Joe Mazzulla tipped his cap to Patriots counterpart Mike Vrabel after New England punched its ticket to Super Bowl LX.
One day after the Patriots knocked off the Denver Broncos in the AFC Championship Game, Mazzulla was asked what stands out to him when he watches Vrabel’s Pats.
“I think when you just take a look at it, they’re a team that’s developed an identity over the course of the season,” the Celtics head coach said before Monday’s matchup with the Portland Trail Blazers at TD Garden. “And every coach, regardless of the sport, is looking for that — creating that type of identity and consistency, and playing to that throughout an entire season. I think they’re a great example of that this year.”
Mazzulla connected with Vrabel shortly after the latter was hired, inviting him to a Celtics practice at the Auerbach Center last February. Last summer, Mazzulla attended a Patriots training camp practice, as he did under previous head coaches Bill Belichick and Jerod Mayo.
“Joe is fantastic,” Vrabel said at the time. “I appreciate him, just from the time I got here, reaching out. We probably have different personalities, and I think that that’s probably the thing I appreciate the most about him. He’s always trying to learn and gain knowledge different ways — about building a team, about strategy, about scheme, about inspiring players to do their job well. So I always love my conversations with him.”
After a 1-2 start, the Patriots have lost just once since September, finishing the regular season with a 14-3 record before dispatching the Los Angeles Chargers, Houston Texans and Broncos in the playoffs. An important aspect of the “identity” Mazzulla mentioned: being “Road Warriors” away from Gillette Stadium. New England’s 9-0 road record this season was the best in NFL history.
Patriots owner Robert Kraft attended Monday’s Celtics game and received a rousing ovation from the Garden crowd. So, too, did Celtics owner Bill Chisholm when he was shown on the Jumbotron wearing an “I love Drake Maye shirt,” with the heart replaced by a shamrock.
The Patriots will face the NFC champion Seattle Seahawks on Feb. 8 at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
