The Boston Celtics are exceeding expectations in a season where Jayson Tatum is sidelined with an Achilles tendon injury, and Al Horford, Luke Kornet, Kristaps Porzingis, and Jrue Holiday are all now playing for other ball clubs. A lot of that success can be attributed to MVP-level play from star forward Jaylen Brown, and the leaps being made by Neemias Queta, Josh Minott, Hugo Gonzalez, and especially Jordan Walsh.
But much can also be attributed to the coaching of head coach Joe Mazzulla, who has his team playing an especially physical brand of basketball on both ends of the court. Mazzulla opened up about that dynamic after a recent Celtics practice, saying “it’s a non-negotiable.”
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“We have to be physical,” he explained. “That’s just what winning requires. It’s not about our team or anything. It’s just what winning requires— a level of physicality.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – NOVEMBER 23: Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla reacts during the second half at TD Garden on November 23, 2025 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Celtics defeat the Magic 138-129. 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. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“I thought there were some moments that we had great physicality in the game,” continued the Celtics coach, “and now we’ve got to take it and apply physicality, apply execution, apply situational basketball, all those things that go into playing good basketball.”
“So we’ve had moments where we had to work to be as consistent as possible in them, but physicality is a non-negotiable if you want to have a chance at winning.”
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This article originally appeared on Celtics Wire: Joe Mazzulla on how Celtics need physicality to win this season