Meeting with reporters in his return to Boston tonight, Rockets coach Ime Udoka expressed regret that he wasn’t able to stay with the Celtics long enough to lead them to a championship, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Udoka took Boston to the NBA Finals in 2022, but he was suspended shortly before the start of last season over an affair with a staff member. Joe Mazzulla was named the team’s permanent head coach before the season ended.
“Job not finished,” Udoka responded when asked to look back on his lone season with the Celtics. “[I] formed a lot of relationships within a year, and obviously want to get a chance to run it back with a group you feel you can build and grow with. So, letting the people down. I talked about the players, the relationships I built with them, the coaches that came with me, and then everybody else that was impacted by it. So for me that’s the biggest thing I would say overall is letting some people down, for sure. But we’ve talked it out and I’ve seen a lot of these people throughout the summer and talk regularly and so we move past it.”
Udoka received a mixed response from fans at TD Garden, according to Bontemps. The game marked the first matchup between Udoka and Mazzulla, his former assistant, but Bontemps says both coaches downplayed its significance.
“Obviously, the fact that Ime is back, that’s great,” Mazzulla said. “We worked together, and guys on the staff, but I don’t think that really has anything to do with winning or losing.”
There’s more from Boston:
- Some Celtics players complained last season that they were kept in the dark about the reasons for Udoka’s suspension and dismissal, but Udoka contends that’s not accurate, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. Udoka told reporters he was “upfront” with his players and explained the situation to some of them. “I would say they lied to [the media],” Udoka said. “They knew, some of them knew and, you know, obviously I could talk to them and they wouldn’t share stuff publicly. So, who needed to know, knew.”
- Jayson Tatum got ejected early in the fourth quarter tonight even though the Celtics had a huge lead at the time, per Souichi Terada of MassLive. Tatum was angry after not getting a foul call on a dunk attempt. “At some point throughout the course of the night, you’ve got to stand up for yourself,” he explained. “It’s not an every game thing or every night, but I’m not perfect. I’m going to get techs throughout every season. Tonight I just had to kind of let him know how I felt and that was that. I wasn’t holding no grudge or anything after the game. I wasn’t kicking (expletive) over in the locker room. I’m not holding no grudge. It happened, we move on, and we get ready for the next one.”
- Luke Kornet is in front of Neemias Queta on the depth chart because Mazzulla has more trust in Kornet’s defense, Brian Robb of MassLive states in a mailbag column.
Kornet is a solid big. A real center who knows how to play his position. Solid backup.
Celtics got spanked by Bucks. They better remember that. Still see them as top two teams.
Udoka did it to himself. So stop with the job not finished. You finished yourself lol.
What did he do to himself? Have a consensual relationship? Oh no!!!
Yeah. Corporations usually suspend, start investigations and then cancel long term contracts because of “consensual relationships.”
Seriously? He was accused of harassing the woman he had this so called consensual relationship…
Either way, whatever he did, his consensual relationship screwed the Celtics, the players and the organization…but yeah, no hard feelings…
He wasn’t accused of harassment, that was a fabricated narrative.
Also, it’s cool corporations may usually suspend people for consensual relationships, the problem is when they do, both parties meet the same fate. Yet, that wasn’t the case here.
So per the facts, this was obviously a personal reason most likely Brad wass butthurt that Udoka showed him up as a coach
His wife might not care enough he did this. Obviously the Celtics did. No leader of young men should be flaunting relationships with women. Especially married men. Only speaks to his morals. Doesn’t even have the respect to hide it. From team or the organization.
Fabricated narrative? it doesn’t matter what screen name you chose Curtis blows you never use any facts nor are you rooted in any kind of reality
Celtics could have had Alperin Sengun. But traded him for Horford. What a great move
Stuff like this is so dumb. What if the Spurs picked Sengun instead of Primo? Then would it have been a good move for the Celtics to make that trade? One can play games like this all day, but smart people don’t.
But they didn’t so your point is mute and completely irrelevant
I think you mean “moot” you big genius you.
And yes, my example was supposed to be irrelevant.
Keep trying, you’ll figure it out.
Hahaha. Then why are you even speaking if you’re not even going to be relevant?
You know someone is completely useless when their only argument is to correct grammar on a basketball site. Haha
That isn’t “grammar” I corrected. You used the wrong word. You aren’t smart enough to know the difference between “moot” and “mute.” They’re two different words, look them up. Learn something. You’re welcome.
My irrelevant example was to show you that your example was also irrelevant, But you can’t even figure that out.
Are you really this dumb? This is like going back and forth with a child.
Haha,
Dude thinks not knowing the meaning of a word is grammar!
See the issue your having is thinking youre saying something.
My point was highly relevant. If they had Senguin they wouldn’t need to rely so much on bums like Kornet and Horford. And I pointed at the mistake they made on traded him for Horford. Everything I spoke on was a legit criticism because it was based on decisions made that were in complete control of the Celtics.
You’re speaking on something that just purely isn’t even real. Which therefore is completely irrelevant and pointless
Secretly you know this which I was your only argument again is either grammar or vocabulary. You have absolutely no relevance in your arguments that pertain to basketball on a basketball site. Again this is proven by your constant irrelevance.
Thanks for playing, better luck next time
Since when are Kornet and Horford bums? And for the record, the Celtics don’t rely all that much on either, but both of them are up to the task, when called upon. Yes, I’m a little annoyed that Horford has to sit out every single back end, of a back to back, for the entire season, but that’s a coaching decision, not Al’s. At 37, he’s still a valuable player, and he does much more than score. He always contributes in various ways. If Kornet needed to score more, believe me, he could. He’s a solid third center, much like Greg Kite was to the mid 80s, Boston Celtics.
The Rockets traded two heavily protected first-round picks owned by the Pistons and Wizards for Sengun. The pick from the Pistons was top 16 protected in 2022 and top 18 protected in 2023, so it hasn’t yet been conveyed.Dec 6, 2023
So how did Celtics do this exactly ????
Doesn’t care about ball. And doesn’t know ball.
And Desmond Bane too
See Above.
29 other teams could have picked Desmond Bane before Boston did. Is Toronto smart for picking Malachi Flynn instead of Bane?
Same dumb exercise.
Right, and they trade Grant Williams for him, hahaha.
And to add they could have had SGA of they didn’t trade that pick for Kyrie
Ahh, i Just realized you’re DoD tough guy, Kurtis Blow.
No one else could be that dumb. Later.
Yeah, there’s only one person that idiotic. Looks like he’s trying out a new screen name.
Uh oh, looks like my fan club is back. I knew you couldn’t resist!!!
They could have but they didn’t. What’s your point? The team seems to be doing pretty well this year. Championships are won on the court, not on paper.
Well when they win a championship let me know
Wouldn’t you already know if you watch basketball? Lol
“[I] formed a lot of relationships within a year […]”
Can’t argue with that.
Celtics need more offensive rebounding! Once again we had just 1 offensive rebound in the first half. I’ve seen the same in numerous games. Our starters shoot threes and then retreat back on D so we live & die with the three. Happily we made 24 threes last night and won easily. I see offensive boarding by our starters, especially in first halves, as a big weakness. Go Celtics!
Ur never going to get a lot of ORB when everyone is behind the 3 point line that’s y their ORB is trash they don’t play in the box it’s the system not the players
Yeah that’s sort of a strange request. I’m not sure any team ever tries to find “offensive rebounding.” It’s sort of like a bonus from players and really hinges upon effort.
You hunt for offense and shooting and defense and defensive rebounding but offensive rebounding isn’t really something you can trade for or draft for.
The guy does it or he doesn’t, but he’s got to have the other five things first. Hope this makes sense.
Thinking about this a little further, who really was great on the offensive glass in the nba?
I can think of Enos Kanter and Dennis Rodman and way back going to Moses Malone. Perhaps Kenneth Faried?
So again either a guy does it or he doesn’t. I’m not sure you can look for a guy who boards on offense? Correct me if I’m wrong.
Malone, Rodman, Drummond, Barkley and Larry Smith top 5 all time
link to statmuse.com
You forgot about Spud Webb. Probably 2nd, behind only Rodman! :D
Stevens has already signed two offensive rebounders. Brissett crashes the boards and Queta, already there, has two or three extra jumps in him. Just saying these two should play more in games we’re cold from three.
Celtics are 7th in offense rebounding. And lead the NBA in rebounding. Rebounding helps you control and manage gm. It’s the tough gms you have to show up for.
link to nba.com
Thanks for the link.
Celtics need a better coach!
Why? Coach Joe seems to be doing everything just about perfectly. 30-9.
Well for one, he’s a woman beater. Two he’s just riding the ground work Udoka created for him
Wow ur a clown that happened in 09 and absolutely nothing has happened since and no one knows the truth of what truly happened people make mistakes
Like you’ve never done a damn thing wrong in ur life I’m sure you stole a candy bar as a kid so let’s call u a thief for the rest of ur life
Haha what? You really trying to comparing choking a woman to stealing a candy bar? Wtf?
If he is riding the ground work how come he just smacked Udoka around? Shouldn’t Udoka know all their plays and how to defend them? Maybe Udoka was just taking credit for Joe’s work as an assistant? Ever think of that, hot shot?
No because logic would tell you that’s not the case. If it was all about Joe in the first place then they would have got to the finals last year but they did not. They only got to the finals when Udoka was there. It’s pretty simple. Celtics with Udoka=Finals. Celtics without Udoka, before and after=no finals
Well logic would say if he was riding Udoka’s work they would be worse this season, since a year has passed without him. But they seem like they’re doing better? Can you explain it for me I don’t follow…
Funny how quiet it got lol
They got further than the finals this year? Damn
The playoffs don’t happen until the regular season is over…you seem really confused lol Someone needs a good night’s sleep I think. Maybe a smoothie with some vitamins.