The NBA coaching carousel is already spinning, and the Boston Celtics' Joe Mazzulla might want to fasten his seatbelt. After the Orlando Magic made the stunning decision to fire head coach Jamahl Mosley following their own 3-1 playoff collapse, all eyes are now on the Celtics' sideline—and the pressure is mounting.
Let's set the scene: The Celtics entered the 2025 playoffs as the No. 2 seed, brimming with championship pedigree. But in a shocking twist, they blew a 3-1 series lead against the Philadelphia 76ers and were bounced in the first round. Game 7 was especially brutal, played without superstar Jayson Tatum, and head coach Joe Mazzulla faced a firestorm of criticism for his in-game decisions. Fans and analysts alike are now asking: Is Mazzulla next on the chopping block?
It's a fair question, especially after Orlando's move. The Magic, an No. 8 seed with far lower expectations, fired Mosley on Monday after their own 3-1 first-round collapse. Mosley had been at the helm since the 2021-2022 season, guiding the Magic to three straight playoff appearances. But despite that consistency, they never won a single playoff series—losing in Game 7 twice. The message was clear: In the NBA, progress has to be tangible.
Mazzulla's situation is different—but not entirely. He has something Mosley doesn't: an NBA championship ring, earned just last season. That title could buy him some goodwill, but the Celtics are a franchise that measures success in banners, not moral victories. With a roster stacked with stars like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, the expectation isn't just to compete—it's to dominate. Some might argue the Celtics overachieved this season given Tatum's extended absence, but that narrative only goes so far.
The decisions Mazzulla made in Game 7—from rotations to crunch-time play calls—will be scrutinized all offseason. And if a team like the Magic, with minimal pressure, can fire its coach after a similar collapse, then Mazzulla has every reason to be nervous. One championship might buy him another year, but in Boston, nothing is guaranteed. The coaching hot seat just got a lot warmer.