When the Boston Celtics fell just short in a 98-96 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse this past Tuesday, the story wasn’t just the final score - it was how head coach Joe Mazzulla chose to handle the aftermath.
In a postgame press conference that quickly made the rounds on social media, Mazzulla responded to every question with the same two words: “Illegal screen.” No elaboration, no breakdown, just a pointed phrase that hinted at his frustration with a no-call late in the game. Specifically, it was a missed foul on a screen that freed up Pacers forward Pascal Siakam for what turned out to be the game-winning shot.
But while the Celtics have seen their fair share of questionable whistles this season, this wasn’t about launching a tirade against the officiating crew. It was more about sending a message - not just externally, but internally.
Speaking later at a Celtics practice, Mazzulla opened up about his unusual approach. “It’s a balance,” he said.
“At the end of the day, that’s out of your control. There’s really nothing you can do about it.”
What he was getting at is something every coach at this level understands: officiating is part of the game, and while it can swing key moments, it can’t become the scapegoat. That’s not the culture Mazzulla wants to build in Boston.
“From time to time, there’s always moments where I thought that wasn’t obvious,” he admitted, referencing the screen that freed Siakam. “But at the end of the day, that’s not the message to our team.”
And here’s where Mazzulla’s focus really shines through. He wasn’t interested in dwelling on one missed call. He was already looking inward - at his team’s execution, or lack thereof, in critical moments.
“The message to our team was that they ran,” he said. “That they went on coming out of timeouts, not turning the ball over, making sure we make our two-on-one reads, situational rebounding.”
That’s the stuff that wins games. Not just the highlight plays or the final possession, but the habits that build over four quarters - boxing out, reading the floor, staying sharp after a timeout. Mazzulla was clear: those are the areas where the Celtics came up short, and that’s where the focus needs to be.
“The execution of our own team is the most important thing,” he emphasized.
It’s a message that resonates beyond just one game in January. For a Celtics team with championship aspirations, accountability - not excuses - has to be the foundation. And while Mazzulla’s “illegal screen” moment may have made headlines, it’s the quiet work behind the scenes, the emphasis on execution and discipline, that will ultimately define this team’s ceiling.