“Ego’s everything. Egos are a part of determination,” said Michael Jordan, when discussing the connection between egos and success. In a sport like the NBA, where one can go from being a normal ball-handler to proving his worth as a master in the sport, developing a selfish feeling about one’s self-worth is natural. For the most part, ego is not something that one should carry on the path to success. After all, without ego, Walter White may have had a different life story. However, if used correctly, that same feeling can do wonders. That concept is something that Joe Mazzulla, and the Boston Celtics squad, seem to have adopted for themselves.

Recently, the Boston Celtics recorded a 123-99 win against the Detroit Pistons. With this win, the defending champions have now won 11 of their last 13 games. They have taken their win record to 20-5 and are on their way to securing the top seed on the points chart. Such success is enough to make any squad confident about their chances. Despite this, Pistons head coach J. B. Bickerstaff had reportedly stated that the Celtics are amongst the most ‘unselfish’ teams in the NBA. While it was certainly a compliment from the rival coach, Joe Mazzulla debunked it by stating, “I mean, regardless of past results, I think it’s a…one, I think, it starts with just the guys that we have in the locker room. I think it’s important to know that we do have egos, we just put them in the right place.”

This belief is something that even point guard Payton Pritchard has chosen to endorse. During the postgame presser, he stated, “Well, I think Joe’s right. We all have egos, we’re all really confident people, and I don’t think we’d be in the position we are today without a little bit of that, and you’ve got to have that. But, it’s understanding that at times, you got to do what’s best for the team. That’s selflessness, that our guys have and should continue. So, obviously, it contributes to winning. So yeah, good group of guys.”

The recent matchup marks the 2 time that the Celtics went up against the Pistons this month. In fact, their previous game took place back on December 4. Both games had Jayson Tatum absent from the main lineup as he continued to recover from his right patella tendinopathy. With an average score of 28.2 points, 8.9 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, Jayson Tatum established himself as the team’s highest-average scorer this season. Therefore, the fact that the Celtics could win highlighted the bold revelation that the lead scorer is not always needed to help them. All that is needed is a specific mindset.

“It shouldn’t at all,” said Pritchard when asked if playing without Jayson Tatum changes the team’s mindset. “Try to keep the same mindset. I mean, at the end (of the) day, we try to hang our hat on playing just the right basketball. So, no matter who is in, you make the right reads regardless. So, it’s not like JT’s playing, and they’re like, ‘Oh, I’m going to get more shots tonight,’ like that should never be the case. I’m always hunting to take the right shots, take the right… make the right passes. And when he comes back, we should continue to always play like that.”

If the Boston Celtics have adopted playing under an ‘ego-like’ mindset, then that is certainly new. After all, it wasn’t the mindset that the team possessed last season.

Amidst the NBA Finals battle, Jayson Tatum emphasized playing ‘Ego-Free’: “I’ve been here before and we didn’t win”

The 2024 NBA Finals, between the Boston Celtics and the Dallas Mavericks, gave Jayson Tatum a second shot. It was only two seasons ago when the Golden State Warriors had prevented the player, and his team, from winning the championship title. Knowing the stakes of the stage where he was, Jayson Tatum knew that there was one thing he could not afford. That was to possess even a slight feeling of ego. Therefore, the player was quick to shut down any claims that highlighted the opposite.

“I’ve been here before and we didn’t win. We’re so close to what we’re trying to accomplish. Why would I let my ego or my need to score get in the way of that?” said Tatum in a statement. With this claim, the small forward kept himself in check throughout the series. Lo and behold, the Celtics won with a 4-1 record, and Jayson Tatum finally secured the Larry O’Brien trophy.

Being defending champions, the mindset of the Boston Celtics squad would certainly be different this time. Fortunately, if the 20-5 record shows something, it is that Joe Mazzulla and his players know what they are doing. Whether the ‘ego’ mode helps them achieve a two-peat is something that can only be answered with the passage of time.