After Disappointing Loss to Miami Heat, Boston Celtics Coach’s Visit to Fight Capital of the World Las Vegas Might Have a Worrisome Outcome for the Other NBA Coaches

MMA is a tough, highly competitive, and dynamic sport where participants are put into the fire figuratively. Their corner is responsible for ensuring their fighters become mentally and physically tough and can perform their best under pressure. Coaches have an intimate relationship with their athletes and MMA is no different, and apparently, the methods used in combat sports are applicable to NBA as well.

And Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzula and assistant coach Sam Cassell met up with notable UFC coach Eric Nicksick in Las Vegas for some sparring and to pick his brain on how he coaches his fighters during the intense environment of a fight.

Why Boston Celtics coach visited Eric Nicksick

Eric Nicksick has been awarded UFC Coach of the Year in 2020 and 2022 and has coached Francis Ngannou and Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling. He welcomed Mazzula and Cassell to his gym and posted pictures of their visit with the caption:

“⚡︎ Awesome to host the Boston Celtics coaches today for sparring, Joe Mazzulla and Sam Cassell. Coach Mazzulla reached out about understanding some tactics about how we corner a fight along with some other aspects of the fight game. I loved his willingness to learn and explore other demographics of coaching to apply it to his own craft. You gained another Celtics fan today, Coach! 🔥⛵️ ⚡︎”

Mazzulla became coach after beloved coach Ime Udoka’s abrupt exit from the organization following controversies related to his personal life surfaced. And Boston’s exit last year may have something to do with Mazzulla’s visit to Nicksick as the team needs to get mentally tougher and the Celtics coaches learned about how Nicksick and his team coach their fighters in the intense arena of MMA fights.

The Boston Celtics mental toughness questioned by fans and coach

The Celtics hold the record for the most NBA championships, having won sixteen championships in their history, the last being in 2008 with their ‘Big Three’ of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen.

And it seemed the franchise was approaching old form when Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown led them to the NBA finals in the 2021-22 season but failed to overcome a resurgent and healthy Golden State Warriors, who took the finals on the back of finals MVP performance by Steph Curry.

Read More – ‘It’s Only Business’- Francis Ngannou’s Coach Rips Into UFC For Not Rewarding Fighters During Contract Negotiations

Last season, the Boston Celtics were knocked out in the second round of the NBA playoffs by a tougher and more determined Miami Heat led by Jimmy Butler despite being a better team on paper. Many fans attributed the Celtics loss to them imploding under pressure and not being mentally tough enough, something their then-coach Ime Udoka had blasted the team publicly for.

It seems Mazulla has turned to unconventional and unorthodox sources to better his coaching and toughen up his players, which shows his commitment to his craft and team. What are your thoughts on the Boston Celtics coaches visiting Eric Nicksick? Tell us in the comments section below.

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