Everybody loves everybody in training camp. The minutes are still available, the losses haven’t piled up, and nobody has spent a fourth quarter wondering why he’s glued to the bench.
Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has been around long enough to know the real test comes later. He put it better than just about anyone could during the team’s camp in Charleston, S.C., via Noa Dalzell of CelticsBlog:
“Every team you lead is the most together team right now,” Mazzulla said. “Because we haven’t traveled. No one’s gotten benched. No one’s been on a losing streak. No one’s gotten blamed in the media. No one’s had to go stand in the corner for 10 minutes and not get the ball.
“So, you learn those things as the season goes on, and you just learn how to work through those things together. And you can’t simulate those. It just comes with time. And so, right now I would say all 30 teams feel great about themselves, and we got to wait till adversity hits.
“And adversity is even a strong word. There’s nothing really adverse about playing in the NBA. But we got to wait until stuff doesn’t go your way, and then you got to figure out who we are and how we’re going to be at our best.”
That’s an unusually honest assessment of October basketball. Every coach wants a close team. Every player says he’s willing to sacrifice. Then the games count, the rotation shrinks and somebody who expected 25 minutes gets 10.
Mazzulla can bring the Celtics together in Charleston. Whether they stay that way when things get uncomfortable is a question only the season can answer. Same goes for everyone.
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