LOS ANGELES – Former Boston Celtics legend and current Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart has a unique perspective. He is one of 42 players to wear the green and white And Purple and gold in his NBA career. He is one of the few players to play for and against Celtics head coach Joe Majulla.
That potential inside information didn't help the Lakers when they hosted the Celtics on Sunday afternoon, as Boston left L.A. with an emphatic 111-89 win over its hated rival. However, this helped Smart come to a conclusion that others eventually began to understand as well: Mazzulla is one of the top minds in the association.
"Joe's a great coach," Smart said in the locker room before the second meeting of the season between the Celtics and Lakers. "And he's been on the team, he's watched these teams in the past, and he's had a chance to take notes from there and make his adjustments. So, Joe is doing a really good job."
Before Mazzulla was a head coach winning a ring and multiple 60-plus seasons, he was an assistant coach with the Celtics. And while he was largely unknown in the basketball world before Green became the team's head coach in 2022, Smart isn't surprised by what he's been able to accomplish in Boston, especially this season when the Celtics were expected to struggle without star forward Jayson Tatum.
“I mean, for me personally, I'm not surprised,” Smart said. "They've got a lot of great players there. These guys have been playing together for a while... I definitely think they're doing what I expected them to do, but it's fun to watch."
Smart's comments came shortly after the Celtics continued their winning ways, completing a season sweep of the Lakers for the first time since the 2022–23 campaign (Smart's final season with the C's) and holding their historical foes to their worst offensive output of 2026.
After the 22-point win, the Celtics are 37–19 overall, an impressive 19–10 on the road, and in second place in the Eastern Conference. What they've been able to do with Tatum's rehabilitation from a torn Achilles and several starters missing last season is quite impressive.
What JJ Redick had to say about Joe Mazzulla's 'phenomenal' season
Even Lakers head coach JJ Redick said as much, pointing to Mazzulla's role in the success.
"I think that's what — there's a handful of coaches that I think are doing tier-one jobs this year," Redick said during his pregame press conference. “And whoever is in that group of coaches is really doing a phenomenal job.”
JJ Redick on the job that Joe Mazzulla has done with the Celtics this season:
"I think what is — I think there are some coaches who are doing a tier-one job this year. And Joe is in that group of coaches, he's really doing a phenomenal job." pic.twitter.com/1c66auE6A1
- Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 22 February 2026
While Smart and Redick, whom Mazzulla tried to hire in Boston several times, both share a relationship with the Celtics captain, their admiration is genuine and not tainted by a personal relationship. They're just two basketball experts who have an understanding of why Mazzulla is a candidate for true Coach of the Year.
But, in Mazzulla's mind, the Celtics haven't accomplished much.
When asked how to summarize the Celtics' 2025–26 season, he said after the game, "The story isn't done yet." "We're just a result of what we do yesterday and what we do the next day...We haven't done anything. All we've done is stick to the process of winning on both ends of the floor."
Joe Mazzulla asked if he was angry, tired or pleased by the praise the Celtics received for their extreme accomplishments:
"Season's 82 not 55... You can't get stuck in what you've done in the past, whether it was good or bad." pic.twitter.com/9lOWZNxzhg
- Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) 22 February 2026
The next chapter in the Celtics' unfinished story will feature Tuesday night's showdown with the Phoenix Suns, who in some ways are Boston's Western Conference counterpart, given their surprising 33-25 record.
As always, Mazzulla will use this matchup as an opportunity to improve regardless of the outcome.
“Don't overreact to a good win or a bad loss and be better in the next game,” Mazzulla reiterated.
