Author Topic: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?  (Read 1678 times)

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Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« on: January 19, 2021, 04:18:50 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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It's like clockwork:

The Celtics have a bad game.

My family text thread (mostly about sports) heats up.

"BRAD SUCKS!  FIRE BRAD!"


Is there any particular reasoning or analysis behind this complaint?  Not usually.

Apart from complaints about shot selection ("TOO MANY THREES!" is always my dad's complaint no matter the context), the other common one is about Brad waiting too long to call timeouts.  The Celts are constantly blowing big leads, apparently, and the perceived culprit is that Brad fails to call a timeout until the lead has already all but disappeared.

I suspect that a large part of the complaint, really, is that Brad rarely shows emotion even when things are going badly.  If Brad were stamping his feet, gesticulating, and yelling when the refs make bad calls or the team screws up defensive rotations, I have a feeling he might be less of an obvious scapegoat in these conversations.  Personally, I like that Brad is even-keeled, because I don't think that sideline outbursts make a difference, and I think that having a coach with a "don't get too high or too low" mantra is a positive, especially for a young team.  But I know that doesn't jive with some people who have a more traditional concept of what a coach should look and act like.


I'm not sure what objective evidence there is of the Celts being more prone than other teams to blowing leads.  My feeling is that the modern game's emphasis on threes means that leads will be larger and will also be lost more often.

The thing about Brad waiting to call timeouts does accord somewhat with my perception of watching the team, though.  He does seem to tend to err on the side of letting the team "play through it."  Sometimes that bothers me, although my feeling is that during the regular season it probably makes sense to let the players figure out how to deal with adversity.  In the playoffs, calling timeouts at crucial junctures seems more vital.

Now, I know Brad knows way more about basketball than me or anybody I know on a personal level.  So I'm certain that anything he does, including all the stuff that makes my friends and family complain, is well thought out.


What I'm wondering is whether Brad has ever been asked about his philosophy re: timeouts during a post-game or an interview, and if he's given an answer on that.  If for no other reason so that I can respond to the refrain with an actual explanation, it'd be nice to know.
You’ll have to excuse my lengthiness—the reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #1 on: January 19, 2021, 04:45:27 PM »

Offline nickagneta

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I brought this up in a game thread a while back, but what a lot of the more vocal "Brad sucks at calling timeouts" fans don't take into consideration is you only get so many timeouts and that there are timeouts due to television that are built into the game.

So if a team isn't playing well but a TV timeout is going to happen in 45-60 seconds or less, it makes no sense to waste a timeout then over what amounts to 1or 2 possessions of the ball. It's better to save timeouts to use late, if the game is close. And the thing is, in today's NBA with the advent of the three, you can never be sure that it won't be a close game late, so you do what you can to save those timeouts.

I am also a believer that the idea of calling a timeout because it's guaranteed to stop the momentum of the other team or change the quality of your team's performance is extremely flawed. You hope it does, but it's no guarantee.

So without that guarantee, it makes complete sense not to call timeouts very close to TV timeouts and at times maybe it's best to let players work things out for themselves. I think this is especially true when your offense and defense is running technically sound but you are just missing shots and the other team is making difficult shots that were well guarded. When that happens, and it happens a lot, a 9-10 point swing might result but it's not due to anything other than playing in a make or miss league. So let the team play through and just encourage them from the sideline or call for a set play. Something simple that doesn't require you calling a timeout just to say "Keep playing like you are. You're doing everything right."

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #2 on: January 19, 2021, 05:00:55 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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I agree, that makes sense.  Especially since we know that Brad is a big believer in reinforcing process over results. 

I assume Brad gets on guys for making decisions that go against the gameplan / process that he's trying to establish, even when the result is good, and encourages guys for doing the correct thing even if the result is bad.
You’ll have to excuse my lengthiness—the reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #3 on: January 19, 2021, 06:38:38 PM »

Online hwangjini_1

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It's like clockwork:

The Celtics have a bad game.

My family text thread (mostly about sports) heats up.

"BRAD SUCKS!  FIRE BRAD!"


Is there any particular reasoning or analysis behind this complaint?  Not usually.

Apart from complaints about shot selection ("TOO MANY THREES!" is always my dad's complaint no matter the context), the other common one is about Brad waiting too long to call timeouts.  The Celts are constantly blowing big leads, apparently, and the perceived culprit is that Brad fails to call a timeout until the lead has already all but disappeared.

...
have you thought about putting yourself up for adoption?
I believe Gandhi is the only person who knew about real democracy — not democracy as the right to go and buy what you want, but democracy as the responsibility to be accountable to everyone around you. Democracy begins with freedom from hunger, freedom from unemployment, freedom from fear, and freedom from hatred.
- Vandana Shiva

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #4 on: January 19, 2021, 06:53:28 PM »

Online Silas

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It's like clockwork:

The Celtics have a bad game.

My family text thread (mostly about sports) heats up.

"BRAD SUCKS!  FIRE BRAD!"


Is there any particular reasoning or analysis behind this complaint?  Not usually.

Apart from complaints about shot selection ("TOO MANY THREES!" is always my dad's complaint no matter the context), the other common one is about Brad waiting too long to call timeouts.  The Celts are constantly blowing big leads, apparently, and the perceived culprit is that Brad fails to call a timeout until the lead has already all but disappeared.

...
have you thought about putting yourself up for adoption?

You're getting a TP for being hilarious. 
I've lived through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened.   -  Mark Twain

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #5 on: January 19, 2021, 07:38:50 PM »

Offline jambr380

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Re: television timeouts. It should be noted that even though two timeouts are required per quarter, these timeouts do get charged to the teams. They are not just random timeouts that are allotted specifically for television. If no timeout has been called before the 7 minute mark - at the next stoppage of play - the home team will be charged with a timeout. The same thing happens at the 3 minute mark, only the team who was not charged with a timeout during the first stoppage is now charged with one. If a 2nd timeout has been called prior to this point (by either team), another timeout is not required.

Of course you can still overuse timeouts and it does pay to be cognizant of whose 'turn' it is next. Like if there are 4 minutes left in a quarter, and you are the home team that was already charged with one timeout, you might be better off waiting until the 3 minute mark so that the other team will be forced to use theirs.

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #6 on: January 19, 2021, 07:59:34 PM »

Offline tstorey_97

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Good question!

Great answers from veteran posters here culminating in recommending adoption for PhoSita which I guess is "tough love".

Stevens is, in many ways, like a college coach.

When Garnett was here, he was the captain of the team...the emotional leader because...he had to be.

Russell was just as above. The guy who wants it the most leads the rest. You think Red would mess with that? Red was the boss. He built the team and the players played to his spec....but Russell was the leader and then, but not the same, Cowens.

During the Bird era, in a way, it was Larry as he wanted it the most, but, I think it was more complicated than that. In turn Red managed that dynamic also.

Steven's coaching philosophy as to connect with Red's as Ainge is a disciple.

Stevens is the "captain" of the team. It works for now I guess. Is there a captain of the team on the court now? If there is, will this player be here in 2 years?

Is there some dink player who's going to get Brad fired? Not yet I guess.

Steven's philosophy includes as already mentioned on this thread....don't get too excited and don't get too down.

You know "that football team" that acts like they won the superbowl when they make one good play. The good teams "keep a lid on it" and Stevens, over the years, has mentioned the importance of managing emotions.

He is totally strung on stats. They studied the stats from the bubble and realized they needed to play the bench more....and this season they're doing that for a lot of reasons, but Robert's and others development has been stunted by overplaying starters....something that Stevens does.

Finally the core of his philosophy and why he is going to stay here is that Auerbach + Ainge + Stevens = defense








Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #7 on: January 19, 2021, 09:48:20 PM »

Offline Ogaju

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It's like clockwork:

The Celtics have a bad game.

My family text thread (mostly about sports) heats up.

"BRAD SUCKS!  FIRE BRAD!"


Is there any particular reasoning or analysis behind this complaint?  Not usually.

Apart from complaints about shot selection ("TOO MANY THREES!" is always my dad's complaint no matter the context), the other common one is about Brad waiting too long to call timeouts.  The Celts are constantly blowing big leads, apparently, and the perceived culprit is that Brad fails to call a timeout until the lead has already all but disappeared.

...
have you thought about putting yourself up for adoption?

lol that or he can run away from home.

Re: Has Brad ever explained his philosophy re: calling timeouts?
« Reply #8 on: January 20, 2021, 12:47:14 PM »

Offline PhoSita

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It's like clockwork:

The Celtics have a bad game.

My family text thread (mostly about sports) heats up.

"BRAD SUCKS!  FIRE BRAD!"


Is there any particular reasoning or analysis behind this complaint?  Not usually.

Apart from complaints about shot selection ("TOO MANY THREES!" is always my dad's complaint no matter the context), the other common one is about Brad waiting too long to call timeouts.  The Celts are constantly blowing big leads, apparently, and the perceived culprit is that Brad fails to call a timeout until the lead has already all but disappeared.

...
have you thought about putting yourself up for adoption?

lol that or he can run away from home.

Friends I live on the other side of the country from my family, but you can never outrun bad sports takes when you have a family text thread.
You’ll have to excuse my lengthiness—the reason I dread writing letters is because I am so apt to get to slinging wisdom & forget to let up. Thus much precious time is lost.
- Mark Twain