team stood out the most.
鈥淗e knows these guys better than anyone because he's been around them for four years,鈥� Williams said. 鈥淏oth the highs and lows, he was with us when we were losing two years ago, when we were winning last year. So, he has a pretty good understanding of what we need and where we need to improve. We're also building on what we've had success with.鈥�
In his previous three seasons as an assistant, Mazzulla was accustomed to being active on practice days, whether it was running a drill, directing players to the right spot during a scrimmage or even just corralling loose balls.
While his new title calls for him to be a more holistic observer and taskmaster, he still jumped in when he had the chance.
鈥淚 tried to end today just being on the court with the guys because that鈥檚 something that I miss,鈥� Mazzulla said. 鈥淭here are moments when I鈥檓 walking around like, what am I supposed to be doing? But for the most part I love being out there with the guys. They鈥檙e great guys and that鈥檚 where I find my joy. That鈥檚 where I want them to get theirs.鈥�
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Kyle Hightower, The Associated Press
