Joe Mazzulla's frustration with the referees during the Celtics' loss to the Bulls culminated in a sarcastic postgame remark, wishing them "Merry Christmas" and "Happy Holidays."
The Boston Celtics faced a frustrating home loss on Thursday night, falling 117-108 to the Chicago Bulls in a game marked by tension both on and off the court.
| Player of the Game | |
|
EFF
36
|
| Zach LaVine | |
| Points | 36 |
| Accuracy | 11-19 |
| Rebounds | 6 |
| Assists | 4 |
Midway through the fourth quarter, Payton Pritchard dove for an offensive rebound, leading to a jump ball. Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla voiced his frustration over the call and was hit with a technical foul. In the next two minutes, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum also picked up technicals on separate plays.
After the final buzzer, emotions ran high as Mazzulla engaged in a heated exchange with the officials, requiring others to step in and hold him back. Asked about the incident during the postgame press conference, Mazzulla responded with a touch of dry humor.
"I haven't seen them in a while, so just a 'Merry Christmas' and a 'Happy Holiday.'" Mazzulla said.
"I wasn't sure if I was going to see them before the holiday, and I just can't let somebody go by without wishing them the best to them and theirs and their families," he added.
When pressed about his technical foul, Mazzulla kept it brief.
"I was on the court," he admitted. "I just can't be on the court. The ref had to do his job."
The Celtics will look to rebound when they visit Chicago on Saturday night.
