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[Saba Sports News] Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla has kept his team’s title defense in perspective heading into the new season.
After securing the franchise’s 18th championship in June, the Celtics kept their core roster intact for the 2024-25 campaign.
The NBA hasn’t seen a back-to-back champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and 2018, but when asked about the pressure of defending the title, Mazzulla had a refreshingly blunt response.
“Zero. No pressure,” Mazzulla said, per Zack Cox of the *Boston Herald*. “We’re all going to be dead soon, and it really doesn’t matter anymore. So, zero pressure. You’re either going to win or you’re not. When you win, you forget about it a week later, and when you lose, you forget about it a week later. It’s not pressure; it’s an opportunity. We have an opportunity here for however long we’re together.
“… We’re either going to win or we’re not, and 40 years from now, none of you are invited to my funeral, and that’s it.”
Mazzulla’s candid remarks are nothing new, as his frankness has been consistent—even in “odd” conversations with players like Jayson Tatum over the summer.