Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics dropped a 102-92 decision to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday night. It was an off night, and one the team will want to move on from quickly with the Oklahoma City Thunder coming to TD Garden on Wednesday.
Monday night offered a different kind of distraction. WWE Raw was in town, taking over TD Garden, and a couple of familiar faces were in the building.
Joe Mazzulla and Derrick White were courtside.
What Mazzulla Did at WWE Raw
When the camera found White in the crowd, he did what most people do when they appear on the jumbotron. He stood up, acknowledged the crowd, soaked it in. Standard stuff.
Then the camera shifted to Mazzulla. And Mazzulla, being Mazzulla, immediately launched into a play fight with his star guard. Forearms flying, a massive grin on his face, looking every bit like a man who had been waiting his whole life for this moment.
It was one of the more entertaining things you will see from an NBA coach all season. Mazzulla is a regular at MMA events and a practitioner of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, so combat sports are nothing new to him.
The fun did not stop there. Mazzulla spent time backstage and was presented with a Celtics championship belt by former WWE champion and current Chief Content Officer Triple H.
The NBA and WWE Have History
Mazzulla and White are not the first NBA figures to find themselves caught up in the WWE world. Tyrese Haliburton and Jalen Brunson were part of a show in New York a couple of years ago.
Meanwhile, a pair of WWE superstars were going the other direction on Sunday. Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez watched the Celtics take on the Timberwolves from courtside seats the night before Raw.
What It Means for the Celtics
Boston is 47-24 and has been one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference all season. The loss to Minnesota on Sunday was an outlier rather than a trend. Wednesday’s matchup with the Thunder will be a genuine test, and Mazzulla will have his coaching hat firmly back on by then.
For one night in Boston, though, the championship belt fit just fine.
Keith Watkins Keith Watkins is a sports journalist covering the NBA for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Golden State Warriors, Boston Celtics, and Los Angeles Lakers. He previously wrote for FanSided, NBA Analysis Network, and Last Word On Sports. Keith is based in Bangkok, Thailand. More about Keith Watkins
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