Pick 'n Pops: Joe Mazzulla's ultra-competetiveness, All-Star campaigns, and classic basketball

Every week I gather some thoughts about the Celtics, the NBA, and beyond and dump them here. Because I've got time on my hands now that I'm not morbidly following the Detroit Pistons anymore.

- Never ever forget that Joe Mazzulla is a maniac. Here’s me framing a question about facing elite rim protectors as Boston has had problems against them in the past. Joe had just mentioned Minnesota, so I referenced Rudy Gobert. They just played OKC, so I referenced Chet Holmgren. And now they're playing Utah, and I referenced Walker Kessler. 

Here’s his reaction. 

First of all, the reaction shot looking straight into the camera is perfect. 

Second of all, the man cannot resist trying to win something, no matter how trivial. 

Third, he got to a good answer, so it was worth it. 

And let me be clear, just in case anyone thinks this was a negative experience for me … it was not. I don’t care that he did that. I’ll take a million genuine coach moments like that over a straight canned answer. I don’t give a damn about three sentences about attacking rim protection when I get the kind of insight into the human being he is like that. 

- Congrats, by the way, on winning Coach of the Month, Joe. 

- All five Celtics starters are in the top 10 of Eastern Conference All-Star votes

Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown are locks. I’m still not sure anyone else gets in.

- Tyrese Haliburton is living off that In-Season Tournament bump. Does anyone think he gets 1.3 million votes without it? He certainly deserves every one of those votes, but there's no chance people even pay attention without the IST.

- Brad Stevens will not be calling anyone stumping for All-Star votes. 

“No. No one is watching more film than those 14 coaches and the video coordinators they're sitting in there with them making those decisions,” Stevens said. “I got some emails, I got some phone calls. I always kind of felt like that was like, ‘I know I watched this my whole life.’ So, (it was) a little desperate.”

No one wants to look desperate. 

And no, it’s not because a guy like Derrick White will be cheaper if he doesn’t make an All-Star team. His value is his value regardless. 

- Gordon Hayward said all the things we already knew about the 2019 team. They were never on the same page. Young guys had their agenda, Hayward had his, and Kyrie Irving had his. No one wanted to make the sacrifice. 

This year’s team is actually doing that. I think you can see the difference. 

- Lamar Stevens says he and Payton Pritchard have become “super close” friends. Between these two, and the Brown/Kristaps Porzingis bromance, this is a team full of fun odd couples. 

- Steve Kerr laid into Nikola Jokic flopping and flailing his way to a million free throws the last time Golden State and Denver played. So Jokic told him to go shove it this time around. 

Oh, and it was a 34 point, 9 rebound, 10 assist night for him. Let’s just give him the MVP now. In fact, let’s break into Joel Embiid’s house and take last year’s and give it to Jokic since the voters were so ridiculous in their reasoning last year. 

- Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Victor Wembanyama was a classic. 

This is going to be appointment television for a very long time. 

- Happy trails, Ricky Rubio. I still remember all the Rubio hype when people were wondering when he’d join the Minnesota Timberwolves. I hope he still plays back in Spain, more for the love of the game than anything. 

- Golden State and the LA Lakers are teetering around the 10th seed. Maybe this is just who they are?

- Of all teams to be fined for violating the player participation policy, it’s the Brooklyn Nets? Way to make an example out of them, NBA. 

- I’m tired of the Heat finding guys like Jaime Jaquez outside of the lottery. I expect them to draft Caitlin Clark and then she’d average 14 points and 5 assists per game. Especially if she’s hitting shots like this.

- You guys need to keep reading my stories so I can save up enough money to get the best tattoo ever. 

- This week’s AI generated image: A busy travel month for the Celtics

- Your current NBA Belt champion: The Utah Jazz

That's right … tonight’s game is a TITLE MATCH!! Should be all the motivation Boston needs for the win. 

- Here’s my latest podcast, if you’re bored