After the Boston Celtics clinched their victory over the Dallas Mavericks with a score of 106-88 on Monday night, the jubilant players swiftly opened champagne bottles. In contrast, head coach Joe Mazzulla chose to celebrate the franchise’s monumental win in a more heartfelt manner. At just 35 years old, he became the youngest coach to claim an NBA title since 1970, opting to stay at TD Garden long after the game concluded.

Accompanied by his wife Camai Mazzulla, Joe was spotted wandering hand-in-hand around the empty arena well past 3:20 a.m., as reported by the Boston Herald. Journalist Andrew Callahan noted their serene late-night stroll, mentioning how Joe gestured to various spots in the arena, clearly savoring the moment.

Meanwhile, Camai shared a touching photo on her Instagram Story, capturing her husband proudly raising the Larry O’Brien championship trophy, accompanied by a quote from the romantic film “The Notebook”: “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird…”

Joe and Camai first crossed paths at Glenville State College in 2011, where he served as an assistant basketball coach and she as the head volleyball coach. Their understated celebration contrasted sharply with the Celtics’ raucous locker room festivities, where champagne flowed freely among the victorious team members.

Earlier in the finals against the Mavericks, Joe had caused a stir during a press conference when asked about the significance of having two Black head coaches in the NBA Finals for the first time in decades. Instead of directly addressing the question, he pivoted to discussing his Christian faith, leaving the press room momentarily silent.

This unusual response hinted at Joe’s perspective, possibly alluding to the shared faith he has with Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd, who identifies as Catholic.