Cedric Maxwell Shares Emotional Talk That Moved Joe Mazzulla to Tears
Two-time Celtics champion and radio broadcaster Cedric Maxwell shares an emotional conversation he recently had with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla
Celtics radio and podcast commentator Cedric Maxwell — the 1981 Finals MVP who helped Boston raise two (1981, 1984) of the 17 championship banners hanging above the parquet at TD Garden — shared the first conversation he had with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla.
In an upcoming episode of the Cedric Maxwell Podcast, Maxwell, whose No. 31 is one of 23 jerseys retired by the franchise, will tell co-host Josue Pavon about a revealing conversation with the second-year head coach.
According to Cedric, the talk started when Mazzulla approached him at a recent team event.
“He stopped in front of me and said, “Max, what number were you? Which championships did you win?” I said ‘81 and ‘84,” Maxwell said on the Cedric Maxwell Podcast. “He said, “You were Finals MVP,” and that’s the first time I ever really talked to Joe.”
According to Max, while sticking to the topic of winning championships in Boston, Mazzulla turned emotional.
“He said, “I really admire you,” and I said, ‘I like you, too,’ and that’s when he started talking about the pressure,” Maxwell added. “It was so crazy. Josue, the man, literally seemed like he had tears in his eyes, saying, “I would do anything to bring a championship banner here,” and I’m just hoping and praying that he does because he deserves it; the team deserves it.”
And the Celtics’ head coach says he’s ready for anyone standing in the way of a title.
According to Maxwell, “I don’t care who I have to kill,” Mazzulla quipped. This is the kind of talk that excites the two-time Celtics champion. He believes that barring significant injuries, the 2024 championship should be heading to Boston by the end of this year’s Finals.
Maxwell: Can Celtics Overcome Tremendous ‘Pressure’ as NBA Title Favorites?
The Celtics lead the Eastern Conference by 10 games and have held the NBA’s best record for months. But being the best comes with lofty expectations and extraordinary pressure, which Maxwell, the two-time champion, can certainly attest to while hoping nothing else comes in the way.
“If this team stays healthy—just stays healthy. I just want them to be healthy in the playoffs and see exactly what they can do, and just try not to feel the pressure because the pressure — I don’t care who it is — pressure busts pipes,” Maxwell said. This team has a tremendous amount of pressure on them because they have set themselves up for failure because they have been so good.”
The Celtics will host the Milwaukee Bucks at TD Garden on Wednesday, March 20, before embarking on a six-game road trip that includes stops in Chicago for a matchup against the Bulls, Atlanta for two games against the Hawks, the Pelicans in New Orleans and starts in Detroit against the Pistons on Friday night.
To listen to the newest episode of the Cedric Maxwell Podcast, click here.