Dec 28, 2025
3 min read
"Mazzulla Ball" always has been and always will be.Some nights it leads to more 3-pointers.For others, it is usually 2s.On Friday night against the Pacers, there was a little bit of both thanks to some hot shooting.
The Celtics' shooting profile has changed.His philosophy did not.
The Celtics rank third in the league in mid-range field goal percentage, nearly five more than last season.They came at the cost of what is believed to be Joe Mazzella's favorite shot, the three-point shot.
The Celtics are finally in 3-point corner efforts, taking three less than last season.They still lead the league in 3 points above the break, but they even take two less there.
Mazula was adamant from the start that he never meant more than 3 points on any shot.What he always said about his crime;What he wanted his players to do was create advantages and make it count when they did.Any positive qualities they were targeted for do not matter.
It just so happened that Boston had five guys in their starting lineup who could take and make 3-pointers on a good shot.Then they brought in three men from the bench who were also quite good at doing them.Boston's dominance naturally created 3-point attempts.
Sure, there were some nights when the Celtics fell in love with the shot.There were those when it got a little too much.But by and large, the Boston shots were the product of Mazzolo's mind.
This year's team is structured a bit differently, and after the summer contract purge, the existing guys found it necessary to make a number of changes.In particular, Jaylen Brown and Payton Pritchard found new homes in 2-point land, and the Celtics offense thrived.
Brown and Pritchard both doubled their mid-range attempts from last season.Pritchard has redoubled his Unlimited Paint efforts.Both were on display against the Indiana Pacers, especially in the second quarter when Boston turned an 11-point deficit into a 14-point lead.
