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Joe Mazzulla doesn’t intend to change much in the aftermath of this season’s trade deadline.
Even after four trades that resulted in four departures, the Boston Celtics head coach is standing by the approach that has helped them climb as high as the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference this season. Nothing will compromise that plan, which Mazzulla has adamantly preached since Opening Night.
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He doubled down on that stance following Sunday evening’s 118–89 loss to the New York Knicks while addressing the team’s rotations moving forward.
“The same as we’ve done all year,” Mazzulla told reporters, per CLNS Media.
For the third straight game, Mazzulla stuck with a double-big lineup, giving Neemias Queta and Luka Garza the starting nod against New York. That configuration worked tremendously against the Houston Rockets, after which Mazzulla said it was a scheme the Celtics could turn to at any point for the remainder of the season. Now, with Nikola Vučević added via Boston’s Anfernee Simons trade with the Chicago Bulls, comes the challenge of integrating him while keeping the system intact.
BOSTON, MA – FEBRUARY 8: Nikola Vucevic #4 of the Boston Celtics looks to pass the ball during the game against the New York Knicks on February 8, 2026 at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
With limited time — less than 48 hours — to work with Vučević at the team’s practice facility in Brighton, the Celtics did what they could to get the 15-year veteran up to speed before his debut Friday night against the Miami Heat. That game marked Vučević’s first opportunity to familiarize himself with Boston’s system and showcase what the Celtics will be getting from the two-time All-Star — an opportunity Mazzulla believes everyone on the roster will earn and will continue to…
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Publish date : 2026-02-09 10:00:00
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