Joe Mazra doesn't worry about poor shooting performance; he values whether players are willing to learn and improve.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazra stated in an interview that it's inevitable for players to experience slumps, and he's not particularly worried about it. However, he would be concerned if players stopped actively learning and striving for improvement.

With goals from Paul George, Jayson Tatum, and Nemias Cueta, the Boston Celtics defeated the Milwaukee Bucks 117-97 in the 2026/27 NBA regular season.

Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazra said, "When a player stops walking into the gym, stops practicing his shots, stops spending extra time studying game film, stops being open to learning, and stops being willing to learn new things, that's what I need to worry about."

"Besides that, when a player stops asking the coach how the team can do better, or stops actively participating in games that require them to be ready to play at any time, that's when I really start to worry about that player. When I see a player going through a shooting slump, I don't lose sleep over it because I believe in their training and hard work all along, and I believe our coaching team can help them get out of that situation."

Reflecting on the Boston Celtics' comeback victory against the Milwaukee Bucks, Joe Mazra said, "We missed four layups, which resulted in eight points for the Bucks. We also had a few good two-on-one fast break opportunities, but we couldn't capitalize on them. The Bucks started very strongly, with Kyle Kuzma scoring 14 points in the first five minutes."

"We need to improve our sensitivity and judgment to the fluctuations in the pace of the game and the changes in the offensive strategies of both sides. We need to figure out whether these changes in offensive strategies are brought about by the intensity and fighting spirit of the game, or by problems in tactical execution, or by natural changes in the course of the game itself?"

Joe Mazra pointed out, "Every lineup combination is important. We need to continue to let players try different positions and take on different roles, and integrate them into different lineup combinations so that the whole team can continue to grow."

“Paul George has a great attitude. He is very willing to accept the coach’s guidance and always maintains an open learning mind. He is very strict with himself and sets high standards for himself. He is always watching game videos, taking notes in his notebook, and constantly thinking about and analyzing various situations in the game.”

"He is a very intelligent player who can understand and analyze the situation on the field in real time during the game, and it just takes a little time."

Image source: Internet