Newly promoted Mazzulla wins pre-season debut for Celtics

BOSTON (AP) — Not too many NBA first-timers get to take over a reigning conference champion and oddsmakers’ favorite to win an NBA championship.

Joe Mazzulla knows he’s one of the lucky ones.

“I felt like I was coaching a great team that wanted to win, that was fun to coach,” the newly promoted Boston Celtics coach said on Sunday after making his debut in a 134-93 preseason victory over the Charlotte Hornets.

“Just grateful for it. Grateful because it’s the Celtics. Grateful that it’s great players,” Mazzulla said. “Not many people in my position get that opportunity.”

Ten days after the Celtics suspended coach Ime Udoka and less than a week after the team reported to training camp, Mazzulla and the Celtics opened their exhibition schedule by romping to an easy victory in front of a sold-out – but perhaps skeptical – TD Garden crowd.

Mazzulla got little reaction from the Boston fans when his name was announced with the starting lineups.

But the players noticed.

“I thought he was composed. I thought he had some excellent play calls coming out of timeouts,” said guard Malcolm Brogdon, who also joined the team in the offseason. “It’s going to continue to get tougher for him, continue to get tougher for us.”

Wearing a white Celtics pullover and chomping on gum, Mazzulla spent much of the first half standing in front of the bench and barking out instructions. In the second, when the Hornets never got within 20 points and trailed by as many as 46, the 34-year-old Rhode Island native spent more time in his seat.

“He’s not a yeller; he’s not a screamer. He’s very deliberate and very direct. He’s not a guy that’s going to over talk you,” Brogdon said. “He’s going to be very direct and honest with what he wants from you, which