BOSTON, MA – Boston Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla was named the NBA Eastern Conference Coach of the Month for games played in December, the league announced today. Mazzulla earns his second career monthly honor and is tied for the third most Coach of the Month awards in franchise history, behind Doc Rivers (6) and Brad Stevens (3).
The Celtics posted the best overall record in the league with a 12-2 mark while their .857 winning percentage ranks seventh in franchise history for the month of December and the highest since 2007-08 (.929). The C’s also owned the best winning percentage against .500 or better opponents with an 8-1 record (.889).
The Celtics’ 126.5 points per game ranked second in the NBA after the Bucks (131.5), and ranked fourth in NBA history for the highest December scoring average, behind the Atlanta Hawks in 2020-21 and Baltimore Bullets in 1965-66. Boston averaged the most three-pointers in the NBA with 16.6 makes per game behind the sixth-best three-point shooting percentage (39.2) and ranked third in effective field goal percentage (58.6).
The Celtics led the league in defensive rebounds (35.4) and also ranked second in blocks per game (7.1), rebounds (47.6), plus/minus (11.7), offensive rating (125.9), and net rating (11.2). The team held their opponents to 47.1 points in the paint, which stands as the fourth-lowest mark in the league.
The Celtics scored more than 125 points in four straight road games for the first time in franchise history during their California road trip from Dec. 19-25, including wins over the Kings (144-119), Clippers (145-108), and Lakers (126-115). Boston scored 144+ points in consecutive games for the first time in franchise history and became one of only three teams in NBA history to accomplish that feat on the road. Boston scored at least 920 total points over a seven-game span for the first time since 1962.