Getty Images Celtics guard Marcus Smart.
Marcus Smart isn’t buying the notion from Boston Celtics skipper Joe Mazzulla that coaching the All-Star Game means “nothing.”
Mazzulla has had quite the journey this season and got the coaching nod for the All-Star Game thanks to the Celtics securing the best record in the Eastern Conference as of February 5.
“It’s more of a testament to the players and to the staff,” Mazzulla said of the honor. “The staff, as hard as they work on scouting and preparation and the relationships that they build with the players. So it’s a testament to the staff and then the players have to play the games and they have to win. And so I’m blessed that we have guys that work at it and I appreciate their support for our staff and for our organization. But they don’t win the games and play as hard as they played, we’re not in this situation. So thank you to both of them.”
Mazzulla said it means “nothing” for him personally but Smart had to call out his head coach on that statement.
“Bulls**t,” Smart said. “Bulls**t. It says a lot. It’s just the humble mentality that we have. We got a lot of great guys, from coaches and players, that could sit here and boast about themselves about everything they’ve accomplished and things like that, but that’s not us.”
Smart on Mazzulla: ‘That’s Just Joe’
Smart continued, heaping praise onto Mazzulla, who still carries the interim tag.
“He’s definitely pumped about it,” Smart said. “I mean, first time being a head coach and you go to coach the All-Star Game, I don’t see how you’d not be excited. But that’s just Joe. He does a good job of hiding his enthusiasm for certain things and other times, he lets you know.”
Mazzulla was of course tabbed to lead the Celtics after Ime Udoka was suspended for “violations” of team policies. The 34-year-old Mazzulla becomes the eighth Celtics coach in the franchise’s history to coach the All-Star game and the first since 2017 when Brad Stevens did it.
Mazzulla will have at least one familiar face around for the All-Star festivities, with Celtics star Jayson Tatum voted as a starter. Depending on how the draft goes, Mazzulla could be coaching against his star, which would be an interesting twist.
Tatum is averaging a career-high 31.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 4.4 assists while shooting 46.5% from the floor through 48 games.
Fellow Celtics star Jaylen Brown will likely be announced as an All-Star reserve. He’s averaging 27 points on 49.1% shooting to go with 7.2 rebounds.
Marcus Smart Battling Back From Ankle Injury
The focus for Smart is getting back on the floor to help the Celtics maintain the top spot in the East. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year went down against the Raptors on January 21 and is working his way back.
“The beauty, it’s a longer season, don’t have to rush, so we’re just taking it day-by-day … they’re very small improvements at this point, but improvements nonetheless,” Smart said. “I’m just trying to wait for it to heal a little more, because of the bone bruise and things like that are going on with it. I don’t want to go out there and put too much pressure on it early and now we’re starting back at day one.”
With the All-Star break approaching, Smart isn’t putting any timeline on his return.
“We haven’t made any decisions like that yet,” Smart said. “Right now, we’re taking it one day at a time. It’s one of those things where if I’m feeling good enough to get out there, I’ll be out there. If not, then there’s no need to try to get out for a game or two when we’ve got all-star coming up.”