Joe Mazzulla says he's been told to stop trying to block opponents' shots

BOSTON -- Last week, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla provided a lighthearted, enjoyable moment for fans when he stepped onto the court to try to block a post-whistle shot by a Boston opponent.

That attempt, though, will be his last.

Mazzulla, speaking as a guest on the Zolak & Bertrand Show on 98.5 The Sports Hub, said Wednesday that he's been told to no longer play defense.

"I've been told I can't do that anymore," Mazzulla said, though he said he could not reveal who delivered that message to him.

"I can't say," he answered. "Hey, I can't say. All I know is we won't be doing that anymore."

Mazzulla's block attempt came against Phoenix's Royce O'Neal after a stoppage in play, and the coach said he was trying to keep a cold shooter cold.

"I saw a guy going in to try to get a shot and he hadn't made one. I didn't want him to feel good about himself going to the bench," Mazzulla explained after that win. "That's a bench rule. Guys don't shoot shots in front of our bench to go back to their bench to feel good about themselves. If I'm gonna ask the guys to contest, the staff's gotta do the same."

While Mazzulla intends to listen to whoever told him to stop, he doesn't anticipate the Celtics' mindset changing.

"I hope we piss everybody off," he said.