Joe Mazzulla is making a seriously wild move for the Celtics’ first preseason game tonight against the Cleveland Cavaliers: he’s handing over the head coaching duties to his assistants. Mazzulla, who usually doesn’t even speak at shootaround, decided that Tony Dobbins will coach the first half of the game, with DJ MacLeay taking over for the second half. And Mazzulla himself? He’s gonna be watching from the locker room.
The Ultimate Coaching Test Drive
This isn’t some random decision, either. Mazzulla revealed this plan from the court at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, saying he wants to give his guys a real opportunity to grow. Both Dobbins and MacLeay were actually finalists for head coaching positions this past summer, with Dobbins even interviewing for the Dallas Mavericks job. Mazzulla sees this as a huge chance for them to build on that. “I want to give them the opportunity to be able to just build themselves as coaches,” Mazzulla said. “Both those guys had head coaching interviews this past summer, and I want them to be able to build on that.”
It’s their first time coaching an NBA game, which is huge! These guys have already served as Summer League head coaches, Dobbins in 2023 and MacLeay in 2024. But this is the real deal, even if it’s preseason. Mazzulla decided on this back in the summer, right after those coaching interviews. He’s all about giving them that sideline experience. “To me that’s a huge testament to them and the work that they do,” he explained. “And so, you’re just always looking for opportunities to give them more experience. And sometimes, the only experience is being out there on the sideline. So, I want to give that to them. They deserve it. They earned it. They’re great at what they do. I think we have one of the best staffs.” That’s high praise from your head coach, right?
Mazzulla’s Secret Weapon For Self-Improvement
While Dobbins and MacLeay are out there running the show, Mazzulla isn’t just kicking back. He’s got his own plan to benefit from this, saying he’ll be watching the game from the video coordinators’ perspective. “I’ll stay quiet,” Mazzulla said, noting he’ll be in the back with some of the players who aren’t suiting up and the video crew who handle those halftime edits. He wants to “really see what I don’t see when they’re out there. So, it’s just as much for me as it is for them.” Talk about a next-level coaching move, getting a fresh look at your own team through a different lens. This guy is always thinking.
Looking ahead, Sam Cassell, Mazzulla’s lead assistant, is going to coach the final preseason game. That one’s on October 16th against the Philadelphia 76ers. So, we’ve got more assistant coach action coming up!
Tonight, though, it’s Dobbins and MacLeay’s moment against the Cavs. We’ll be watching to see how they handle the pressure and what Mazzulla learns from his unique vantage point. This is going to be interesting, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Celtics Blog.
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