Mazzulla brings up a good point in that the preseason is all about hope and expectations. The Celtics were set to contend for a title again, and there haven’t been many blips to alter those expectations. But there have been some changes during the season. There’s also fighting back against the routine to still achieve those goals.

Mazzulla has also spoken about the process to becoming a winning team, where the Celtics are still trying to build an identity with their new core. For example, the C’s cared about the in-season tournament, but Mazzulla also spoke at length about what it takes to become a winning team. So it’s no surprise the second-year coach talked about reaching their goals during the hard times, not necessarily when optimism at its highest before the season.

“That’s like the mental toughness aspect of like can we remember what our goals are and do them at times when we don’t really feel like doing them,” Mazzulla said. “And that’s the challenge, I think, for everybody.”