Joe Mazzulla isn’t letting Celtics coast on past success
NY Post
BOSTON — As the Celtics began the defense of the 18th NBA title in their history with a banner raising and ring ceremony Tuesday night at TD Garden, head coach Joe Mazzulla made sure to remind them that the 2023-24 season officially is over.
“This team, the 2024-25 Celtics, is not great, yet. That’s it right there,” Mazzulla told reporters ahead of the season opener against the Knicks. “Do we have the potential to be? Yes. The key word ‘yet’ is very important. Do we have great talent? Yes. Do we have great players? Yes. Do we have a great foundation? Yes.
“Is this ’24-25 team great yet? No, because we haven’t been in a game. It just takes time and every season is different. Assuming that you’re just going to [do what you did] in the past doesn’t necessarily mean this is going to work now. You have to stay open-minded to do something different.”
Still, the Celtics are returning all of the players who played significant minutes in the NBA Finals last spring against the Mavericks, even though Kristaps Porzingis was not in the lineup Tuesday night due to an ankle injury.
As All-Star forward Jayson Tatum, who signed a $314 million super-max extension over the summer, said earlier in training camp, the goal “was never just about trying to win one” championship.
A core also featuring Jaylen Brown, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White will attempt to fend off the retooled Knicks and the rest of the Eastern Conference.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.
Dylan Garand knew the number off the top of his head. He knew that, between the regular season and playoffs, he’d logged over 160 games with AHL Hartford, and he was right. Before the Rangers recalled him Friday, Garand had served as the Wolf Pack’s goaltender 165 times.
SAN DIEGO — As you may have seen elsewhere in this newspaper (and also if you haven’t deleted me yet from your social media), I have a book coming out Tuesday called “The Bosses of The Bronx.” Much of it details the 37 years’ worth of antics, winning, losing, winning again and overall mania of George Steinbrenner’s time with the Yankees.
The Knicks are on a five-game winning streak and flooded with concerns.
Don’t close the curtain on “Mean” Joe Greene.
The hockey world is getting a new TV adaptation of another romance series that helped define the genre.
What is there about Giants edger ushers and their fixation with single-digit jersey numbers?
Cade Cunningham, almost inarguably the best player in the East this season, is likely out for the remainder of the regular season. That’s the word out of Detroit following the depressing news that Cunningham punctured a lung when he took a knee to his side Tuesday from Washington’s Tre Johnson while chasing a loose ball.
Legal problems continue to follow ex-NHLer Billy Tibbetts.
After legendary Mets broadcaster Howie Rose announced his retirement Thursday, he took to social media to send a message to fans in Queens.
COLUMBUS, Ohio — The special teams battle was up for grabs Thursday night.