Following the Boston Celtics' 117-108 defeat against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday, head coach Joe Mazzulla's post-game interaction with the referees raised eyebrows. Mazzulla appeared to confront official Justin Van Duyne after receiving consecutive technical fouls alongside Celtics forward Jaylen Brown in the fourth quarter. 
While several individuals restrained Mazzulla from escalating the situation, the coach later offered an unusual explanation for his actions. In the post-game press conference, Mazzulla claimed his court entrance was merely to extend holiday wishes to the officials, stating he hadn't seen them recently and wanted to offer season's greetings. He maintained this explanation with a serious demeanor, emphasizing the importance of well wishes to their families. 
Brown, however, provided a contrasting account. He explained his interaction with Van Duyne stemmed from seeking clarification on Mazzulla's technical foul, alleging that Van Duyne threatened him with another technical for questioning the call. Brown expressed his frustration, criticizing the officiating and deeming it inappropriate to threaten players with technicals. 
The Celtics and Bulls are slated to face off again on Saturday, providing another opportunity for interaction between Mazzulla and the officiating crew.
