Joe Mazzulla has helped the Celtics lead the Eastern Conference as interim head coach.
BOSTON (AP) — Boston Celtics interim coach Joe Mazzulla missed the game Tuesday night against the Houston Rockets because of eye irritation and was replaced on the bench by assistant Damon Stoudamire.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown combined for 77 points to lead the Celtics to a 126-102 victory over the Houston Rockets on Tuesday night.
Brown scored 14 of his 39 points in the third quarter, pouring it on after he was knocked to the parquet by a flagrant foul.
“Sometimes you get a smack in the face, it’s exactly what you need in the middle of a game,” Brown said. “Like, ‘Jaylen, what the hell are you doing?’ Smack in the face, then proceed to score the ball.”
Game Recap: Celtics 126, Rockets 102
Tatum added 38 points and eight rebounds, and Stoudamire earned a victory in his first game as a head coach after interim coach Joe Mazzulla pulled out 10 minutes before tipoff with an eye problem.
Mazzulla handled his interview on the pregame show, but was clearly uncomfortable.
“I found out probably with about 10 on the (pregame) clock. But in a lot of ways that’s better,” said Stoudamire, whose mother was in town from Las Vegas for Christmas and happened to be at the game. “I’m pretty sure I’m going to check my phone and there’s going to be a lot of people saying ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’ Well, I didn’t know.”
