Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla isn’t afraid to admit that he doesn’t have all the answers. And when the Celtics were in dire straits during the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, the young skipper swallowed his pride and turned to NBA veteran Blake Griffin for help.

In an exclusive interview with Celtics Wire, Griffin remembered when the C’s were down 3-0 to the Miami Heat and only one loss away from being swept, in embarrassing fashion, for the first time since the 2014-15 postseason. Boston had just been blown out in Game 3 in Miami and desperately needed a change.

Mazzulla offered one by telling Griffin — a six-time All-Star who’d been in the league for over a decade but with the Celtics for one season — that he should lead the next film session. Almost three years later, Griffin hasn’t forgotten that gesture.

“He called me and asked me to run the next film meeting, and the coaches left (the meeting),” Griffin recalled in an interview for Wayfair. “And so that was kind of an example of our relationship, I think. In that short amount of time, in eight months, he really put a lot of trust in me and I tried to sort of be an extension of him within the team.”

Whatever Griffin and his fellow players discussed in that meeting must’ve been productive, as the Celtics earned double-digit wins over the Heat in Games 4 and 5 to make the series 3-2. Boston even prevailed in Game 6 thanks to a thrilling buzzer-beater from guard Derrick White to further extend its playoff dreams.

However, the do-or-die Game 7 didn’t go as planned. Celtics star Jayson Tatum tweaked his ankle almost immediately after the game started and Boston lost 103-84, falling short of becoming the first team in NBA history to win a playoff series after losing the first three games.

Regardless of the unfortunate result, Griffin appreciated Mazzulla’s vote of confidence.

“What I was really impressed by with him is his lack of ego,” Griffin said of getting to know Mazzulla. “Or not lack, everybody has an ego. But his ego doesn’t get in his way. I think he really puts that to the side, and he really is a sponge, and he’s hungry to learn.”

Although Griffin spent just one season with Mazzulla, it didn’t take long for him to realize the then first-year head coach was not like others he’d played for — in a good way.

“I remember the first day coming and sitting down in his office, and him just kind of walking through, ‘Hey, you’re not going to play every game,’ you know, he’s kind of sort of setting up how he saw my role on the team and as an older guy, that was super refreshing,” Griffin said. “Because a lot of times coaches will come in and sort of tell you everything you want to hear and maybe not shoot it straight with you. So, my relationship with Joe was that from day one. I felt like I could go to him and talk to him about anything.”

Since Griffin’s retirement, Mazzulla led the Celtics to a championship in 2024 and another playoff run in 2025, albeit a less successful one. As for this season, the Rhode Island native has helped the C’s exceed expectations without star forward Jayson Tatum healthy.

The undermanned Celtics are currently 15-10 overall and in third place in the Eastern Conference through 25 games. Mazzulla is a big reason why Boston is off to a hot start, according to Griffin.

“Times like this are when coaching staffs really get put in the spotlight,” he stated. “But I think what you’re seeing is the brilliance of Joe, and not only Joe, but his coaching staff.”

The Celtics are 7-3 in their last 10 contests and while they don’t have an abundance of talent, they often make up for that with effort. Simply put, they’re humble and hungry, reminding Griffin of a certain someone:

“I think you’re just really seeing Joe’s personality shine through on this team,” he said.

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