Getty Joe Mazzulla, Boston Celtics
As the Boston Celtics fell to their first defeat of the season against the Chicago Bulls on October 24, interim head coach Joe Mazzulla was not on the sidelines due to being ejected from the contest in the second half.
However, after reviewing the incident, the NBA has decided to rescind Mazzulla’s second technical foul – the one which led to his ejection – thus meaning he will escape a fine and suspension.
Per source, the second technical foul Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla received in Monday’s loss to the Bulls has been rescinded by the NBA.
Removes the fine for the second tech and ejection.
Following the NBA’s decision, Mazzulla will now be free to coach Boston’s next game, which is set to take place on October 28 when the team faces off against the Cleveland Cavaliers. There’s no doubt that the Celtics will want to get back to winning ways, however, Cleveland’s roster consists of multi-talented big men Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, so it will be interesting to see how Boston’s floundering defense holds up.
Grant Williams Suspended For One Game
Mazzulla wasn’t the only member of Boston’s roster to be ejected against the Bulls. Grant Williams was also sent to the locker room following unnecessary contact with a referee. Unfortunately, the fourth-year forward was incredibly vocal towards the officials after his ejection, and it appears that the NBA is taking a strong stance following his actions.
The following was released by the NBA.
“Boston Celtics forward Grant Williams has been suspended one game without pay for recklessly making contact with and directing inappropriate language toward a game official, it was announced by Joe Dumars, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations…The contact, for which Williams was assessed a technical foul and ejected, occurred with 8:58 remaining in the fourth quarter of Boston’s 120-102 loss to the Chicago Bulls on October 24 at United Center…Williams will serve his suspension Friday, October 28 when the Celtics host the Cleveland Cavaliers,” the NBA Communications Twitter account announced on October 26.
Williams is quickly developing a bad reputation for arguing with game officials every night, so, hopefully, this suspension will help him realize that it’s often better to just focus on the next play rather than arguing every call.
Grant Williams Lifts The Lid on His Ejection
For the first time since being ejected from Boston’s first loss of the season, we’ve heard some form of explanation from Williams’ camp. According to Heavy Sport’s NBA Insider Steve Bulpett, a witness overheard a conversation between the stretch forward and Allison Feaster, Boston’s Vice President of Player Development.
“She asked him if he touched the referee, and he’s like, ‘I walked toward her and she was backing up, so it wasn’t like intentional. I wasn’t trying to…’I didn’t say anything. I didn’t say anything’,” Bulpett reported.
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This is the first time we’re hearing about the situation from Williams’ perspective, as he didn’t speak with the media following Boston’s loss – however, we are yet to hear directly from the Texas native on the subject, and possibly never will.
Following his suspension, Williams will be back in the Celtics rotation for their October 30 contest against the Washington Wizards, a game that’s wedged between two contests against the Cavaliers, which is a run Boston will be hoping to emerge victorious from.