Joe Mazzulla is rarely one to accept praise, often deflecting it towards his staff and players. In fact, he famously told Derrick White, “Nobody cares,” after being congratulated on winning Coach of the Month. And what he has said now only reinforces the stance he has long held.

The 37-year-old has done an outstanding job leading Boston to the second seed in the East behind the Detroit Pistons with a 50-25 record. Ahead of tonight’s outing vs. the Atlanta Hawks, the NBA reporters asked him about his thoughts on winning Coach of the Year this campaign. And his response?

“It is a way to make sure that the staff and the players, you know, get the appreciation,” Mazzulla replied. “I don’t need it. I think it’s a stupid award. They shouldn’t have it.

“And it’s more about the players, and it’s more about the work that the staff puts in, and it’s just simple like that. I don’t ever want to be asked or talked about it again. It’s just that dumb. So the players play, it’s about them. Staff works their a– off. I’m grateful to have them.”

His response was swift and concise, ensuring that no one would ask him this question again. It also cements his position across the league and within the Boston Celtics organization, promoting the idea that no single individual is more important than the collective goal. In this case, that goal is an NBA championship.

The Boston Celtics first elevated Joe Mazzulla from ‘underdog’ assistant to interim head coach in 2022. It was seen as a stopgap move in the wake of sudden organizational turmoil. But the Rhode Island-native has slowly established himself as one of the most iconic figures in modern-day NBA, often compared to New England Patriots legend Bill Belichick.

While Mazzulla didn’t want to discuss his candidacy, what he has done for the Celtics rarely misses the spotlight. He has guided the Celtics to their fifth straight 50-win season despite an offseason overhaul. Atlanta Hawks coach Quin Snyder has nothing but appreciation for the job Mazzulla has done to lead the Celtics to second place in the Eastern Conference, saying he has done “a terrific job identifying where their strengths are — and they play to them.”

With Jayson Tatum out for a major chunk of the season, not many expected the Boston Celtics to be where they are in the Eastern Conference right now. But Jaylen Brown, Neemias Queta, Payton Pritchard, and Derrick White have all done their part to make up for his absence. Brown, in particular, has thrived under Joe Mazzulla’s tutelage, putting up career-best averages of 28.6 PPG, 5.2 APG, and 7.0 RPG across 65 games.

So, while the Coach of the Year winner won’t be announced until after the regular season is over, who are the other candidates that might win it?

Joe Mazzulla, J.B. Bickerstaff, and other potential COTY candidates

Thrust into the spotlight at just 34, Mazzulla responded by steering Boston to become one of the league’s most feared outfits, quickly shedding the “interim” tag as he proved he could manage stars, scrutiny, and sky‑high expectations. Since then, he’s quietly grown into one of the NBA’s most successful young coaches.

He led Tatum & Co. through deep playoff runs and a maiden NBA championship in 2024 while becoming a consistent fixture in Coach of the Year discussions. But this year, there’s another name that’s in the running for the accolade: Pistons HC J.B. Bickerstaff.

The 47-year-old has done a commendable job leading Detroit to the number one seed in the East. He’s elevated the game of Cade Cunningham and Jalen Duren, leading the Pistons to a 54-20 record as we approach the playoffs.

Another name doing the rounds is San Antonio Spurs HC Mitch Johnson. At 39, he stepped in to fill the legendary shoes of Gregg Popovich and has done a commendable job thus far. The Spurs are second in the West with a 57-18 record and remain firm contenders to win their first title with Johnson at the helm.

OKC’s Mark Daigneault and the Los Angeles Lakers’ JJ Redick remain in contention for their outstanding work. Redick, in particular, has managed to revive the likes of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and Deandre Ayton, thrusting LA to the third seed in the West against all odds.

With resumes like these, this season’s COTY race is less about finding a standout talent and more about choosing between very different kinds of excellence. Voters will ultimately be weighing narrative versus dominance: who did the most with the least, who transformed their team’s future, and whose fingerprints are clearest on their team’s identity.