Joe Mazzulla offers prayer for family of Tyre Nichols, city of Memphis

Joe Mazzulla offered prayer and grief for the family of Tyre Nichols and the city of Memphis prior to Boston’s game Saturday night.

Every Boston Celtics home game head coach Joe Mazzulla addresses the media 100 minutes before tip-off. On Saturday night ahead of a tilt against the team’s biggest rival the Los Angeles Lakers, Mazzulla’s thoughts were far from basketball.

“On behalf of the Celtics organization, and my family in particular, I want to pray for Tyre Nichols,” Mazzulla said to begin his press conference, unprovoked. The killing of Tyre Nichols, a 29-year-old from Memphis, Tennessee, has sent shockwaves around the country in recent weeks. Nichols was brutally beaten by five police officers according to recently released police video. Nichols died three days later.

Mazzulla offered condolences and prayers for the city of Memphis and Nichols’ mother Rowvaughn Wells and offered perspective on the entire affair.