DALLAS ― In September 2022, Lakers coach JJ Redick, who had spent his final NBA season with the Mavericks one year earlier, went to Old Sandwich Golf Club to play a round at his close friend’s birthday celebration.
Joe Mazzulla, who had been named the Celtics’ interim coach just a few days earlier, was there, too. Mazzulla quickly turned it into a recruiting opportunity and tried to convince Redick to join his coaching staff. Redick ultimately declined the overture as well as one other by the Celtics, but he and Mazzulla have maintained a friendship since.
“Particularly last year, we talked quite a bit on text, after games, whatnot,” Redick said. “When I was going through this process [with the Lakers], he along with a few other coaches in the NBA were really helpful. Not just in preparing for an interview, but really helping me understand what this was and what it required.”
Mazzulla makes it clear that he prefers not to associate with competition during the NBA season, but when Redick and his family lost their home to the Los Angeles wildfires earlier this month, Boston’s coach called to check on them.
“I have the utmost respect for him,” Mazzulla said. “He was sitting across from this table [as a podcaster] and then decided to enter the arena. So I wish more people would do that. And so the fact that he did that and wanted to be in the arena just shows the competitor that he is. And I just think he’s really smart.
“He has a great self-awareness about what he’s great at, what he wants to work on. He’s willing to attack those things. And we’ve had a good relationship. So I value him as a coach and really as a person and as a player.”
Focus on White
After a scorching start on offense this season, Celtics guard Derrick White has cooled recently. He entered Saturday’s game against the Mavericks shooting 37.4 percent from the field and 30.1 percent from the 3-point line in January while averaging 12.4 points, his lowest of any month this season.
The Celtics, meanwhile, were just 7-5 in January. Mazzulla understands it will be important to help White regain his rhythm.
“That’s part of my job, our job is to make sure that the talent that we have is flowing in the right spot and so that comes with time,” Mazzulla said before White had 23 points in a 122-107 victory, including a 4-for-10 performance on 3-pointers. “I think Derrick, I always urge him and let him know how important he is to our team, whether it’s his transition, whether it’s his catch-and-shoot threes, his ability to get to the free throw line, his defense. He’s just constantly affecting that.
“It’s really important for us. So, yeah, I think it’s definitely something as a staff we talk about, not just for him, but for all our guys.”
Watson progresses
Celtics second-round pick Anton Watson signed a two-way contract last summer but has not appeared in a game. He has spent most of the year with the team’s G League affiliate in Maine, but Mazzulla said Watson continues to make progress.
“He’s just continuing to grow,” Mazzulla said. “I think it’s tough for him. He’s in a different spot because he’s playing both the four and the five. So that’s an adjustment period. I think another adjustment period, everyone looks at positions, but for him it’s being adjusted on who’s guarding you. You’re not cross-matched at college as much as they are at this level.
“So even in training camp a lot of the stuff we worked on with him was what tools does he have versus cross-matching and being guarded by different positions, and what that looks like? So just continuing to grow in that area and then defense is the most important thing for young players.”
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmelsbach.
The rivalry between the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers is one of the most storied in basketball history. But behind the fierce competition on the court, there is a unique friendship between two of the coaches involved in the rivalry.
Celtics assistant coach Joe Mazzulla and Lakers assistant coach JJ Redick have maintained a strong bond since their college days at West Virginia University. Despite now being on opposite sides of one of the biggest rivalries in sports, their friendship remains unwavering.
Mazzulla and Redick were teammates at West Virginia, where they formed a close friendship that has lasted through the years. Both went on to have successful careers in the NBA, with Mazzulla eventually transitioning to coaching and Redick following suit.
Their friendship has transcended the boundaries of their teams, with the two coaches often exchanging tips and advice on coaching strategies. Despite the intense competition between the Celtics and Lakers, Mazzulla and Redick always make time to catch up and support each other in their coaching endeavors.
As the Celtics and Lakers continue to battle it out on the court, it’s heartwarming to see that the bond between Mazzulla and Redick remains as strong as ever. Their friendship serves as a reminder that even in the midst of fierce rivalries, relationships and camaraderie can still thrive.
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