Joe Mazzulla still wants his players available as often as possible.
He just isn’t going to pretend every body handles an NBA season the same way.
With the Celtics adding veterans such as Paul George and Mitchell Robinson, both of whom have dealt with significant injury issues in recent years, Mazzulla told Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe that Boston won’t make 82 games some sort of mandate.
“It’s not like we come in and tell guys they have to play 82 games or make that the standard,” Mazzulla said.
Instead, he said the Celtics trust the competitiveness of their players and expect them to make every reasonable effort to suit up.
“If guys can play they’re going to play,” Mazzulla said. “Even if they feel like they can’t, they’re going to still try the best they can to play.”
For Mazzulla, that willingness matters more than chasing a perfect attendance record.
“As long as we keep that standard of we do everything we can to put ourselves out there every single night, that to me is more important than anything else.”
Looking for the latest NBA Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow Hoops Wire on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NBA News and Rumors for all 30 teams!
