NBA Notebook: Joe Mazzulla and Marcus Smart bond over martial arts training

When Marcus Smart heard his new assistant coach practiced jiu-jitsu, he wanted to test him. Joe Mazzulla, who joined Brad Stevens' staff in 2019-20, hadn't let any Celtics players know about his background in martial arts. Smart wasn't sure if the person who tipped him off told him the truth, so he attempted a sneak attack on Mazzulla. 

"He's just quiet doing his business and somebody kind of mentions it and so I went up and asked him that, and he's like, 'yeah,'" Smart told Boston Sports Journal. "I explained to him that I took Muay Thai, so then I go in to try to grapple him just to see if he's for real, and all of sudden he comes back and we're grappling, he's grappling and then we realized this is fun, and it just brought us even closer, because now we have something in common."

Mazzulla began martial arts as a child and returned to jiu-jitsu during his head coaching tenure at Division-II Fairmont State, embracing the spiritual side of the fighting style and allowing himself to learn from his sensai when he wasn't coaching students. Smart spoke to James Johnson, who has a black belt in Karate, early in his career about his mixed martial arts hobby off the basketball court. Josh Ketroser, Smart's agent, eventually connected him with Steve Trager, who trained his other client Kris Humphries in martial arts and performed beach workouts with the players early in Smart's career. 

Smart and Trager began practicing Muay Thai one-on-one during the 2015-16 season, a fighting style from Thailand that involves fists, elbows, knees, shins and clinching techniques. The training's brutality exceeded Smart's expectations. He hoped to gain knowledge of his body and its capabilities, and get in better shape. Instead, as he began juggling basketball and Trager's class, he arrived late to the second session and received a punishment. 

"I'm sorry," Smart said. 

"I'm not trying to hear none of that," he recalled Trager saying. "This is what I need you to do. I need you to put both of your arms above your head. This is what happens when my students are late." 

Bam! Trager fired a kick to Smart's right side. 

Bam! Another kick to the left as Smart quivered. 

Trager delivered 10 kicks to each side of the guard's abdomen. Smart didn't arrive late again. 

Muay Thai allowed Smart core strength aimed toward body control, which allowed him to throw his body around on the floor more while avoiding injuries. He developed a stronger base that prepared him to defend larger players like Paul Millsap that postseason. He's starting this year playing the five more than he ever has in his career under Mazzulla. 

Mentally, Smart's training focused on overcoming adversity, pain and struggle to find balance, understanding when to attack in self defense and when to remain calm. Smart, who fought others three times per week at one point during a tumultuous childhood, developed the mindset he wouldn't do so anymore unless necessarily. He said that he could've cracked Joel Embiid's head open during a scuffle on the first night of the season, but chose not to. 

Smart's training emphasized bringing the fight to an opponent before they can threaten you, finding ways to utilize their leverage against themselves. Mazzulla saw some of Smart's tangible basketball skills developed through martial arts too. 

"We tried to put each other in a chokehold and see who won," Mazzulla told BSJ, recalling his first martial arts conversation with Smart. "I'm just kidding. We talk about how it relates to the game. Angles, footwork, hand combat. How that can be translated to the game of basketball physically, and then how can we handle situations when they don't go our way on and off the court? (Smart) and I love talking about that. His angles defensively, his strong base and then his footwork and how he's able to just maneuver in different situations, and again, his hands. He has great hands and I think (Muay Thai) plays into it." 

Jiu-jitsu, a Japanese fighting style, focuses on grappling and katas, different offensive and defensive techniques in close combat. Mazzulla benefited from the spiritual and mental aspects of the training, like Smart, controlling his emotions, grounding himself and learning to not overreact to situations. He's rarely changed expressions or wavered emotionally on the sideline since becoming interim head coach. 

That shared experience developed a strong relationship between Smart and Mazzulla, also fellow point guards, that gave the guard confidence in the third-year assistant assuming an interim role following Ime Udoka's suspension. Despite lingering confusion Smart and Jaylen Brown shared with the Boston Globe regarding Udoka's reported departure from the Celtics to assume head coaching duties in Brooklyn, Smart added the caveat that he loves Mazzulla. 

Mazzulla told BSJ on Friday he will retain his interim status for now despite reports of Udoka's departure. Other players like Al Horford, who wasn't as familiar with Mazzulla prior to this season after arriving last summer, grew impressed with him in training camp. Mazzulla tries to find ways to bond with each player off the floor and find out what's important to them beyond basketball. 

Smart learned more moves with each passing day after his late arrival and started having fun with Muay Thai. He grew more confident, unlocking physical capabilities he didn't know he had. The fighting also grew intense, and when Smart developed a toe injury during the 2017-18 season, he decided he needed to end the formal training. 

Smart still practices some Muay Thai on his own, and while Mazzulla also stopped attending sessions when he began his professional coaching career, he hopes to find a dojo in Boston where he can continue his training once he masters NBA coaching. Mazzulla already owns a black belt. 

"Where most guys would get injured, it's probably a knick or knack for me and I'm playing again and I'm able to go out there and throw my body around for even longer," Smart said. "It definitely helps me in basketball in many ways, power, the confidence to understand the balance and stability that I have compared to somebody else and what I can do. It was tough to have to stop."

Here's what else happened around the NBA this week

Atlanta (5-3): Overcame a 23-point deficit to beat the Knicks in New York behind 36 points and nine assists from Dejounte Murray after a major 30-point setback in Toronto. Trae Young and Murray have proven to be one of the more dynamic guard duos when Young commits to play off-ball. He turned the ball over 10 times while the Hawks allowed 139 points to the Raptors, falling to 20th in defense. Murray's arrival raised their offense ceiling, but despite his individual ability to force steals, Atlanta remains in the bottom half of the league in forced turnovers. They're better, but not special yet and await Bogdan Bogdanovic's (knee) return, who's still limited to shooting in practice and hasn't played this season following summer surgery. 

Boston (5-3): Bounced back from another overtime loss to the Cavaliers where Jayson Tatum tied the game with a last-second dunk, scored 26 points, grabbed 12 rebounds and served six assists while blocking three shots. Tatum posted 36 points, 12 rebounds and six assists in Friday's win over the Bulls, stopping Chicago's comeback with a last-minute offensive rebound and a career-high 20 free throw attempts. His 247 points so far broke Larry Bird's Celtics record for scoring through eight games. 

The Celtics expect to release suspended head coach Ime Udoka from his contract to become Brooklyn's head coach without seeking compensation they could've acquired in the form of draft picks. Marcus Smart and Jaylen Brown expressed some confusion over Udoka's impending departure to the Boston Globe, returning a sidelined story of frustration as Udoka prepares to compete against the Celtics with a Nets team they swept last postseason. 

Brooklyn (3-6): Fired Steve Nash after a 2-5 start and reportedly will hire his former assistant and current suspended Celtics head coach Ime Udoka to replace him. Nash finished 94-67 across three turbulent seasons that included playoff injuries to Kyrie Irving and James Harden in the second round of the 2021 playoffs, defensive issues, Irving's vaccine holdout and part time status in 2021-22, Harden's trade demand and Ben Simmons' inability to reach the court late last season. Kevin Durant said he didn't know Nash would be fired, but chalked it up to NBA business as usual. 

GM Sean Marks challenged his team's inability to show up early this season and brushed off "fuss" surrounding Irving's sharing of an antisemitic film on his Instagram account late last week. Irving didn't apologize in a joint statement with the Nets and Anti-Defamation League, leading Adam Silver to step in and assert he would meet with the guard. After another combative press conference where he refused to apologize and denied he could be anti-semitic due to his lineage, the Nets suspended Irving for at least five games until he meets certain criteria to return. Irving then apologized on Instagram. Nike announced on Friday it would suspend its partnership with Irving immediately. It wouldn't be stunning if this is the beginning of the end of this Nets era. 

Charlotte (3-6): Free agent Miles Bridges pleaded no contest to a felony domestic violence charge in Los Angeles and received three years of probation without admitting guilt to allegedly assaulting his girlfriend in front of their two children. The district attorney dismissed charges of child abuse, enforcing a 10-year protective order against Bridges by the woman, along with counseling and community service, among other restrictions. Charlotte maintains its qualifying offer to sign Bridges, but neither they nor the NBA commented on his plea. He can be suspended under the NBA collective bargaining agreement, and it would begin upon joining a team. Charlotte lost to the Kings, Bulls and Grizzlies this week, finishing that stretch last in offense and 22nd in defense. Fortunately for them, LaMelo Ball (ankle), Terry Rozier (ankle) and Cody Martin (quad) all appear ready to return soon. 

Chicago (5-5): Competed throughout against Philadelphia and Boston this week while beating the Nets and Hornets as this group looks capable of making the playoffs. Billy Donovan expressed optimism Lonzo Ball (knee) will play at some point this season as he improves to running on the treadmill and in the pool. They lost Andre Drummond (shoulder) and Coby White (quad) to painful injuries, but Drummond avoided fear of a labrum tear in the team's win. He could still miss significant time as he struggles to raise his left arm over his head, sat for the fourth straight game. DeMar DeRozan scored 46 points, pulling the Bulls from down by 14 points in the fourth quarter to within two with one minute left, but couldn't finish the comeback as the Celtics avenged their loss in Chicago from last week. Zach LaVine, who battled knee soreness early this season, struggled playing his third game in four days. 

“Obviously, I’m not all the way back yet," he said. "I feel that. I’m not going to lie. But it’s coming. I’m not scared or anything like that. It’s seven games in. I feel fine."

Cleveland (7-1): Beat the Pistons behind 43 points from Jarrett Allen and Kevin Love as Donovan Mitchell and Darius Garland sat following the duo's first full night of action together in an overtime win over the Celtics. The Cavaliers beat Boston again as Garland returned from a five-game absence with a cut inside his eyelid to score 29 points with 12 assists while Mitchell added 25 and six. Mitchell is averaging 31.1 PPG and 7.1 APG on 48.1% shooting while fitting in on the league's No. 2 defense. They also rank No. 6 in offense and look early on like a legitimate Finals contender if a wing emerges. Caris LeVert's uneven start, despite 14.8 PPG start, was heavily reliant on a 45.5% start to the season from three. He's shooting only 36.1% from the field. 

Dallas (5-3): Everything goes through Luka Doncic, only the second NBA player alongside Wilt Chamberlain to start a season with eight straight 30-point games. He'll have some work to do to match Chamberlain's 23-game record, and that may not be in the Mavericks' best interest. Doncic became the first player ever to post 250 points, 60 rebounds and 60 assists through his first seven games, signaling both an astounding ability for him to shoulder all of Dallas' offensive burden and a need for the Mavs to diversify on offense. He entered Friday with a 40.5 usage percentage and topped the Raptors, 111-110, with 35 points, eight rebounds and six assists on 10-for-15 shooting as the Mavs won their third straight game. 

Detroit (2-8): Extended Bojan Bogdanovic, who they acquired late in the offseason from the Jazz, to a two-year, $39.1 million deal beyond this season. Bogdanovic had been set to enter free agency next summer after starting this year averaging 20.2 PPG on 48.6% three-point shooting. The Pistons lost both games of a mini series to the Bucks, despite strong showings from Bogdanovic and Cade Cunningham in the 110-108 loss. They're overly reliant on Cunningham for offense through a 27th-ranked start on that end, and they're also still last in defense. They need to see more overall growth here. 

Golden State (3-7): Lost all five games on their early season east coast swing, including to the struggling Pistons, Heat and Magic in succession before resting all their key starters against New Orleans on Friday. Only the Pistons have defended worse than the Warriors through a dreadful start to the season for Golden State, partially awaiting acclamation from young players like James Wiseman and partially just not locked in after their championship run. The Warriors' starters have outscored their opponents by 24.1 points per 100 possessions, the best lineup in basketball, but the bench combinations have struggled to match a small percentage of that production. 

"We've had nine games now, so we've had a decent look at combinations," Steve Kerr said. "It's time to try something different. Everybody's gonna get a chance to play. We've got guys who are dying to get on the floor, and we've got to find combinations that play. We will look at that as a staff."

Indiana (4-5): Solid showings from Myles Turner and Buddy Hield early this season won't save their standing in Indiana, according to Scott Agness of Fieldhouse Files, who sees the duo long connected to the Lakers as likely to finish the season elsewhere. Turner endorsed the Lakers' pursuit of him in an odd yet informative appearance on the Woj Podcast. Daniel Theis, who hasn't played yet, could also be moved while Jalen Smith should remain part of the core into the future after re-signing in free agency this past summer. Chris Duarte, another young centerpiece in Indiana who scored 30 points in the team's loss to Brooklyn this week, suffered a left ankle sprain in the first quarter of Friday's win over the Heat.

Clippers (5-4): Beat the Rockets twice and Spurs on Friday by fewer than 10 points despite 98 points and 13 three-pointers from Paul George in the wins. George's return to form came as Kawhi Leonard stayed back in LA with knee soreness that's limited his return from ACL surgery to three appearances, frustrating the star who's dealing with stiffness in that same right knee.

Lakers (2-6): Had some fun on Wednesday stealing a win from the Pelicans in overtime after Dyson Daniels missed a pair of game-icing free throws and former Celtics two-way guard Matt Ryan entered and caught a pass running to the corner with one second remaining to beat the buzzer and tie the game. The Lakers won despite a flu-plagued LeBron James performance, but allowed 130 points to the Jazz two nights later to derail their early season defensive progress. Russell Westbrook continues to perform off the bench and saw his overtime minutes limited in Wednesday's win as he's finding ways to do more with less in a new role. 

Memphis (6-3): Settled down defensively to beat the Blazers and Hornets while allowing fewer than 110 points to each after the Grizzlies began the season ranked 25th in defense. They miss Jaren Jackson Jr. (foot), who began 3-on-3 work and remains on track to return toward the end of 2022. They host the Celtics on Monday boasting the league's No. 4 offense and Ja Morant averaging 29.0 PPG, 5.0 RPG and 7.0 APG on 51% shooting (50% 3PT). 

Miami (4-6): Can't think of much good news out of Miami early this season, the latest bad signals stemming from a loss to the rebuilding Pacers and Victor Oladipo (knee) is reportedly nowhere close to making his season debut for the team he's struggled to make a comeback with. They stole a win from the Kings on a Tyler Herro game-winner the NBA later ruled he traveled on, but it counted as the Heat try to stay close to .500. He missed a similar look to close the Indiana loss, Herro increasingly Miami's hub on offense. 

Milwaukee (8-0): Smashed the Timberwolves to remain the league's lone unbeaten team behind Giannis Antetokounmpo's 26 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists on Friday. The win marked Milwaukee's best start in franchise history, and it's scary to think they could become better once Khris Middleton and Joe Ingles return. They're the No. 1 offense by far, but rank only 17th in offense. Middleton (wrist) practiced with the G-League's Wisconsin Herd and could use multiple sessions with them with the Bucks limited in practice time before the star returns from offseason surgery. Pat Connaughton (calf) also remains out, though is approaching the three-week timetable initially laid out for his return. 

Minnesota (4-5): Shooting plagues their offense as Anthony Edwards complained about spacing and double big lineups haven't led to the same dynamic offense we saw from the Timberwolves on opening night against the Thunder. Milwaukee's drop defense watched the Wolves shoot 11-for-41 from three in Friday's loss and fall to 28th in three-point efficiency (31.8%). Karl-Anthony Towns and Kyle Anderson both exited the loss liking steps the offense made to produce quality looks, but Towns himself is shooting 35.1% from three since transitioning to a perimeter role. Not good enough. Neither was the starting lineup in losses to San Antonio and Phoenix to begin the week. Edwards acknowledged they didn't pull their weight in the Suns game. 

New Orleans (5-3): LeBron James lauded Zion Williamson's ability to carry expectations and the shape he built over the offseason to begin this year averaging 21.7 PPG on 51% shooting. He scored 27 points with seven assists in the Pelicans' loss to the Lakers, making James look little on certain contests, but missing a key pair of finishes that led New Orleans to lose a late lead and fall in overtime. Williamson bounced back, shooting 7-for-11 in a win over the depleted, resting Warriors at the end of their road trip. Top-10 offensive and defensive rankings, with Williamson (hip) missing time look encouraging on paper, but the context of some of their early wins and losses don't hold up as well. It's hard not to love what Trey Murphy III is doing entering year three though, shooting 47.8% from three on high volume and shaking off Anthony Davis on a post reverse. 

New York (4-4): Snuck back to .500 against the injured 76ers after falling badly to the east's best teams so far in Milwaukee, Cleveland and Atlanta. They'll host another one of the conference elite, the Celtics, with both teams entering Saturday on a back-to-back. The Knicks score and give up 110 points per 100 possession for a net-0. They're perfectly average, which is a cut above last season while developing their youth. Quentin Grimes (foot) started Friday's win over Evan Fournier, Grimes' second game back from injury, while Cam Reddish continued his ascent from limited minutes last year to lead a comeback win with 11 points on 4-for-4 shooting. Mitchell Robinson left the game with a sore right knee late and did not return. 

Oklahoma City (4-4): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander keeps proving he's ready, dropping 109 points in three games this week that capped and ended a four-game Thunder win streak. He's averaging 32.3 PPG without a steady three-point shot (31.8%), finishing 54.5% of his shots overall from the field while adding 6.3 APG. Gilgeous-Alexander edged out Luka Doncic in overtime to end last week and Aaron Gordon needed 27 points to help Denver escape Oklahoma City with a win. The Thunder rank No. 6 in defense thanks to Lu Dort, Aaron Wiggins, Tre Mann and a mix of power forwards. Two meetings with the undefeated Bucks loom this week, starting on Saturday in Milwaukee. 

Orlando (2-7): Bol Bol earned a starting role amid the Magic's influx of injuries and is now averaging 10.3 PPG, 7.2 RPG and 2.6 BPG on 65.5% shooting. Jalen Suggs showed promise again in only his fourth game this season, scoring 26 points and compiling nine assists and four steals on 9-for-17 shooting. The Magic beat the Warriors, 130-129, despite Steph Curry and Klay Thompson combining for 66 points. 

Philadelphia (4-6): James Harden will miss approximately one month with a right foot tendon strain, a loss coming at the worst time for an underperforming 76ers team. Doc Rivers said on Friday the injury is less severe than originally thought, while Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris combined to score 54 points in a 106-104 loss to the Knicks after. Harden and Joel Embiid's absences could also buy Rivers some time to establish some defensive principles that had been lost on his 19th-ranked unit. Embiid missed a third straight game with a non-COVID illness and had reportedly been suffering from plantar fasciitis early this season.

Phoenix (6-2): Cam Johnson (knee) left the Suns' 108-106 loss to the Blazers after only playing five minutes on a night where Deandre Ayton (ankle) returned from a two-game absence. Phoenix keeps winning and posting elite performances on both ends of the floor, now ranking No. 1 in offense and No. 4 in defense, overwhelming three of the west's potential top contenders during a five-game win streak in the Clippers, Pelicans and Warriors by an average margin of 19.7 points. Their net rating (+10.5) leads the western conference by four points per 100 possessions over west runner-up Dallas and Devin Booker is averaging 27.4 PPG and 5.4 APG on 48.8% shooting. Monty Williams had no update on Johnson after Friday's loss. 

Portland (6-2): Managed two wins in Damian Lillard's (calf) first three absences, showing their increased flexibility with Anfernee Simons and only narrowly losing the Grizzlies while Simons posted 31 points and eight assists. The 23-year-old is posting 22.0 PPG and 3.9 APG despite lower efficiency (43.7% FG) to begin this season. He sat Friday's win over Phoenix, led by Jerami Grant's 30 points, and Gary Payton II (abdominal) still hasn't played yet for a team stunningly ranked No. 8 in defense into Chauncey Billups' second season as head coach. They could be for real if Lillard stays healthy. 

Sacramento (2-5): Beat the Heat and Hornets before losing a rematch in Miami that Tyler Herro won at the buzzer on a three-pointer the NBA later indicated he traveled on. It's still a loss for a Kings team ranked 15th in offense and 21st in defense. Kevin Huerter is averaging a career-high 18.9 PPG on 50.6% shooting, while both De'Aaron Fox (54.8% FG) and rookie Keegan Murray (48.6% FG) have shot efficiently as this promising roster inches closer toward competitiveness. 

San Antonio (5-4): Dr. Hillary Cauthen, a former sports psychologist for the Spurs, accused recently-released San Antonio guard Josh Primo of exposing himself nine times in sessions in a lawsuit against the guard and the team. Cauthen joined the organization last September and reported Primo's behavior starting multiple times in January, and she accused the team of covering up the 19-year-old's misconduct. William J. Briggs II, Primo's lawyer, said Primo is receiving treatment for lifelong trauma following his release from the team and that his client never intentionally exposed himself. Cauthen also filed a criminal complaint against Primo, with the Bexar County Sheriff's Office opening a preliminary investigation. 

“I would only add that anybody that has observed the Spurs over a very long period of time knows that an accusation like this would be taken very seriously,” Gregg Popovich said. “I’m absolutely confident in the men and women on the managerial staff who deal and are dealing with this, did so purposefully, efficiently, promptly, and did it with the utmost care for everybody concerned–the accuser, the accused, people in the organization to make sure everyone still felt comfortable and safe.”

Toronto (5-4): Scored 139 points in back-to-back wins over the Hawks and Spurs with 31 points from Pascal Siakam before his 22-point triple-double on Wednesday. Fred VanVleet remains out with a back injury, missing his third straight game, but that's allowed Scottie Barnes to become the team's point forward on the way to an 11-point triple-double in Friday's loss to the Mavericks. Rookie Christian Koloko ascended to a starting role and the Raptors lead the league in fast-break offense, opening up the team's third-ranked offense. 

Utah (7-3): Former Celtics assistant coach Will Hardy is expanding beyond a hot start, knocking off the Grizzlies twice and dropping 130 points on the Lakers' sturdy defense. Lauri Markkanen continues his ascent toward most improved player status by averaging 22.2 PPG, 9.4 RPG and 2.4 APG on 51.5% shooting, even while struggling from three (29.9%). Kelly Olynyk (56.1% FG) is shining after an injury-riddled 2022 in Detroit and offseason trade for Bojan Bogdanovic, while Utah ranks No. 8 in offense and No. 11 in defense. Will Danny Ainge ride this wave out, or disband the roster further? 

Washington (3-4): Blasted at home by Brooklyn, 128-86, and have dropped 4-of-5 to Indiana, Philadelphia, Boston and the Nets with a lone recent win over the injured Sixers. They rank 28th in net rating and Deni Avdija moved to the bench in favor of unsung forward Anthony Gill. Second-year guard Corey Kispert scored two points in 18 minutes returning from his ankle injury while rookie Johnny Davis is shooting 28.6% from the field. Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis started strong (41.8 PPG), but this roster might just not be good enough around them.