Jayson Tatum’s girlfriend Ella Mai shares a snap rocking Mickey ears and square shades from Disneyland Paris trip

 

There are a lot of things for Jayson Tatum and his girlfriend Ella Mai to celebrate. The pair have a newborn child, Tatum is somewhat fresh from winning his first NBA Championship with the Boston Celtics and has also just won his second Olympic gold medal.

The past few months may have been quite hectic for Tatum and Ella Mai but they’ve finally found time to relax. In her latest Instagram Story, Ella Mai showed that she took a trip to Disneyland as a way to unwind.

In her story, she can be seen rocking the trademark Mickey Mouse ears and a pair of stylish glasses.

Ella Mai’s Instagram Story (Image via Ella Mai’s Instagram)

It is unclear if she is there with Jayson Tatum, but the pair have always remained lowkey in their relationship. So, he is unlikely going to make an appearance in Ella Mai’s posts if he was there.

The two appear to never have posted about each other on their official Instagram accounts, let alone officially confirm their relationship to the public. However, they have been seen together on multiple occasions.

Ella Mai, who is a Grammy Award winner, has been rumored to be dating the Celtics star since 2020. She was asked about these rumors in an interview but declined to comment.

The two were first spotted at an event in 2022, two years after the rumors about them began. Since then, fans have caught glimpses of them together, including in the 2024 Finals when Tatum won his first NBA title.

Ella Mai seen celebrating Olympic gold medal win with Jayson Tatum and family

The 2024 Paris Olympics ended in glory for the USA Men’s National Basketball team as it resulted in them bringing home their fifth straight and 17th overall gold medal. Since basketball became an Olympic sport, no other team has won more golds in the event.

Tatum, who played a key, yet somewhat controversial role in Team USA’s roster, celebrated the win with his family. He was seen posing with his son Deuce as well as Ella Mai, who also carried in her arms her newborn child with the Boston Celtics star.

Several fans were disappointed that Steve Kerr benched Jayson Tatum in a couple of games throughout Team USA’s run at the Olympics. In the team’s six games, Tatum was benched twice, both times against Serbia.

When he did step onto the court, the Celtics star played a sparkplug-type role, energizing the team’s offense off the bench. In the four games that he played, he averaged 5.3 points per game as well as an equal amount of rebounds.

His best game was in the group stage against Puerto Rico where he notched a double-double, consisting of 10 points and 10 rebounds.

Ex-Boston Celtics Teammate Sends Jayson Tatum Emotional Message

Jayson Tatum spent his summer with Team USA at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

After winning the 2024 NBA Championship over the Dallas Mavericks, Tatum also won his second career Gold medal two months later.

That said, he did not get a lot of playing time (and did not appear in two games).

After the Olympics, Tatum made a post to Instagram that had over 650,000 likes and 4,000 comments.

Tatum captioned his post: “”

Tatum is coming off another dominant season where he made his fifth straight NBA All-Star Game.

The former Duke star averaged 26.9 points, 8.1 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.0 steals per contest while shooting 47.1% from the field and 37.6% from the three-point range in 74 games.

As for Waters, he was the 51st pick in the 2019 NBA Draft and spent part of two seasons with Boston.

He most recently played in the NBA during the 2021-22 season with the Wizards and Raptors.

Watch: A’ja Wilson reveals secret handshake with Deuce Tatum from Team USA’s Olympic Game

 

A’ja Wilson led Team USA to another gold-medal-winning campaign in the Olympics. After winning her first gold in Tokyo three years ago, Wilson returned to get her second and the Americans’ eighth straight. The two-time WNBA champ capped off her summer by earning the tournament MVP award.

Wilson shared on Instagram several mementos of her time in Paris. She was at courtside with Snoop Dogg to support the men’s basketball team. The Las Vegas Aces franchise cornerstone also giddily posed for a photo beside Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian in history.

The IG post also contained one video clip that received heartwarming responses. A’ja Wilson shared a brief moment with Deuce Tatum, Jayson Tatum’s son, and exchanged a secret handshake.

Wilson and the younger Tatum might have worked on that handshake in Paris. The two unlikely had time to work on that smooth handshake before the Olympics. Wilson spends time with the Aces while Deuce’s father stars for the Boston Celtics in the NBA.

Despite the less-than-ideal time to work on their chemistry, A’ja Wilson and Deuce Tatum delivered. The exchange was good enough to make it to Wilson’s “favorites” from her “camera roll.”

Fans react to A’ja Wilson and Deuce Tatum’s secret handshake

A’ja Wilson had photos with A-listers such as Snoop Dogg, Michael Phelps and Katie Ledecky but the heartwarming reactions most involved Deuce Tatum. Zhuri James, LeBron James’ daughter, is also in the collection so it naturally got some comments. But, it was the handshake with Tatum’s son that got plenty of response.

“Not the cute handshake with deuceeeeeeeeeee”

Fans react to A’ja Wilson’s handshake with Deuce Tatum. [photo: @aja22wilson]

One fan described where the handshake with the younger Tatum ranked in the album:

“A Deuce secret handshake is top tier”

Another fan melted after seeing the clip:

“The Deuce handshake awwww”

Somebody included Zhuri James with Deuce Tatum in the reaction:

“Not you and Deuce having a handshake and nothing beats Queen Zhuri”

The 2024 Paris Olympics was likely more fun and memorable for A’ja Wilson as her time in Tokyo happened during the Covid-19 pandemic. She led Team USA to the gold, beating host 67-66 France in the thrilling championship game and won tournament MVP.

Basketball fans will be hoping Wilson wants to create more memories or more “favorites” from her “camera roll” ‘in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. The Americans will be raring to defend the gold in front of an adoring home crowd with her at the helm.

Jayson Tatum gets $1M gift from SoFi for grants to homebuyers in hometown

“I can only imagine how much this would have impacted myself and my mom growing up,” Tatum said of the gift establishing the SoFi Generational Wealth Fund at his foundation

Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Dec 25, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) reacts during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Jayson Tatum remembers how it felt when he first bought a home.

“It didn’t seem real,” said the Boston Celtics power forward, a five-time NBA All-Star set to start for the Eastern Conference in this year’s All-Star Game on Sunday.

Tatum told The Associated Press in an interview how he wants to help others in his hometown of St. Louis get that feeling themselves and buy their own homes. He said financial services company SoFi has given the Jayson Tatum Foundation $1 million to help do that.

The gift announced Tuesday will establish the SoFi Generational Wealth Fund at the foundation, which will grant funds to homebuyers to help with a down payment.

“I can’t stress enough how excited I am just knowing how many lives and the families that we can impact,” Tatum said. “And I can only imagine how much this would have impacted myself and my mom growing up.”

Celtics star Jayson Tatum was in Dorchester Wednesday to present a large donation of basketballs and training equipment for kids.
Tatum, 25, was raised by his mother, Brandy Cole-Barnes, who was 19 when he was born.

“Me and my mom, we didn’t know about investments or savings accounts when we were growing up. But obviously when I got to the NBA and started to make money, we had to ask questions and learn about things,” Tatum said. “And it was always important for me, even when I was younger. I just knew I wanted to give back and help people that looked like me and grew up like me.”

Established in 2017, the same year he was drafted by the Celtics, Tatum’s nonprofit hosts toy drives, back-to-school giveaways and basketball camps in St. Louis. It also offers scholarships to St. Louis high school students along with mentoring. The new fund is part of a program that will support single parents, an idea Tatum said he had for a long time and was waiting to find the right moment to launch.

“It’s about making sure you’re with the right people,” Tatum said of his philanthropic work, which he sees as being about a lot more than donating money.

“I always go back to St. Louis as much as I can, as often as I can, especially in the summertime,” Tatum said. “Just knowing the impact that I can have on my community by being there, by being present.”

SoFi will contribute the funds over three to five years and the foundation will determine how to select participants, who are not required to take out a mortgage through SoFi. However, SoFi will offer all participants access to financial advisory services and tools.

With his team leading the Eastern Conference and the All-Star Game on Sunday, Tatum said it seemed like the perfect time to draw attention to financial literacy and generational wealth.

“Buying a home is a significant milestone – representing stability, security, and investment – these are things we believe everyone deserves a chance at achieving on their financial journey,” said Anthony Noto, CEO of SoFi, in a statement. The company also announced a partnership with the NBA to be its official banking partner and is sponsoring the SoFi NBA Play-in Tournament in April.

Brandy Cole chats with Latoyia Edwards ahead of Mother’s Day, when her son, Jayson Tatum, and the Celtics will play in Game 7 against the 76ers.
Jason Belinkie, CEO of the nonprofit Athletes for Hope, which advises athletes who want to give back, said they suggest athletes start out by working with existing organizations to deepen their knowledge of community needs.

“Similar to visualizing their journey in their sport and going through these different steps to achieve their goals, they should think about their philanthropy in the same way,” Belinkie said.

Starting a new nonprofit has pitfalls that many athletes don’t anticipate, said Andrew Morton, an attorney and partner at Handler Thayer, who leads their sports and entertainment philanthropy practice. He advises athletes to work through a fiscal sponsor and said that even athletes without a huge platform or millions to donate can make a big difference if they align their goals with their reach.

“If you’re super well-known and have a huge platform, you should be addressing macro issues like social justice or homelessness or hunger,” Morton said. “If you’re a back-up left tackle, you should be raising money to put books in your hometown library or buy sports equipment for your high school.”

Tatum said part of his goal with this initiative is to change the narrative around his hometown.

“There are some really good people in St. Louis — people who are really trying to help change their life and their situation. And it’s tough,” Tatum said. “And nobody was ever successful on their own. We all somewhere along the way needed help or assistance by somebody that we knew or didn’t know.”

Death is an unavoidable part of life, yet many people believe that young children should be shielded from such sensitive topics. They worry that discussing death might confuse or hurt their young minds.

However, children sometimes face the harsh realities of life sooner than expected.

This was the case for a 5-year-old boy named Khayne Kheian Naelgas Castro from the Philippines, who lost his mother during the birth of his younger brother.

Tragically, the boy did not fully understand what death meant and thought his mother was simply asleep, leading to a heartbreaking scene where he fell asleep hugging her coffin.

According to the foreign media outlet Tribun Pekanbaru, Khayne’s mother passed away due to complications during the birth of his younger brother, Cyril Khayzer Castro. The family was left grieving the loss of a young mother and caring for two little boys.

But young Khayne could not grasp the finality of death. He spent much of his time quietly sitting by his mother’s coffin, looking down at her, waiting for her to wake up. He would occasionally lay his head on the coffin, his innocent heart still hopeful that his mother was only temporarily asleep.

The boy’s grandmother, who was there to witness the tender moments, shared the painful scene on Facebook, expressing her heartache.

“This child asked me, ‘Why can’t mommy sleep with me anymore?’” the grandmother wrote in her post.

Credit: Facebook/Marichu Gabriel.
She explained that she had no way to explain the concept of death to the little boy. Heartbroken, she could only watch as Khayne continued to carry a small stool to the coffin, climbing up to gaze sadly at his mother’s still face. He tried to hug her, unaware that she would never wake up again.

The images shared by the grandmother showed how deeply Khayne longed for his mother. In one particularly touching photo, the young boy is seen leaning against a chair next to the coffin, his small body appearing exhausted.

He even pushed several chairs together, made a makeshift bed, and lay down beside the coffin as if he could meet his mother in his dreams. His devotion and innocence were evident in his actions, making the scene even more heart-wrenching.
Credit: Facebook/Marichu Gabriel.
The photos quickly spread on social media, prompting an outpouring of sympathy from netizens around the world. Many were deeply moved by the boy’s sorrow and left encouraging messages under the grandmother’s post.

They hoped that Khayne and his family could find strength to cope with the devastating loss. Some people even offered financial assistance to help the family during such a difficult time.

The grandmother responded with deep gratitude, saying: “May God bless everyone, and please continue to pray for Cyril, who was just born. We hope he can grow up steadily and healthily after coming into our lives.”

This story, while deeply sorrowful, also shows the importance of supporting grieving families, especially young children who might not fully understand the concept of death.

Britney Spears Reunites with Son Jayden, 18, for the Holidays: ‘Best Christmas of My Life!!!’

The pop star previously reunited with her younger son last month, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday

Britney Spears is getting her only wish this year!

The 43-year-old pop star revealed in an Instagram post on Wednesday, Dec. 25 that she had “tears of joy” while celebrating Christmas with her younger son Jayden James, explaining that she hasn’t seen him in “two years.”

Britney Spears and son Jayden.Britney Spears/Instagram

Their sweet reunion was captured on video. In the clip, Jayden told the camera “hello” as he stood next to his mom, who introduced him to her followers by saying, “This is my baby.” The pop singer also placed a big kiss on his cheek.

The video then cut to show the mother-son pair in front of a Christmas tree, as Spears — in a red off-the-shoulder dress — wished fans a “Merry Christmas.”

The 18-year-old followed suit, saying, “Merry Christmas!” before the camera veered off to the right to show a fireplace.

“Best Christmas of my life !!!,” Spears captioned the post. “I haven’t seen my boys in 2 years !!!”

“Tears of joy and literally in shock everyday koo koo crazy so in love and blessed !!!,” she added. “I’m speechless thank you Jesus !!!”

The “Lucky” hitmaker shares Jayden and Sean Preston, 19, with ex-husband Kevin Federline, from whom she filed for divorce in 2006 after three years of marriage.

Since their divorce was finalized in July 2007, they have had different custody arrangements, though the boys have most recently been with their father, whom they moved to Hawaii with in 2023. Spears “consented” to the move, Federline’s attorney Mark Vincent Kaplan told PEOPLE at the time.

Another source confirmed to PEOPLE that the former dancer first reached out to his ex-wife earlier that month for permission to move.

“Britney has always faithfully supported her children and wants them to be happy,” the insider said.

After a year of living in Hawaii, a source told PEOPLE that Jayden reunited with his mother in Los Angeles last month, and the pair have been hanging out in her home.

“Spending time together has made her happy,” the insider told PEOPLE.

Britney Spears and her sons in Los Angeles on April 17, 2013. Jon SooHoo/LA Dodgers

While appearing on the cover of PEOPLE in October 2023 to promote her memoir The Woman in Me, the pop star called motherhood a “dream.”

She said of raising her sons, “Starting a family was my dream come true. Being a mom was my dream come true.”

Preston and Jayden often accompanied their mom on tour and visited her during her Las Vegas residency.

In 2021, Spears explained on Instagram, “I had my babies very young … at all the pools we went to on tours, all the babies flocked to me because I always brought the most toys 🧸🪁🪀. I really am a baby mamma 😜😜😜 !!!!”

Beyoncé’s Rocks All-White ‘Cowboy Carter’-Inspired Look for Christmas Day NFL Halftime Show Performance

The Grammy-winner completed her bedazzled Western look with a massive white fur coat and matching cowboy hat

Beyoncé performs during the Christmas half-time show at the Ravens vs. Texans NFL game. Photo: Netflix

Beyoncé is reppin’ her roots in Houston this Christmas!

On Wednesday, Dec. 25, the 32-time Grammy winner performed live for the halftime show at NRG Stadium as the Houston Texans went head-to-head with the Baltimore Ravens in her hometown as part of Netflix’s first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday.

For the inaugural mini-concert, the Cowboy Carter singer, 43, wore an all-white, country-inspired look featuring a massive fur coat and matching white cowboy hat as she rode in on a white horse.

Beyoncé performs on Christmas day at the Ravens vs. Texans game.Netflix

Shedding her coat, Beyoncé revealed a bodysuit bedazzled with silver, glittering Western patterns across her arms and legs along with a silver belt buckle. Accessorizing the glamorous look, she sported knee-high white Christian Loboutin boots with chaps, and dazzling diamond earrings, necklaces and rings by Lorraine Schwartz, totaling more than 350 carats. She wore her long, curly blonde hair loose down her back.

The performance featured a number of exciting guests, including country singer Shaboozey (who joined her for “Sweet Honey Buckiin”), rapper Post Malone (who is featured on Cowboy Carter’s “Levii’s Jeans”), and Beyoncé’s oldest daughter, Blue Ivy, 12, who line-danced with her mom among the background performers during the star’s finale of “Texas Hold ‘Em.”

Blue Ivy — who Beyoncé shares with husband Jay-Z — complimented her mom’s look with her own all-white outfit, including a bedazzled corset, white cowboy hat, diamond necklace and glittering belt buckle. She also donned a red, white and blue sash reading “Cowboy Carter” exactly like the one her mother wore on the cover of her most recent album of the same name.

Beyoncé and Blue Ivy.Netflix

Beyoncé first shared news of her performance in a social media announcement via Instagram on Nov. 17.

The video, set to an a cappella version of her song “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” began with the lights dimmed, showing a car covered in red roses.

Beyonce halftime Christmas ad.Parkwood Entertainment

As the clip continued, the camera panned to the front of the vehicle, revealing longhorns attached at the top and the singer standing on the hood wearing an off-the-shoulder red, white and blue fitted, long-sleeved minidress.

Beyoncé rocked a white cowgirl hat as she caught a football tossed to her in the ad.

After her initial post, Beyoncé followed up with another promo clip posted to her Instagram account on Dec. 11.

Beyoncé Christmas halftime ad No. 2.netflix

This time the “Jolene” hitmaker wore an all-white look as she made her way through the snow to add a football ornament to a single cactus — one that towered over her — adorned with Christmas decorations.

She stunned in fitted leather pants and an oversized crop top, which included a flowing train and a large cowgirl hat.

The singer accessorized with diamond jewelry, white gloves and a red lip.

“Last year, we decided to take a big bet on live — tapping into massive fandoms across comedy, reality TV, sports, and more,” Netflix chief content officer, Bela Bajaria, said in a Nov. 19 statement.

“There are no live annual events, sports or otherwise, that compare with the audiences NFL football attracts. We’re so excited that the NFL’s Christmas Day games will be only on Netflix.”

Hans Schroeder, NFL executive vice president of media distribution, added, “The NFL on Christmas has become a tradition and to partner with Netflix, a service whose biggest day of the year is typically this holiday, is the perfect combination to grow this event globally for NFL fans.”

“Where Is The Flag On Beyoncé“: Social Media Is Destroying The NFL After Cameras Caught Beyonce’s Disgusting Gesture During Her Halftime Performance On Christmas Day

Beyonce (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
The NFL and Beyonce are being criticized on the back of the latter’s halftime performance during the Christmas Day showdown between the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens.

The fixture, streamed exclusively on Netflix, saw the Ravens pick up a convincing 31-2 victory.

Beyonce gave the crowd quite the performance at halftime but sparked some controversy after making a gun gesture with her fingers.

https://twitter.com/Beyonce/status/1872060723721130182?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1872060723721130182%7Ctwgr%5E4c149b0d54e273ca64b9568128641669d2bd74c2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalprosports.com%2Fnfl%2Fsocial-media-is-destroying-the-nfl-after-cameras-caught-beyonces-disgusting-gesture-during-her-halftime-performance-on-christmas-day%2F

Fans Wanted Fines And Flags For Beyonce

Fans thought it strange that Beyonce could bust out the guns while NFL players get fined for it. They thought she should have at least gotten flagged.

“Where is the flag on Beyoncé for the finger guns?!?!” someone asked.

 

https://twitter.com/ThatGirlLynnB/status/1872061360915562638?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1872061360915562638%7Ctwgr%5E4c149b0d54e273ca64b9568128641669d2bd74c2%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.totalprosports.com%2Fnfl%2Fsocial-media-is-destroying-the-nfl-after-cameras-caught-beyonces-disgusting-gesture-during-her-halftime-performance-on-christmas-day%2F

“Queen Bey’s tone-deaf finger gun display at Netflix’s Christmas game highlights celebrity privilege, while NFL players get fined for basic touchdown celebrations,” a user chimed in.

🚨🇺🇸 BEYONCÉ PLAYS WITH FIRE: NFL DOUBLE STANDARD GOES VIRAL

Queen Bey's tone-deaf finger gun display at Netflix's Christmas game highlights celebrity privilege, while NFL players get fined for basic touchdown celebrations.

The performance, her first since husband Jay-Z's legal… pic.twitter.com/wkB5KwCXQz

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) December 26, 2024

“Would just like to note that Beyoncé is doing the double gun gesture which is banned in the NFL and a 15 yard penalty,” someone else added.

Would just like to note that Beyoncé is doing the double gun gesture which is banned in the NFL and a 15 yard penalty.

— Stephen L. Miller (@redsteeze) December 25, 2024

“Xavier worthy gets a 15 yard penalty for lifting his shirt (pretending he has a gun in his belt) but Beyoncé can fake shoot at halftime? “Bang” Does the NFL fine her?” a fan asked.

Xavier worthy gets a 15 yard penalty for lifting his shirt (pretending he has a gun in his belt) but Beyoncé can fake shoot at halftime? “Bang” Does the NFL fine her? pic.twitter.com/RHM6C8o5Ce

— James Ruport (@JamesRuport) December 25, 2024

Of course, the league couldn’t have known the artist would perform such a gesture and probably didn’t brief her accordingly. But she could well afford to pay any fine thrown at her if there were any possibility.

Beyonce Has Been Taking On Criticism From Elsewhere Heading Into The End Of The Year

Beyonce has come under fire elsewhere in recent months, given the scrutiny now being afforded to celebrities with close ties to Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs in the wake of his arrest.

Her husband, Shawn ‘Jay-Z’ Carter, was recently named in a lawsuit alleging the rape of a 13-year-old girl. The rapper has denied the allegations and gone on the offensive.

Beyonce herself has been accused of possibly taking part in questionable activity involving children, with former NFL star Larry Johnson claiming he heard her saying something very offputting to a child at a party.

The artist’s newest album, “Cowboy Carter,” has been a source of controversy as well. While it denotes her Texas heritage, it has split the opinion as some have praised her creativity while others feel like it’s overly sexualized.

REPORT: Steelers Fan Wearing T-Shirt Insulting Taylor Swift Had To Be Thrown Out Of Bar Following Christmas Day Game vs. Chiefs

Pittsburgh Steelers fan and Taylor Swift (Photos via Getty Images)
A Pittsburgh Steelers fan wearing a shirt insulting Taylor Swift was reportedly kicked out of Jason Aldean’s bar following the team’s loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Christmas Day.

Taylor Swift has been in a highly-publicized relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce for more than a year. Swift attended 13 Chiefs games in 2024, including their playoff games and victory over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl 59.

Before kickoff in the Chiefs-Steelers game at Acrisure Stadium yesterday, some Steelers fans were seen wearing shirts that insulted the Grammy Award-winning singer. One photo emerged of a fan wearing a shirt that read, “Taylor Swift Sucks.”

Now, it’s being reported that the fan who wore that very shirt was kicked out of Jason Aldean’s bar in Pittsburgh by law enforcement “for being drunk and combative.”

The Chiefs went on to defeat the Steelers 29-10, with Travis Kelce racking up eight receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown. Patrick Mahomes had a field day for the defending Super Bowl champions, completing 29 pass attempts for 320 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions.

With the victory, Kansas City became the first team to win 15 games in a season since the 2015 Carolina Panthers. They have also locked up the AFC’s top seed and own the conference’s only first-round bye.

Expect Taylor Swift At Chiefs Playoff Games

Taylor Swift wrapped up her Eras Tour in Vancouver, British Columbia at BC Place on Dec. 8. She wasn’t at the Chiefs-Steelers game yesterday, but Swift will presumably be there to cheer on Kelce’s group when the postseason rolls around.

Kansas City has a bye until the Divisional Round, so they’ll host the lowest remaining AFC seed on Jan. 18 or 19. With a victory in the Divisional Round, the Chiefs will have clinched a trip to the AFC Championship Game for the seventh straight year.

Beantown Rundown: Joe Mazzulla is officially hurting the Celtics

The Celtics recent struggles can be traced back to Joe Mazzulla.

For the first time in over a year, the Boston Celtics do not seem indestructible. The C’s lost their second straight game on Christmas when their spirited rally against the Philadelphia 76ers fell short, and it continued a recent trend of poor shooting and lackluster defense. While the players have to go out and deliver, fingers are beginning to get pointed at head coach Joe Mazzulla.

Boston’s leader from the bench has had one of the most strange coaching stints in NBA history. He was thrown into the fire from out of nowhere in the 2022-23 campaign when the team fired Ime Udoka right before the start of the season. There’s a chance he would have gotten fired had the C’s not been able to rally from a 3-0 deficit in the Eastern Conference Finals against the Miami Heat to force a Game 7, and that worked out alright since the team ended up winning the 2024 NBA Finals.

The Celtics have remained arguably the top team in the NBA this season, with Mazzulla garnering attention for his incredibly aggressive three-point game plan that has Boston shooting the most threes per game of any team in league history. But after a hot start, things aren’t clicking, and with Mazzulla digging his feet in the ground and refusing to make changes, he’s beginning to hurt the C’s more than he’s helping them.

Joe Mazzulla, Celtics need to become more adaptable

Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
With a 22-8 record, Boston still has the third best record in the league behind the Cleveland Cavaliers and Oklahoma City Thunder, but the optics surrounding them currently aren’t great. They have now lost three of their last four games, and they have just a 6-5 record in the month of December. Simply put, they have not looked great.

The Celtics style of basketball is simple. Take and make more threes than their opponent, and play airtight defense on the other end of the floor. When it works, Boston is nearly unbeatable. But when it doesn’t flaws begin to pop up, and with the rest of the league having over a year to figure out how to beat this version of the Celtics, the team is struggling to adapt.

Everybody knows that Boston wants to shoot threes. They are averaging a mind-boggling 50.4 three-point attempts per game, which is six more than the next closest team, the Chicago Bulls. The problem is that they are hitting just 36.5% of their threes. Aside from Payton Pritchard, pretty much everyone on the Celtics is shooting worse from behind the arc than they were last year.

This is a problem for a handful of reasons. It’s one thing if Boston is hitting threes, but when they aren’t, they are making their opponents’ lives far too easy. Let’s start with the obvious; the Celtics are taking threes that they simply should not be taking. That’s resulted in pretty much everyone’s shooting percentages from behind the arc to fall, and while they are making lots of threes, they are passing up points by forcing low-percentage shots.