Why Joe Mazzulla actually liked Mikal Bridges chirping at Celtics’ bench

The Boston Celtics outlasted the New York Knicks, 123-117, at TD Garden on Tuesday, with Jaylen Brown exploding for a season-high 42 points.

Brown battled against the Knicks’ tough defenders, including Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart, but he still came out on top, shooting 16-of-24 from the field. He also had four rebounds and four assists.

The tension was high during the game, which was a rematch of last season’s conference semifinals. Bridges, who had a team-high 35 points, taunted the Celtics’ bench several times. Boston coach Joe Mazzulla, however, said he simply brushed off Bridges’ chirping.

“I don’t mind that stuff. I like it. It’s part of the game. (It) keeps me going, and I thought the guys handled it well,” said Mazzulla in a video posted by SNY.

Joe Mazzulla was asked about Mikal Bridges exchanging words with the Celtics' bench:

"I don't mind that stuff. I like it. It's part of the game. Keeps me going and I thought the guys handled it well." pic.twitter.com/58dnDSTneu

— Knicks Videos (@sny_knicks) December 3, 2025

Bridges was on fire against the Celtics, shooting 12-of-17 from the field, including 8-of-12 from beyond the arc. He added six rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

The 37-year-old Mazzulla likes to play mind games himself, so he knows Bridges was only trying to psyche them out. The strategy, however, backfired on the 29-year-old wingman.

But in the end, as Mazzulla said, it’s just the competitive nature coming to the surface. Bridges even acknowledged Mazzulla’s work with the Celtics during his postgame interview.

“I think he’s a hell of a coach. They got guys that are gonna play hard and smart. They have a lot of talent. I know they got guys banged up or not here, but they got next man up,” said Bridges in the video posted by CLNS.

Mikal Bridges looks back at beating the Celtics & how they're different now: "They still got coach Mazzulla and I think he's a hell of a coach. They got guys that are gonna play hard, smart, a lot of talent. I know they got guys banged up or not here, but they got next man up." pic.twitter.com/JxB7kxtbtQ

— Celtics on CLNS (@CelticsCLNS) December 2, 2025

The Celtics improved to 12-9, while the Knicks dropped to 13-7.

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