These Celtics play hard. I have watched them since the 60's and if that is all I'm going to get? I'll take it. Whichever way you want to look at the glass of water you've been given is up to you.
Stevens has been given a 180 degree rotation of nothing and has kept the team going for two years. He's had what? 45 guys listed as a Celtics player in the last two years? IMO he gets a medal. This opinion does not in any way suggest this team is good. It isn't. It was designed to get the president of basketball operations a draft pick. Live with it.
In further "half full" territory, a lot of these guys, while they are playing their butts off, actually care about winning even though they aren't. This tells me something about a man who can play a hand where the best card is a four of clubs.
Last season? No center and no point guard.
This season, Ainge twisted himself into a pretzel and got Stevens a legit B+ back up center. Issue has been Zeller is playing "too well."
If you actually pause and watch what Stevens has done? It may not win games, but, the fact that these guys win much at all is a miracle. Is Green a NBA starter? Sort of, I guess. What about the rest? How many starters does he have?
As the team isn't any good, I watch Stevens and the bucket of sh*& he has been strapped into.
"Brad? Uh...look...Jordan Crawford is playing just a little too well for us...I'm going to trade him for a guy who really can't play...you understand? Right?"
One season later..." Brad? I know Rondo is your only NBA level starter so, he's going to Dallas...you understand? Yea, but don't worry I got three guys who, along with the other 12 players you have? Would have a hard time getting a starting job on a decent team."
I am not defending Stevens. His teams thus far, have been one click north of the 76'ers, but, what I am saying?
Watch a really smart guy try freaking everything trying to win a game...anything. He's got Gerald Wallace (his game line? :02 seconds) who has played eleven minutes all season throwing a 160 foot bomb to Sullinger underneath with no seconds left and he hits him like Tom Brady to Gronk. Plumlee wet himself. "Duh...that was a heck of a play..."
He's got Turner, Smart, Olynyk and Bass playing the fourth against the Wiz. They were down by a thousand points, these scrubs bring them back and Stevens leaves them in for the next hour and a half while the starters watch.
The guy has leather shoes and a tie, but, he is in that game trying to win any possible way he can and? If you start dogging it? He'll pull your pretty a$$ out, put it on the bench and leave it there for the rest of the week....and it works. Ask Olynyk, Sullinger and the rest
Ok, their going to lose a bunch of games, watch Stevens because, in a work/job sense? This man has it worse than you.