Mazzulla thinks the NBA should have a system where players are penalized for flagrant fouls or technicals, giving the other team a player advantage, like a 5-on-4. He said the league could create a penalty box or send the guilty player to a designated space on the sideline.

“We’re the only fluid sport that doesn’t have it,” he said. “Field hockey, lacrosse, water polo has a blue card. We’re the only ones that don’t have a power play.”

In regards to fighting, Mazzulla said he believes there should be a system in the NBA where players can legally retaliate to flagrant fouls. In baseball, for example, if one player is beaned by an opposing pitcher, that team is prepared for one of their players to get beaned by a pitch.

“I didn’t say legalized [fighting],” he said. “I said allow people to express themselves. Fighting isn’t necessarily punches. I don’t condone violence. I just think the physicality has become [minimal]. The play [Monday] that [Milwaukee’s] Pat Connaughton got a flagrant 1 for, that’s not a flagrant foul. You have to be OK with a little conflict is how I would say it.”

Mazzulla pointed to the 2004 Red Sox Netflix documentary in which Pedro Martínez famously pointed to his head and looked at Yankees catcher Jorge Posada and the entire New York bench during the 2003 ALCS. That would eventually incite a bench-clearing brawl where Martinez pushed Yankees coach and former Red Sox manager Don Zimmer.

“[What] Pedro Martínez said in the documentary,” Mazzulla said. “That breeds teamwork. It breeds ‘I got your back.’ It breeds togetherness. I think it’s a lot of things that go into that but I just think that we’ve gone a little bit the other way.”

Making an impact

Neemias Queta was a difference maker in Wednesday’s loss to the Indiana Pacers, grabbing 9 rebounds along with 2 points and 1 assist in less than 14 minutes. Queta was a plus-18 and not only helped the Celtics in their dramatic rally in regulation but also played the overtime period. It was another sign of progress for the young center who was formally on a two-way contract.

“Just come in and play hard,” he said afterward. “Trying to keep pushing out and keep cutting down the lead and eventually it ended up happening the way we wanted it to, to go to overtime. So just happy with that, but wish we had the win. We just want to get in there and play as hard as we can. Every opportunity you get on the court is another opportunity to make a statement and just make a name for yourself, or however you want to see it. That’s how I want to approach it. It doesn’t matter if we’re up 50, we’re down 30, I’m ready to go in and play as hard as I can.”

Queta’s playing time has been sporadic this season. He played four minutes in the opener against the New York Knicks but then logged 14 minutes two nights later against the Washington Wizards and scored 12 points with 7 rebounds. He did not play Saturday against Detroit but then returned with good production against the Pacers.

“Yeah, that means a lot. I think that’s like my third game finishing out the game, so it’s always good to go in there and play the last crunch minutes,” he said. “That’s where you really get better and really get tested. So, just want to get out there and keep on competing every time I’m out there.

“I feel like I’ve grown a lot, finding my voice, understanding how to be in the right places at the right times and learning how to play with these guys. It’s just been a gradual growth and I’m looking forward to what the future has.”

Gary Washburn is a Globe columnist. He can be reached at gary.washburn@globe.com. Follow him @GwashburnGlobe.