The Celtics won ugly in their first playoff game against the Pacers, but it’s preferable to losing ugly. Just ask Indiana. Boston proved they can get up off the mat after being knocked down and play physical if that’s what needed. Well, a little muscle never hurt any team and that’s what the doctor ordered when they defeated Indiana 84-74, in what could only be described as a game between two offenses that were nothing short of offensive.
If you were to peruse the best online sportsbooks over at Sportsbook Review, you would find that one of the very best among them, Intertops , was dealing the C’s as 7 ½ point favorites in Game 1 with a total of about 210, depending on what time you went shopping for numbers. Imagine that, the oddsmakers believed these teams would combine for somewhere in the vicinity of 210 points when in fact, they managed only 158 between them. If you’re combing the internet for early numbers on Wednesday’s Game 2 then look no further than SBR Odds, where Intertops is once again installing the Celtics as 7 ½ point home chalk, however, the total has dropped markedly to 203 in that game.
If you’re a glass-half-full kind of guy then you can take solace in the fact that the Green deserved their victory, despite their offense’s horrendous shooting, because the defense suffocated the Pacers in the second half, limiting Indiana to just 29 points. However, for those of us who are far more skeptical, the Celtics shot a dismal 36 percent and had a whopping 20 turnovers. And in addition, the Pacers had themselves to blame as much as any defensive wizardry from Boston, as they continually missed open shots without a Celtics’ defender to be found. That’s not to say the C’s didn’t play very good defense, but the narrative has been hyperbolic because the Pacers shot a dreadful 33 percent yet committed seven fewer turnovers than Boston.
Okay, so we know the boys in green can rock with a physical team like the Pacers, but can they roll through this first-round and contend against a far more talented opponent? If you’re not sure, then join the club. It’s tough to tell what this team is really all about. We know Kyrie is a superstar because he routinely plays like one but what about the other max contract guy, Gordon Hayward? Yes, we’ve seen glimpses of greatness, but it’s been about as often as a full moon and impossible to predict. What we can give Hayward credit for is accepting his reduced role on the bench without responding like a diva whose name has been removed from the marquee.
But the real problem this season has been Jaylen Brown and it was evident again on Sunday afternoon. Head coach Brad Stevens started Brown in place of the injured Marcus Smart, but he was quickly supplanted by Marcus Morris and Gordon Hayward. Morris went on to bucket 20 points while Hayward ended the night with 10 but Brown was a dismal 1-of-5 from the field for two points in 28 minutes of action. Talk about ugly.
Brad Stevens had this to say about the Game 1 victory, “Those guys guarded their butts off. That game looked like a 1980s playoff game in a lot of ways with the score. But it’s tough. Those guys are physical. …We have a lot to get better at.”
Indeed, the Celtics do need to get better and if they expect to win when scoring under a hundred points then they should think again. Prior to Sunday’s victory, the C’s had not won a game this season when scoring less than triple digits. We know the Celtics can beat a struggling team without its leading scorer (Victor Oladipo) but had they met any other Eastern Conference playoff opponent on Sunday, besides perhaps the Detroit Pistons, Boston would be down a game, and not up one. Hopefully, the offense wakes up in Game 2 and we’re talking about a series sweep but until then, it’s anybody’s guess with this team.
If Game 1 against Indiana was any indication, the Boston Celtics are going to be relying on their defense in the 2019 playoffs. Boston’s 84-74 win left fans understandably concerned about certain aspects of Boston’s offense, but the effort at the other end was undeniable, especially in the second half when they held the Pacers to a season-low 29 points. While the final margin was just ten points, Boston was in total control for most of the second stanza, stretching a nine-point lead at the end of the third quarter (63-54) into a 22-point lead (84-62) with just over three minutes left in the game. The Celtics were sizable -400 favorites to win the series before Game 1, and are now -850 chalk after shutting down Indiana for a solid 24 minutes. According to the analysts at SBD, though, their odds to win the East remain basically unchanged at +350. That’s because of a looming second-round matchup with the top-seeded Milwaukee Bucks, who looked as good in Game 1 against Detroit as they did in their historic 60-win regular season. Soon-to-be league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and company put a 35-point beatdown on the Blake Griffin-less Pistons (121-86) and it will be a massive surprise if that series goes to five games. While the Celtics should be able to close out Indiana relatively quickly, it’s undeniable that Boston/Indiana is going to be a much more physical, fatiguing series than Milwaukee/Boston. Brad Stevens said to the Associated Press that Game 1 “looked like a 1980s playoff game … [The Pacers] are physical”. Adding to the doubts about Boston’s long-term playoff success, the Celtics will be playing shorthanded for the foreseeable future, down Marcus Smart until at least the Eastern Conference finals. Only eight Celtics played more than five minutes in Game 1. Compare that to the Bucks, who had 11 players log at least 12 minutes in Game 1 against Detroit. When/if they do meet in the second round, Milwaukee is likely to be the fresher, healthier team from the outset, an advantage that will only become more pronounced as the series progresses. The injury to Smart is not just a manpower concern, either. As arguably the Celtics’ best on-ball defender, his absence will be felt a lot more in a series with Milwaukee, which finished fourth in Adjusted Offensive Rating, than against Indiana, which finished 18th (even with half a season of Oladipo). The optimists will point to last year’s seven-game win over Milwaukee in the first round and note that Boston didn’t have Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward in that series. Subtracting Smart for Irving and Hayward is still a net gain, surely? But that argument ignores the progress Milwaukee has made under Mike Budenholzer. The Bucks jumped from 9th to 4th in Adjusted Offensive Rating and from 21st to 2nd on defense. They now attempt and make the second-most threes in the entire league. Last year, they were 25th in attempts and a brutal 27th in makes. Even at full strength, this year’s iteration of the Bucks would be a handful for this year’s iteration of the Celtics. Milwaukee won the regular-season series 2-1, despite Boston getting two home games. If Boston is going to match their playoff performance from last year and get back to the East finals, they will likely need to be every bit as good on defense as they were on Saturday while improving on the offensive end, where they shot just 36.4% from the field. Yes, the Indiana defense is very good. Milwaukee’s is better.
Oh my, where do we start? First and foremost, we have the Can’t Miss Kid, Brad Stevens, a man who could do no wrong in this town since he was tapped to be the head coach of the Boston Celtics in July of 2013 (has it really been that long?). Last season Stevens was considered a front runner for NBA Coach of the Year but lost to Dwane Casey who was subsequently fired from the Raptors – if that gives you any indication how tenuous a head coaching job in the NBA is and how capricious the whims of ownership. But the Celtics have now lost five of six, and for those who like to bet a few bucks to make it interesting, the Green has failed to cover the number in four of those six contests. Speaking of covering, if you click over to Sportsbook Review, you can read a Bookmaker review detailing all the features of the industry’s leading sportsbook and what their customers are saying. Brad Stevens is dealing with more than X’s and O’s at this point which is unchartered territory for the 42-year-old Indiana native. If the Celtics were a soap opera, the leading man would be Kyrie Irving because he brings enough drama to fill an hour of programming each day. When Irving was wooed to Boston, he made a claim that he wanted to remain a Celtic for life and one day have his jersey retired to the rafters. In Cleveland, he was the Scottie Pippen to LeBron’s Michael Jordan and he wanted out of the shadows and into the spotlight all by himself. Be careful what you wish for Kyrie, because not everyone is cut out to fill that role and assume a leadership position, which allows you to bask in the afterglow of success but demands you answer to the rabid Boston media throng when things go south. Unfortunately for Kyrie, he was well-equipped for the former but grossly unprepared for the latter. Boston ain’t Cleveland when it comes to the fans’ passion for the Celtics, and for that matter the Patriots, Red Sox and Bruins. It is a fanatical base that demands every spoken word uttered by a superstar be evaluated, analyzed, and scrutinized by the local television, radio, and print media pundits who are all too willing to oblige. Despite the season’s rocky moments, of which there have been far more than anticipated, the focus was clearly on some of the young guns who performed so admirably in the postseason without Irving, and of course Gordon Hayward, last year. Jaylen Brown has been the object of much consternation as his effort has been questioned after going from a starring role last season to a role player this season. Terry Rozier seems to have his best games when he is replacing a sidelined Irving and can prove his worth as a full-time starter for any team willing to pony up the big bucks for his services next year. Gordon Hayward came back as a starter after suffering a Theismanesque leg snap in the first game of the 2017 season. He did not perform like the All-Star he was in Utah and has been primarily relegated to the bench. Unlike some of
his teammates, Gordon has not voiced any dissatisfaction with Steven’s move because to do so
would be to ignore the obvious – he’s just not that max contract guy the C’s signed two years
ago. Not yet anyway.
But the drama surrounding the potential blockbuster deal involving Anthony Davis in the
coming offseason has offended the senses of those who are rumored to be trade bait. Jayson
Tatum is one, as is Jaylen Brown amongst others. Apparently, the young guns never got the
memo that basketball at the professional level is a business, and loyalty is but a whimsical
notion that is abruptly dismissed once a GM realizes he can trade his flashy BMW in for a lusty
Lambo. But Kyrie Irving is the key to the deal because if he decides to take his talents elsewhere
after the season, then the devastating one-two punch of Davis and Irving would be no more.
Based on the reported disconnect that Irving has had with his teammates, outside of Tatum,
since early February when New York was mentioned as a possible landing spot for the superstar
next season, Boston may no longer have Kyrie to kick around anymore.
The Boston Celtics first road game of the season concluded in a disappointing 113-101 loss to the Toronto Raptors. Boston was losing 101-99 with 2:30 left in the fourth quarter, though the game ended as the Raptors went on a 12-2 run. Toronto and Boston will face-off three more times during the regular season.
Here are three takeaways from the Celtics second game of the season.
Via MLG Highlights Youtube
Celtics Second Half Woes
The first half was competitive, ending 53-49 in Boston’s favor. The second half was a different story. Toronto scored 64 points on 56% shooting and grabbed 32 of their total 49 rebounds. Boston kept it competitive down the stretch, though Toronto pulled away as they went on a 10-0 run with 2:30 left in fourth quarter.
Missed Layups
Missed layups and second chance opportunities played a major part in the outcome of tonight’s game. The Celtics missed twelve shots from within the restricted area and six others from inside the paint. Boston cannot afford to miss “high percentage” shots if they want to win close games.
Via Sports Chat Place
Ball Movement
Despite the loss, the Celtics offense shows promise due to their selflessness and Brad Stevens’ play design. All five starters took double-digit shot attempts and scored in double figures. Though the Celtics shot just 40 percent, their ball movement and offensive scheme are encouraging. Even with so many mouths to feed, Stevens looks able to keep everyone happy.
Boston’s next game will be in New York against the Knicks on Saturday, October 20 at 7:30 PM ET.
The Boston Celtics have limped through the 2018 preseason thus far, starting 1-3 with a loss to the Charlotte Hornets and two losses to the LeBron-less Cleveland Cavaliers. Some Celtics fans are in panic. It is the preseason, but some of the losses haven’t been close! Is it time to start worrying about the Celtics season?
The preseason is simply what the word says it is. It’s the Preseason. The games before the season starts when rosters are fixing to trim down to fifteen players, when the kinks are being worked out and the chemistry put together as the players learn how to utilize each other among the new additions. The preseason isn’t designed to be very much more then that.
Boston had prepared for a new player last season, Gordon Hayward, and he lasted all of five minutes before going down with an awful ankle injury. Because of that, Hayward is really a new player on this roster. None of the guys have spent much time on the court with him, and he is rehabbing an injury.
That being said, the Celtics have shown potential issues so far on the court. Hayward doesn’t look fully confident in his ankle yet. Sometimes when he goes up for a shot, he almost expects to come down tweaking something. That’s natural. His ankle was literally bent out of place when he went down with an injury. Without confidence, shooting percentage will go down.
With Hayward not playing confident yet, he almost seems to be out of place on this squad. This team is incredibly confident and poised to make a deep playoff run, and definitely seem to be looking at a championship run.
Brad Stevens seems to know this, and is pushing more minutes on him to get him more comfortable on the court. Confidence is contagious, and there really is no reason to believe why Hayward won’t get back to mid-season form.
Where to begin? I know some people are looking at the Celtics record right now, and it’s not pretty. Again, it’s preseason. Players are “sleepwalking” through the games, trying to avoid serious injuries and prepare for the season grind coming up.
Kyrie Irving looks healthy. It’s the first time I have ever written that in my short time doing basketball coverage, and it feels good to say. He says he’s not in pain for the first time since before he came to Boston. He has been very explosive going to the basket.
Marcus Morris looks primed to have a career year off of the bench. He’s been a beast so far, hitting a lot of threes so far in limited time this preseason. Jayson Tatum looks ready to take the next step in his progression. Jaylen Brown has led the team in scoring almost every night so far. That’s not mentioning Marcus Smart and Terry Rozier, who have been good too. Everyone is hitting all of the boxes we wanted to see, and the Celtics look really good.
Is it time to panic?
Some people pay too much attention to statistics and not enough attention to what’s going on downstairs on the hardwood. The Celtics look really good. They’re not playing 100% right now because there is no reason too. Nobody in NBA circles are fooled, though, and will be bringing their A-Game every time they step out on the court against these guys.
No, Celtics Nation. Now is not the time to panic. It’s preseason. The scoreboard is almost meaningless in preseason, and it shows no indication of the upcoming season. If the preseason had mattered last year, Boston would have been favored to play the Utah Jazz in the NBA Finals. The year before, it would have been the Atlanta Hawks and the Golden State Warriors.
One more thing: The Cavaliers went 1-4 last preseason, the Golden State Warriors went 2-2. Preseason records mean nothing.
Crawford wants to add some hardware to his name before he retires
The 38-year-old veteran Jamal Crawford has reported mutual interest with multiple teams. Two of the most notable would be the Golden State Warriors and the Boston Celtics. Since entering the league in the year 2000, he has played for eight different teams. The three-time sixth man of the year recipient knows a thing or two about playing limited minutes.
With a team that’s as young as this year’s Boston Celtics, this guy is worth keeping around. His ability is still up there to be able to perform on a nightly basis. He becomes more of an asset if he can help shape and develop the young core of guards on this roster, including Terry Rozier.
Terry Rozier got a small taste of being a successful starter in this league last season. While that opportunity will be very limited due to Kyrie Irving’s return this year, all eyes are on him to see if he can handle being put back on the bench and still showing ample amounts of ability.
This is where Jamal Crawford comes into play. Even though he has had a successful career, he was never a prominent starting guard. If it seems that Rozier loses confidence or doesn’t play well, Crawford can come in and assist in his development.
While most sources can agree at least 4 teams are in the mix to gain his services, he clearly wants to win a ring sooner rather than later. With only the threat of signing with the Warriors, the Celtics currently have the second-best odds of landing him to Beantown.
According to Spotrac, his highest paid season was back in the 2016-17 season with the Los Angeles Clippers. That season he was 36 years old, and still made a cool $13,253,012 million.
With just weeks away from training camp, we will shortly see how this turns out. Stay tuned to Boston Sports Extra for the latest updates on everything Celtics!
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We’re officially in the NBA dead season. For the time being, there are no trades to be made, no dramatic shakeups to rattle the league’s core, and worst of all, no actual games to be played. In times like these, we have only one choice: Argue about really dumb, inconsequential stuff while we sit around waiting for the season to start.
The following is inconsequential, but it is certainly not dumb. I’ve gone ahead and constructed a roster of the best Celtics players with two first names. You’re welcome in advance.
What’s The Criteria? Did the player in question play in a Celtics uniform? Did that player have two first names? Was that player both good, and does he fit into a loosely constructed roster format? If the answer to all of those questions is yes, that player will likely be featured in this post.
Will There Be Videos? You better believe it.
Why Didn’t Vitaly Potepenko Make The Team? To the best of my knowledge “Potepenko” is not a first name. I promise that, and that alone, is the only reason.
This roster is only 8 spots, so that means some tough calls have to be made. Unfortunately, that means Big Al narrowly misses the cut. Jefferson was one of the last players to go straight from high school to the NBA, and his inexperience showed early on. Jefferson started only 8 games during his first two seasons. In 2007, however, he made a leap. Jefferson averaged 16 PPG and 11 RPG on 51.4% shooting, displaying enough promise to make himself the centerpiece of the Kevin Garnett trade that summer.
That’s right, the guy behind Nellie Ball was a key cog on five Celtics championship teams. Statistically, Nelson was unspectacular. Across 11 seasons with Boston, he averaged only 11-5-2 on 48% shooting in 21.8 MPG.
However, he also had one of the great moments of the late Russell-Era Celtics. Down the stretch in Game 7 of the ’69 Finals, Nelson scooped up a loose ball at the foul line. He released a high-arching jumper that bounced straight off the back iron, before dropping directly down through the rim as the shot clock expired. The shot pushed the Celtics’ lead to 105-102 with a minute and a half to play, giving just enough cushion for the C’s to clinch their 11th NBA title in 13 years.
Archibald is a forgotten legend from a forgotten era. “Tiny” played from 1972-77, averaging an impressive 27-3-9 on 47% shooting en route to three All-Star selections. He became the first (and only) player to lead the league in both assists per game and points per game in ’73, when his 34 PPG and 11.4 APG set the pace for the rest of the NBA.
An achilles injury caused him to miss the entire ’78 season. This injury led to his signing with the Celtics. Archibald’s numbers weren’t as gaudy in Boston as they were during his prime, but his efforts as a floor general and steady secondary creator alongside a precocious Larry Bird earned him three more All-Star honors from 1980-82, and an NBA title in 1981.
It’s only fitting that the 6th man of this crew is Hall of Fame center Bill Walton. Okay, I took some liberties here (“Walton” isn’t exactly a common first name unless you’re the vice principal of North Jackson High School), but as the self-appointed arbiter of this list, I’ll allow it. The C’s snatched up Walton after the ’85 season, when foot and ankle injuries had all but derailed his career.
The former UCLA standout had an immediate impact: His unselfish play meshed seamlessly with Bird’s Celtics, already a team known for their passing and ball movement. The result? Walton was named 6th Man of the Year in 1986, as Boston sliced through the rest of the NBA en route to 68 wins and a title.
It’s easy to lose sight of just how good Thomas was during his time in Boston, given the way things ended. The Celtics acquired him at the trade deadline in 2015, and promptly won 20 of their final 30 games to sneak into the playoffs as the 8 seed. IT was the spark, and after leading the Celtics back to the postseason in 2016, he lost his damn mind in 2017.
Thomas was a killer that season. He averaged 29-3-6 on 46/38/91 shooting, with the bulk of that production coming when it mattered most. He scored 20+ points in 43 straight games (a Celtics record), and averaged 9.8 points in the 4th quarter (2nd best in the NBA). The above video was arguably his greatest moment: dropping 53 points against the Wizards in the ECSF on his sister’s birthday, just days after her death. It’s hard to believe that he would be traded less than 4 months later.
I specifically remember being confused when the Celtics traded for Allen during the 2007 NBA Draft. At the time, pairing a 31 year old shooting guard with a 30 year old Paul Pierce and Al Jefferson seemed like a one-way ticket to 43 wins and NBA purgatory. Of course, little did I know a Kevin Garnett-sized shoe was about to drop, and the next great era of Celtics’ basketball was about about to begin.
Garnett was the heart and soul of those Celtics teams. Pierce was the captain. But Allen was the most consistent, and most deadly. Jesus Shuttlesworth averaged 17-3-3 on 47/40/91 shooting from 2008-11, with more clutch shots and game winners than I can count. He also has the two most iconic shots from the 2008 Finals, both from Game 4’s dramatic road comeback. There was the above triple-clutch reverse layup, and then the game-clinching blow-by of Sasha Vujacic.
Like Thomas, things ended on a sour note with the Boston brass. However, Allen was vital to the Celtic’s last championship run, and to restoring the franchise to their former glory.
Lewis’ story ended in tragedy, a life lost far too soon. While he was healthy and able to compete on an NBA court, however, he was one of the game’s best two way players, an All-Star just hitting his prime. Lewis only played in 49 games (and 405 minutes) in his rookie season. Then, from 1989-93, he blossomed. Lewis averaged 19-5-2 over that 5 season stretch, and was an All-Star in 1992.
He was notorious for giving Michael Jordan fits (at least as much as any other player was able to), even blocking him 4 times in one game. The Celtics, in the wake of Len Bias’ death in 1986 and with Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parish aging quickly, needed a new, young star to carry the franchise’s success into a new decade. Lewis seemed primed to be a key part of that next Celtics generation. Unfortunately, that was not meant to be.
Before the decisive Game 7 of the 1984 NBA Finals, Maxwell reportedly told his Celtics teammates “Hop on my back boys, I’ll carry you home.” Cornbread put his money where his mouth was, scoring 24 points, along with 8 boards and 8 assists, to lead the Celtics to their 15th title. Maxwell earned his second ring with the franchise and cemented himself as a Celtics legend, after winning the Finals MVP in 1981.
Of course, it helps that in addition to his stellar work as a starter on those early 80s Celtics teams, Maxwell had (and continues to have) such a colorful personality. Listen to any Celtics radio broadcast and you’re sure to get a good quote or five. Here’s one from last December, at the expense of 2018 MVP James Harden. And, in case you were worried this was a new development, check out his speech from Larry Legend’s retirement ceremony in 1993. Simply put, Max is the best.
Look, if you made it this far I probably don’t need to run down Bill Freakin’ Russell’s list of accomplishments. 11 titles in 13 years. Never lost a Game 7. A 5-time MVP, 12-time All-Star, and 12-time All NBA selectee. And that’s just scratching the very surface. He was beloved by coaches and teammates, and his contributions go beyond the court. He was a Civil Rights activist, and is one of the game’s greatest ambassadors. How could I have chosen any other Celtics’ center with two first names, two last names, or no names at all for this honor?
I also just wanted an excuse to show off this video:
If that wasn’t enough, there’s this classic commercial that, thanks to the mighty and glorious internet, is forever immortalized:
When will Brad Stevens catch a break? After guiding Boston to the Eastern Conference Finals the past two seasons with a depleted squad each year, some analysts are refusing to acknowledge Stevens as a bona fide coach in NBA ranks.
To understand the truth to this matter, we need to break down the accomplishments that Stevens has achieved during his tenure in Boston.
Brad Stevens got the opportunity to coach for Boston after a very successful tenure in the college ranks as the head coach of Butler. After a national championship run that fell short in the 2012-13 season, Stevens was interviewed by multiple NBA teams.
Stevens landed the Boston job on July 3rd, 2013. Does anyone remember any of the players from that 2013-14 squad? Going, going and gone. I didn’t think so.
The Celtics added Tyler Zeller to play the five, and Evan Turner replaced Jeff Green after an injury. Late in the season, Boston traded for Isaiah Thomas, with intension to have him come off the bench. The young Celtics started to emerge, with Thomas averaging 19 points per game off the bench. Avery Bradley becoming a reliable 2nd option, then Marcus Smart, Jae Crowder and Kelly Olynyk all earning more playing time throughout the season.
Boston went 40-42, sneaking into the playoffs just to be swept under the rug by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Stevens liked the youth on his team. Boston allowed the older players to leave and started adding multitudes of young talent. Terry Rozier, Jordan Mickey and Jaylen Brown arrived to the squad. Isaiah Thomas became an offensive star and suddenly had a ton of offensive talent around him. Crowder, Bradley and the addition of Al Horford at center proved to be extremely useful. Boston made their first Eastern Conference Finals run in the 2016-17 season, without Thomas who had fallen victim to an ankle injury halfway through the playoff run.
The team leaned on Smart and Rozier to shoulder the load, which they did well. However, Boston was unable to contain both Kyrie Irving and LeBron James, and fell again in game six, again, to the Cavaliers.
This season, the Celtics were truly primed to make a big run. They added Duke star Jayson Tatum to their lineup. Kyrie Irving was acquired from Cleveland. Boston signed Gordon Hayward from the Utah Jazz in free agency. This squad was so loaded, it didn’t seem like they could fall short of a title run.
Alas, disaster struck. Hayward went down with a broken ankle five minutes into the first game while Kyrie missed the entire month of April and the entirety of the playoffs. Instead, the team leaned on Tatum and Jaylen Brown to carry the load, which they did admirably. They went toe to toe in a seven game matchup with the Cavaliers before falling, 87-79.
What does Brad Stevens really have to prove? What accomplishment does he have to achieve before people outside of Boston recognize how gifted this man truly is?
Let’s explore some of his former players to see how they are faring with other teams. Jae Crowder? All but forgotten in Utah. Avery Bradley? Traded to the Detroit Pistons and then to the Los Angeles Clippers later in the season. Isaiah Thomas? Now on his fourth team in the last two years (Boston, Cleveland, Los Angeles Lakers and now the Denver Nuggets.
Stevens takes talent and finds the best way to play them and then he utilizes each player to his strength. What other coaches have done well in doing that? San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich is about the only one that comes to mind.
Brad Stevens took a team missing two NBA All-Stars to the Conference Finals and then leaned on a rookie forward to lead his team into game seven. That accomplishment alone is incredible! All we hear about is how Brad Stevens doesn’t yet belong on the list of elite NBA coaches.
I’m sure the Brooklyn Nets, Phoenix Suns, and Sacramento Kings among others would love to be in the position the Boston Celtics are in. The franchise hasn’t missed the playoffs since the 2013-14 Season, yet lottery picks continue to pour in due to Danny Ainge’s brilliancy in the trade market. They boast three perennial All-Star talents in Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward, and Al Horford. Oh, and the ‘other’ two guys in the starting lineup aren’t too bad, either. Boston has the potential to send five guys to the All-Star game this season. In more ways than one, this team stacks up relatively well to the likes of the juggernaut Golden State Warriors. They also happen to be younger.
Boston Boasts Arguably the Deepest Bench in the League
SOURCE: AP Photo/Charles Krupa
Depth on this roster is no issue, either. Terry Rozier blew up last season as a key contributor down the stretch and throughout the playoffs. The 24-year-old point guard out of Louisville has been mentioned in the same sentence as Kemba Walker and Dame Lillard, both All-Star talents. Oh, and he isn’t even this team’s sixth man. That role belongs to $52 million-dollar man Marcus Smart. After signing a $13 million per year deal that retains his services in Boston for the next four years, Smart has now become one of the league’s highest paid bench players.
Worth it? Undoubtedly. The bulldog out of Oklahoma State won’t blow anyone away on the stat sheet, but he is the ultimate competitor and a true winner. He does all of the dirty things needed to be done to win, whether it’s ripping down a big rebound over a seven-footer to secure a big possession, or diving on the floor for a loose ball seconds after returning from a major injury.
The bench depth continues to roll on from there. Marcus Morris adds a lethal one-on-one option. ‘All of Australia’ Aron Baynes is a big body that started in 67 games for the C’s last season. Baynes is a starting caliber center that also happens to statistically be one of the best defensive players in the league. German forward Daniel Theis will assuredly compete for some quality minutes this season, perhaps against Rookie first round pick Robert Williams. Semi Ojeleye played some big minutes last season, often times tasked with locking down the opposition’s best player. Anyone remember when Semi bodied up Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Playoffs?
Believe in Brad Stevens
BOSTON, MA – MARCH 22: Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics goes over the next play with Jaylen Brown #7 of the Boston Celtics during the game against the Indiana Pacers on March 22, 2017 at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)
No matter how you slice it, this team is DEEP and talented. Regardless of the position on the floor, there is a guy on this team that can step in and more than hold their own. That is just how Brad Stevens has designed this team to be. He likes interchangeability and trusts each player on his roster to perform when called upon. He gets the most out of the players he coaches because he believes in allowing them to play within themselves and refuses to limit a guy because of a weakness they may have. The trust he offers each player is returned, and that trust builds confidence. That confidence translates into production.
Now, Brad Stevens has yet another major task ahead of him. How will he find a way to manage arguably the deepest roster the NBA has to offer? Quite honestly, it’s a curious problem to have. Every team out there across any sport or level of play would love to have this ‘problem’.
Good Problem or No Problem?
Stevens, known as a bit of a playful guy with the media, had a humorous but logical response when asked about this ‘good problem’.
“I don’t think it’s any secret to anybody that there’s only 240 minutes in a game,” Stevens said. “If we all struggle with that more than just the human nature of being disappointed if you get taken out — that’s OK, that’s part of it — but if we struggle with that, then we won’t be very good. And if we don’t, we’ll have a chance to be pretty good.”
Of course, this would be an easy problem to solve if there were 240 minutes in a game. But to Stevens, it sounds like there isn’t an issue at all here. He even has the rotations written up ahead of training camp, and at this point is more concerned with ‘how’ they will play versus ‘who’ will play.
“I’m more focused on how we want to play than how we’re going to rotate,” Stevens said. “I mean, if last year’s not the best example, I don’t know what would be. Things can change. Your rotation can change in a heartbeat. So, you can work all summer on it, and you’ve got to adjust in one day. I think the bottom line is we have an idea of who will play together and who best fits together and what lineups we think we’ll try to use, but we’ll see how it all shakes itself out.”
It All Comes Down to Coach Stevens
(11/12/2017- Boston, MA) With 12 wins in a row, Boston Celtics head coach Brad Stevens has a lot to smile about during a victory over the Toronto Raptors at TD Garden on Sunday, November 12, 2017. Staff Photo by Matt West
The bottom line here is that as long as the team buys into the Brad Stevens philosophy and trusts that he will steer them in the right direction, this team will be successful. If this group of individuals can find a way to set aside their egos and personal desires for the betterment of the team there is no limit to what they can accomplish. Depth is a good problem to have, so long as the players have faith in their leader. Lucky for Boston, Brad Stevens may just be the finest leader out there.
Robert Williams has been battling knee tendonitis since the end of his college tenure with Texas A&M. The big man managed to play in only six minutes of Summer League before colliding with a 76er, and missed the rest of the action after reaggravating the injury.
With Training Camp Around the Corner, Williams Looks to Get Back on Track Quick
Training camp is just a few weeks away, but Williams has been working hard to make a comeback as efficiently as possible.
“Still taking it day by day,” Williams said. “There’s people that have a lot of time, a lot of money invested in you now, they don’t want to mess up what they got going. But I’m thankful for the trainers and the coaches, just taking it day by day.”
He understands the situation he is in and just wants to get back to healthy playing shape as soon as possible. Williams has spoken highly of the Celtics organization and their patience in dealing with his injury. He also see’s this down time as an opportunity to learn the X’s and O’s of the offense and all of the other technical aspects of being an NBA player.
“Just strengthening places I need to strengthen,” Williams said. “Obviously my knee, obviously knowing what’s going on out there on the court, knowing the calls before (Brad Stevens) throws in me a 5-on-5 game. He’s been teaching me actually the past couple days, just hammering in the calls, all the play names, all the big names for things, so it’s just been a great perspective, a great opportunity.”
Williams Expected to Be ‘Full Go’ by Training Camp
After a rough start to his career with the post Draft issues, Williams already looks like he is maturing and beginning to take a more level-headed approach moving forward.
Brad Stevens expects a fully healthy roster by the start of training camp, so chances are Williams will be cleared for 5-on-5 in the near future. Hopefully the big man can stay healthy this season, as he will have his plate full proving that he deserves a spot on this already loaded roster.
