Joe Mazzulla hasn’t just stepped into the spotlight in Boston-he’s taken command of it. In just his fourth season as the Celtics’ head coach, Mazzulla has already built an impressive résumé: an NBA championship, a trip to the conference finals, and a pair of 60-win seasons (and counting). That’s not just success-it’s sustained excellence, and it’s coming fast.
On Monday night, Mazzulla added another milestone to his growing list of accomplishments: career win No. 200.
He hit the mark in just his 275th regular-season game, making him the third-fastest coach in NBA history to reach 200 wins. The only names ahead of him?
Steve Kerr (238 games) and Phil Jackson (270)-two coaches who helmed some of the most dominant dynasties the league has ever seen.
Let that sink in for a moment. Kerr had the Warriors during their mid-2010s run-Curry, Klay, Draymond, and eventually KD.
Jackson, of course, had Jordan and Pippen in Chicago during the Bulls’ early-90s reign. Mazzulla?
He’s doing it with a Celtics team that, while certainly talented, is still writing its own legacy. The dynasty label isn’t there yet-but with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown anchoring the core, there’s a real chance it could be.
What makes Mazzulla’s 200th win even more noteworthy is how it played out. Boston came out flat against a struggling Pacers squad and found themselves down by 20 in the third quarter.
That’s when Mazzulla made a bold move-he benched his starters. Not for a quick breather, but to send a message.
And it worked. The reserves sparked a furious rally, flipping the game on its head and powering the Celtics to a gritty 103-95 win.
It wasn’t pretty, but it was pure Mazzulla: unafraid to make tough calls, confident in his system, and always focused on the bigger picture. That kind of coaching presence-steady, adaptive, and fearless-is a big reason why Boston is once again sitting near the top of the Eastern Conference standings despite dealing with injuries and lineup shuffles.
Now sitting at 200-75 in his career, Mazzulla boasts a .727 winning percentage. That’s elite company. And with the Celtics gearing up for a five-game road trip starting Friday-ironically, back against the Pacers-he’ll have a chance to keep that momentum rolling.
At just 37 years old, Mazzulla’s coaching career is still in its early chapters. But if these first few seasons are any indication, he’s not just guiding one of the league’s most storied franchises-he’s carving out a legacy of his own.