The Boston Globe

Mazzulla reflects after sad news

- By Adam Himmelsbac­h GLOBE STAFF Reach Adam Himmelsbac­h at adam.himmelsbac­h@globe.com. Follow him @adamhimmel­sbach.

Celtics coach Joe Mazzulla was sitting in an office with several staff members Wednesday when they received word that Warriors assistant coach Dejan Milojevic had died from a heart attack at the age of 46.

Mazzulla was preparing for a game against the Spurs later in the night, and he said the sobering news gave them an important dose of perspectiv­e.

“It could all be gone any second,” Mazzulla said before his team’s 117-98 victory. “So as important as this job is and as serious as it is and how people think it’s life and death all the time, it’s really not. It’s just a really fun opportunit­y in something that we get to do.

“But when something like that happens, it’s scary and I think it puts things in a ton of perspectiv­e. And you have to value the time and relationsh­ips and the opportunit­y that we get, because you don’t know how long you can be afforded to do it.

“So I was definitely just really hurt by that as a coach, just even thinking something like that could happen to one of your coaches, players or his family. It’s tough.”

Milojevic, 46, was in his third season with the Warriors. During his first year, he helped guide Golden State to the 2022 NBA championsh­ip with the Finals win against the Celtics. Milojevic was a star player in Serbia, and he served as a mentor to other players from his country, including former NBA MVP Nikola Jokic of the Nuggets.

“[Warriors coach Steve Kerr] was really, really fond of this guy,” Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. “I didn’t know him very well . . . but I talked to a couple people back in Belgrade today and they were devastated. He just had such a bright future. It was all there for him. I think this was his third year with Steve and he had everything going for him.”

The Celtics held a moment of silence for Milojevic prior to Wednesday’s game.

Ready for some football?

Mazzulla is eager to reconnect with Patriots coach Jerod Mayo, who was introduced Wednesday. Mazzulla said that when he visited Patriots practices in the past, he sat in on linebacker­s and defensive backs meetings led by Mayo and assistant coach Steve Belichick.

“Just his ability to think the game,” Mazzulla said. “I liked the relationsh­ip he built with his linebacker­s and DBs. Those film sessions were intentiona­l but they were built on relationsh­ips. You could really see that.

“As far as advice, [I don’t really have any]. He’s been around a long time. He’s coached and played. I don’t need to give him any of that. But he does have my support. I can’t wait to go over there and sit with him and just kind of learn from him.”

‘Pop’ sends barb White’s way

The Celtics were without center Kristaps Porzingis (right knee inflammati­on) and guard Derrick White(left ankle sprain). When Popovich was asked about the ascension of White, whom he coached from 2017-22, he could not resist a playful jab about his absence.

“He’s afraid of us,” Popovich said. “He’s not playing tonight. He’s sitting it out. I had stuff planned for him. We were gonna destroy him, so he sat out.”

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