“Lot of Noise”: Joe Mazzulla Rubs Salt on Pacers Misery as Coach Carlisle Faces Firing Threat

The Boston Celtics HC, Joe Mazzulla, hits back at Rick Carlisle. The Celts did nothing but showcase their dominance on the global stage, after cleanly sweeping the Indiana Pacers 4-0 in the Conference Finals. Despite the knockout punch on the floor, Mazzulla made matters worse with a harsh comment. Rolling the calendar back, after the Game 3 loss, Carlisle had made a confident statement, saying, “We are going after them,” indicating a comeback from 0-3 down in the series. Unfortunately, the game didn’t go in their favor, as they bit the dust after a 105-102 loss.

So, today, Mazzulla didn’t miss the opportunity to hit back, as he said, “This team is very similar to you guys. They create a lot of noise. You have to decipher what’s real.” There isn’t any clarity on whom Mazzulla’s words were aimed at, but it could very likely be for Rick Carlisle. On the other hand, it could be also for the players, especially after multiple heated moments on the court tonight.

Myles Turner went up against Jaylen Brown and engaged in a heated argument after aggressively pushing him. Nevertheless, Joe Mazzulla paid them back with a brutal dig after the game. Importantly, this loss could end Rick Carlisle’s stint as HC of the Pacers. This is his third stint as coach on the Indiana side. Earlier, he was fired in 2007 after a 4-season-long service. He again picked up the baton in 2021 and revolutionized it with a fast-paced balling style.

On the other hand, the 35-year-old has made the NBA world look back at him, not for his comment on the Pacers, but for his coaching style. Just like his press conferences, he also made several uncanny moves. For instance, during the regular season, he hit the headlines for taking a coach’s challenge during garbage minutes against the Toronto Raptors.

The players even called him out for disrespecting the opponents, despite winning the game. In response, Mazzulla seemed unfazed and continued to go by his business, keeping the Celtics floating at the top of the ladder. But, he has one final job in his hand which is to end the Championship drought.

Will Joe Mazzulla end the Celtics’ misery?

It isn’t like the Celtics have even come closer to the ring. They couldn’t get their hands on the Championship despite having a complete roster. Notably, they reached six Conference Finals and one Finals in the last eight seasons. Even after having superstars like Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, they repeatedly fell short.

However, things could take a turn this season with Joe Mazzula by their side. He joined the team last season and ended up losing in the Conference Finals against the Miami Heat.

Ahead of this season, Mazzulla had time to prepare himself for the challenge. He said, “It’s more working with the guys on the culture… What temperature do we want to set? What do we want to be known for?… It’s having conversations with the players about, ‘This is what I want us to look like, this is what I believe in”.

Mazzulla stuck with his words and produced a magnificent so far in the postseason, qualifying for the Finals after losing only two games. Now, they need to win four more games to end their championship drought.

Will they end it? Let us know your predictions in the comments.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow in what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.