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Joe Mazzulla Enthusiastically Applauds Scuffle During Celtics' Overtime Loss to Hawks

The Boston coach's appreciation for the quality of "fight" is no secret.

Patrick Andres

Joe Mazzulla during the Celtics' 120–119 win over the Pelicans on Jan. 12, 2025.
Joe Mazzulla during the Celtics' 120–119 win over the Pelicans on Jan. 12, 2025. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has never been shy about his love of fighting in the NBA—not in a hacky, aesthetic sense, but in a genuine-if-odd-appreciation-for-fighting-as-an-art-form sense.

On Saturday, then, Mazzulla was able to react accordingly when the Celtics and Atlanta Hawks got into a scuffle during the Hawks' 119–115 overtime win.

With 3:46 left in the extra session, a tie-up between Atlanta center Onyeka Okongwu and Boston forward Jayson Tatum ended in a jump ball. Okongwu and Tatum wrestled well through the whistle, and as referees seperated the two teams, Mazzulla began clapping profusely.

Hilariously, Mazzulla walked all the way out to the scrum and continued to applaud right in front of Hawks guard Trae Young.

After the game, the coach praised his team's "spirit" in defeat.

Despite some recent regression, the Celtics remain in second place in the Eastern Conference with a record of 29-13—six games behind the first-place Cleveland Cavaliers.

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Patrick Andres
PATRICK ANDRES

Patrick Andres is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated. He joined SI in December 2022, having worked for The Blade, Athlon Sports, Fear the Sword and Diamond Digest. Andres has covered everything from zero-attendance Big Ten basketball to a seven-overtime college football game. He is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism with a double major in history .

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