Joe Mazzulla, in his third season as head coach of the Celtics, expressed disappointment after the loss to the Hawks, emphasizing that his team was outplayed in terms of effort and physicality. He pointed out the significant disparity in shot attempts and highlighted the impact of the Hawks' offensive rebounds and forced turnovers on the game's outcome. Last season, he successfully led the team to their first title in 16 years, and now the Celtics hold a 9-3 record, placing them second in the Eastern Conference.