The blame for the problems of the Celtics, one might think, lies deep down with the hundred passengers and thirty crew members of the Mayflower who, in the summer of 1620, set out for the new world from Southampton and, after a journey full of hardships, and adventures, they arrived in Plymouth (Massachusetts) in November to disembark not only their few belongings, but also their puritanical morals and strict religious beliefs that had led them to break with the Church of England because they considered that its rituals were still too similar to those of the Vatican.
The Mayflower Pilgrims founded the first colonies in North America, from New England to Virginia, began celebrating Thanksgiving, and spread Puritanism, with its philosophy of giving up pleasure, so influential in society, politics, and even the world. United States sport. As evidenced by the suspension of Ime Udoka, the coach who a few months ago led the Boston Celtics' all-star roster to the NBA Finals (lost to the Warriors), their first since 2010.
Another possible interpretation is that puritanical morals aside, Udoka himself is to blame for being an inveterate playboy. Paired for twelve years with actress Nia Long, with whom he has a son, he had at least two parallel relationships, one of them apparently with a Celtics employee in charge of organizing team trips, and another with the wife of one of the owners of the club, who upon finding out demanded that he be punished. Or at least that is what sources from the entity say and it has been repeated for weeks in online sports publications. Because what the organization is, not mu, limiting itself to saying that the coach has been suspended for a year for "several serious violations of the rules of internal behavior", without further explanation. So much secrecy has turned a series of women who work at the Garden into collateral damage, with their photos circulating on social networks as possible partners of the coach.
The Celtics have chosen to suspend rather than fire Udoka outright, as the scandal broke before the start of preseason and because the investigation -- entrusted to a Boston law firm -- has not yet concluded. But the impression in the world of the NBA is that he will no longer return to the Boston Garden bench and that the coach's career, unless the matter takes an unexpected turn, is in serious danger. Especially since the employee with whom he had an affair was theoretically his subordinate in the company ladder, although chartering planes and booking hotels has nothing to do with making Jayson Tatum shoot baskets and Marcus Smart defend like a man possessed. And this would lead to a situation of abuse of power.
It is certainly not, on the part of the Celtics, the best way to prepare for the new season, despite having one of the strongest rosters in the NBA, with Tatum, Smart, Jaylen Brown, Grant Williams and the signing of Danilo Gallinari (who may miss the entire season due to a cruciate ligament injury he suffered with the Italian team). The players, or so they say in a carefully choreographed reaction, knew nothing of the matter and were completely taken by surprise.
The Celtics' new coach is Joe Mazzulla, 34, Udoka's assistant since 2019, who played in college with West Virginia. The first thing he has done is visit the Mayflower replica at Plymouth Rock, an hour from Boston Garden. The cradle of Puritanism.
