Is Joe Mazzulla On Hot Seat If Celtics Lose Game 7 Vs. 76ers?

[ASFN Admin]

You must be registered for see images attach

Is Joe Mazzulla On Hot Seat If Celtics Lose Game 7 Vs. 76ers? originally appeared on NESN. Add NESN as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

There's no denying that Joe Mazzulla is a great regular-season coach. In his four years as the Boston Celtics' head coach, he's won at least 56 games every season and never finished lower than the two seed in the Eastern Conference.

His intensity, preparation and attention to detail all serve him well, as does his strategy of playing ferocious defense and ruthlessly hunting for the best possible shot on offense -- usually a 3-pointer.

Mazzulla's teams generally have underachieved in the postseason, often blowing big leads and losing a shocking number of home games. During his four seasons at the helm, the Celtics have lost 12 postseason home games where they were favored by at least 7.5 points.

Mazzulla has also struggled to make adjustments at times, most notably against the New York Knicks last year and against the Philadelphia 76ers this year.

Since 2022 the Celtics have reached 3 ECF, 2 NBA Finals and won an NBA title.

During that same span Boston has also lost the following playoff games at home:

- 2026 R1 G5 -10.5 vs PHI
- 2026 R1 G2 -13.5 vs PHI
- 2025 R2 G2 -10.5 vs NYK
- 2025 R2 G1 -8.5 vs NYK
- 2024 R2 G2 -13…

— Julian Edlow (@julianedlow) April 29, 2026

It's a big reason why Boston is facing a historic collapse against the Sixers. If the Celtics lose Game 7 on Saturday, it will be their first time blowing a 3-1 series lead in franchise history.

It would also be a humiliating collapse for a Boston team that entered the playoffs heavily favored to win this series and the Eastern Conference. The Celtics were also favored in Mazzulla's prior losses to the Knicks and Miami Heat.

While his job is probably safe given that Boston wasn't even supposed to make the postseason this year, his playoff track record is concerning. While he won it all in 2024, he benefitted from a stacked roster and ridiculous injury luck during the Eastern Conference Playoffs. That was an easy title, but when his teams have been challenged, they keep falling short.

If it happens again on Saturday, Mazzulla deserves much of the blame and may need to re-evaluate his coaching strategy.

More NBA: Jayson Tatum Reveals Massive Injury Update Ahead Of Looming Game 7 Vs. 76ers

Continue reading...