When newly hired Celtics coach Ime Udoka traveled to Tokyo for the 2021 Olympics, he leaned heavy on Joe Mazzulla, the only holdover from Brad Stevens’ on-the-bench coaching staff, to hold the fort back in Boston.

Mazzulla had coached Boston’s summer entry that year and used his familiarity with the core of the team to ease the transition to a new coach.

Now, with Udoka’s possibly suspended for the entire 2022-23 NBA season, the Celtics will again lean on Mazzulla. ESPN reported Thursday that Mazzulla will serve as interim coach in Udoka’s absence for violating team policy.

The 34-year-old Mazzulla interviewed for the Jazz opening in June before Utah hired fellow Celtics assistant Will Hardy for that post. Mazzulla was expected to make the jump to one of Udoka’s lead assistants this season and, instead, he’ll get the keys to the coaching car.