Mitch Johnson ROBBED”, “A man that choked a 3-1 is COTY

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The NBA announced Tuesday that Boston Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla has been named the 2025-26 Coach of the Year.

Mazzulla bested other COTY finalists, the Detroit Pistons’ J.B. Bickerstaff and the San Antonio Spurs’ Mitch Johnson. Mazzulla led the Celtics to a 56-26 record and the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference despite being initially described as a down year for Boston.

Several fans reacted to Mazzulla winning COTY, saying that other coaches, like Johnson and Bickerstaff, deserved it more. Another fan criticized Mazzulla for blowing up a 3-1 first-round series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers in this year’s postseason. Some explained that the award is based on the regular season and not the playoffs.

“Mitch Johnson ROBBED,” one fan tweeted.

Mitch Johnson ROBBED. #GoSpursGo #PorVida

“A man that choked a 3-1 is COTY, what a league man. His strategy was just live and die by the 3, he didn’t do anything special,” a fan wrote.

A man that choked a 3-1 is COTY, what a league man. His strategy was just live and die by the 3, he didn’t do anything special

Here are other reactions:

@ShamsCharania JB Bickerstaff robbed tf

@ShamsCharania So many idiots in the comment section that don’t realize these awards are based on the regular season….

@ShamsCharania NBA awards need to be announced during the first round cause we watched that man blow a 3-1 lead lmao

@ShamsCharania Well deserved. I think you can make strong cases for several coaches this year, but the Celtics being as good as they were in the regular season was the biggest surprise to me for the teams with coach of the year candidates.

The Celtics entered the 2025-26 NBA season with lowered expectations, as they deconstructed their 2024 championship roster to duck the second apron and reduce luxury tax penalties. Boston lost key championship contributors Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porziņģis, Al Horford and Luke Kornet.

In addition, six-time NBA All-Star Jayson Tatum played just 16 regular-season games as he rehabilitated his Achilles injury. Tatum returned to action late in early March after a 10-month recovery.

Mazzulla became the first Boston coach to win COTY since Bill Fitch won it during the 1979-80 NBA season.

The COTY trophy was named in honor of Celtics legend Red Auerbach, who coached the franchise to nine NBA championships in 10 seasons from 1956 until 1966.

Joe Mazzulla on winning COTY: “Should be named Staff of the Year”

Joe Mazzulla praised his Boston Celtics staff in a statement released by the team following the announcement of the 2025-26 NBA Coach of the Year on Tuesday. Mazzulla redirected the credit to members of the organization.

“Thank you to the Lord for the platform he has given me, and to my wife and family who support me on this journey,” Mazzulla said, per the Celtics. “Thank you to our players who compete and give it everything they have each night. I am grateful for every member of the Celtics organization whose dedication impacts winning every day.

“This award belongs to our staff, who are there for the guys every day. Their relentless work ethic improves our team daily. This award should be named Staff of the Year.”

A panel of sportswriters from the United States and Canada voted for the NBA Coach of the Year. Mazzulla earned 62 of the possible 100 first-place votes, which was more than double that of J.B. Bickerstaff, who finished No. 2 in the results.