Boston Celtics’ winning run in NBA Finals fuelled by Joe Mazzulla feeding team a steady diet of UFC chokehold videos
The Boston Celtics and UFC go perfectly together.
Technically, the Celtics play basketball and UFC competes in an entirely different sports world filled with hard kicks, harder punches and a punishing Octagon.
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But as Boston attempts to sweep the Dallas Mavericks in the NBA Finals and pull off a feat that not even Larry Bird achieved, the Celtics are relying on an intense combat sport for athletic inspiration.
"If you've ever been in a fight with someone and you think you're about to beat them, you usually get sucker punched," Boston coach Joe Mazzulla said before Game 3.
The Mavs almost sucker-punched the Celtics in Dallas on Wednesday.
But Mazzulla's team closed the right way, grabbing a tough 106-99 win to move within one victory of a world championship.
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Game 2 was also tense, with Boston holding on for a 105-98 win.
To prepare his team for what's coming in the Finals -- and make amends for past playoff letdowns -- Mazzulla has been cueing up UFC fight videos.
He's a big fan of the sport and always has a fight reference ready to go when the Celtics need to be reminded of a life or sports lesson.
"The closer you think you're gonna submit someone is usually when you get submitted," Mazzulla said.
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When the Celtics were working their way toward the Finals, UFC gave Boston's coach a proud public nod.
"Sending a special shoutout and good luck to huge UFC fan Coach Joe Mazzulla and the @Celtics in game one of the ECF tonight!" UFC posted on Instagram.
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Mazzulla said there are "a lot" of fights that he sends his team's way and sometimes it's "every single fight."
He specifically referred to UFC 302, which featured Islam Makhachev vs Dustin Poirier and Sean Strickland against Paulo Costa.
"I think it was 302, guy gets hit in the nuts," Mazzulla said. "Complains to the referee and he gets distracted, and then he gets choked out in the the next round, so he lost his focus.
"You see Panetta gets hit in the nuts, looks at the referee and knocks the guy out five seconds later.
"It's the approach to what happens to you and how you handle it. But the closer you think you are to beating someone, the closer you are to getting your ass kicked in."
Boston has owned the hardwood for three games vs the Mavs.
With one more tough win, the championship belt will belong to Mazzulla and his relentless Celtics.
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