Celtics Reward Coach With Well-Deserved Promotion

The Boston Celtics are officially off for the All-Star Break after Wednesday night's 127-109 victory over the Detroit Pistons. They now have a full week to rest up and prepare for the stretch run before resuming play against the Indiana Pacers on Thursday, Feb. 23.

The Celtics roll into the break with the best record in the NBA (42-17) under coach Joe Mazzulla, who is in his first season leading the team. While he's been working under the title of interim head coach in Ime Udoka's absence, Boston finally rewarded Mazzulla with a long-overdue promotion.

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The Celtics removed the "interim" tag from Mazzulla's title on Thursday, officially making him the 19th head coach in franchise history.

Mazzulla has certainly earned his stripes this year. Thrust into an awkward and uncomfortable situation after Udoka was suspended for the season for violating team policies, the 34-year-old former assistant coach has provided a steady hand for his players all season. He's kept them focused and playing high-quality basketball all year long, helping get the most out of a talented roster that went all the way to the NBA Finals last year.

With Mazzulla leading the way, Boston appears poised for another Finals run this spring and will look to avenge last year's loss. The Celtics currently have the best championship odds on FanDuel Sportsbook's NBA odds, and the team hopes Mazzulla's early success is a sign of things to come.

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