Brad Stevens forget how to close?

[ozgod]

I think the real question we need to be asking is how we gave up a(nother) double digit lead to lose a close game. It's easy to focus on the last half minute but I think we need to look at what decisions the team made to get us to the point where we had to rely on someone calling a timeout or someone making a shot or avoiding a turnover at the end.

[GreenRunsDeep33]

The players may not believe in the system anymore. There has to start being some accountability for poor play. They aren't playing like they could lose something...players are too comfortable with their minutes.

Sign IT, bench Wanamaker
Move Hayward to bench
Call up Tacko permanently
Play bigger lineups
Stop letting the wrong players take too many shots.

Walker
Brown
Tatum
Theis
RWill

IT
Smart
Hayward
Williams
Kantor

[Celtics4ever]

I think he tries to conserve his players too much instead of going for the knockout blow that would close a game.

[iadera]

Yes, and not the first time he forgets.

[td450]

This was completely on the players.

In the last 15 seconds:

Kemba seeks the ball in the backcourt along the sideline, which is a huge no-no.

Hayward is open in front of him in the middle for an easy entry, but Smart locks in on Kemba anyway.

Tatum completely botches the last play. It was not a complicated situation. He has a 6'0 player on him, with Kemba's man hedging. No one else is in a position to help.

He doesn't force the help defender to decide and doesn't get into the lane, and he takes a difficult fall away as if he's being covered by Giannis.

Really poor decision making all around.

[apc]

Needs fired.  Get rid of Kemba and Hayward too

Hayward (and Smart) had the best overall games for us tonight...

I just think Kemba needs to get his legs back.

Kemba has been bad for his last 10-15 games. I don’t think it’s about getting his legs back .

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

I think the real question we need to be asking is how we gave up a(nother) double digit lead to lose a close game. It's easy to focus on the last half minute but I think we need to look at what decisions the team made to get us to the point where we had to rely on someone calling a timeout or someone making a shot or avoiding a turnover at the end.

Good point. The Cs scored a whopping 41 points in the entire second half; a decent second-half offense would've won them the game. But as you said, there were plenty of other mistakes besides.

[Spicoli]

If the team keeps losing games in the exact same fashion (poor pick and roll defense, blown challenges or lack thereof, blown late game situations, blown substitutions etc) then that's on the coach.

I would love for there to be a consensus on what exactly a coach is responsible for and what he is not responsible for.

[nickagneta]

Okay, so for those calling for Stevens' head, who do you hire after firing CBS? And explain to me how that coach's system will work better than Brad's and explain how that coach will handle all the things you complain that Brad does? Because I would love to hear which available coach is going to come in here, do or don't do all the things the opposite way you complain about Stevens doing or not doing and end up achieving more than Stevens. I want to hear what the new coach's track record is for doing the things Stevens does really well. Is this next coach really a better option or just a different option?

[Roy H.]

Okay, so for those calling for Stevens' head, who do you hire after firing CBS? And explain to me how that coach's system will work better than Brad's and explain how that coach will handle all the things you complain that Brad does? Because I would love to hear which available coach is going to come in here, do or don't do all the things the opposite way you complain about Stevens doing or not doing and end up achieving more than Stevens. I want to hear what the new coach's track record is for doing the things Stevens does really well. Is this next coach really a better option or just a different option?

Yeah, we’ve got a top six offense and a top four defense despite a ton of injuries and an inexperienced bench.  Brad has developed the hell out of Tatum, Brown, Smart, Theis, etc., and has seemlessly transitioned us into contention after losing Kyrie, Horford, Morris, etc.

Who on Earth do people want to replace him with, and why?

[GreenRunsDeep33]

I think there are coaches out there that can do better than Stevens. Hes great for a team with no expectations and no big stars, but when he had stars and the expectations are there, he doesnt rise to the occasion. I just dont see a killer instinct. I see a good teacher who doesn't take winning as the ultimate goal. His ultimate goal is did we compete. To win a title you need to step on teams when you have them down...we always let them off the mat. He doesnt know how to deliver the knockout blow...he'd rather keep substituting.

Has anyone noticed since the Rockets beat us teams are playing big lineups against them and the Rockets are paying the price for small ball. What did the Celtics do...we played small ball too. SMH

[Monkhouse]

I think there are coaches out there that can do better than Stevens. Hes great for a team with no expectations and no big stars, but when he had stars and the expectations are there, he doesnt rise to the occasion. I just dont see a killer instinct. I see a good teacher who doesn't take winning as the ultimate goal. His ultimate goal is did we compete. To win a title you need to step on teams when you have them down...we always let them off the mat. He doesnt know how to deliver the knockout blow...he'd rather keep substituting.

Has anyone noticed since the Rockets beat us teams are playing big lineups against them and the Rockets are paying the price for small ball. What did the Celtics do...we played small ball too. SMH

The players may not believe in the system anymore. There has to start being some accountability for poor play. They aren't playing like they could lose something...players are too comfortable with their minutes.

Sign IT, bench Wanamaker
Move Hayward to bench
Call up Tacko permanently
Play bigger lineups
Stop letting the wrong players take too many shots.

Walker
Brown
Tatum
Theis
RWill

IT
Smart
Hayward
Williams
Kantor

Well since I don't watch enough basketball, I guess we'll just fire Stevens, and let you coach us from now on, huh?

And before you respond with another one of your amazing comebacks, who would you wager would do a better job coaching? Jackson? Atkinson?

[Spicoli]

I think there are coaches out there that can do better than Stevens. Hes great for a team with no expectations and no big stars, but when he had stars and the expectations are there, he doesnt rise to the occasion. I just dont see a killer instinct. I see a good teacher who doesn't take winning as the ultimate goal. His ultimate goal is did we compete. To win a title you need to step on teams when you have them down...we always let them off the mat. He doesnt know how to deliver the knockout blow...he'd rather keep substituting.

Has anyone noticed since the Rockets beat us teams are playing big lineups against them and the Rockets are paying the price for small ball. What did the Celtics do...we played small ball too. SMH

I agree with pretty much everything said here. I've been keeping an eye on the Rockets since we've played them and teams are just going big on them and pounding them inside. What did Stevens do? He went super small and played right into their hands. The Rockets have lost 4 in a row and have not looked good, but against the Celtics they had an absolute field day.

GreenRunsDeep nailed it. Stevens is a good teacher but he does not go all out to win. Who would we replace Stevens with? How about a coach who simply wants to win above all else? Isn't that why we're watching these games? I'm not watching 82 games so that Stevens can play 11 guys and tinker with lineups from game to game. It is ridiculous.

[GreenFaith1819]

I think there are coaches out there that can do better than Stevens. Hes great for a team with no expectations and no big stars, but when he had stars and the expectations are there, he doesnt rise to the occasion. I just dont see a killer instinct. I see a good teacher who doesn't take winning as the ultimate goal. His ultimate goal is did we compete. To win a title you need to step on teams when you have them down...we always let them off the mat. He doesnt know how to deliver the knockout blow...he'd rather keep substituting.

Has anyone noticed since the Rockets beat us teams are playing big lineups against them and the Rockets are paying the price for small ball. What did the Celtics do...we played small ball too. SMH

I agree with pretty much everything said here. I've been keeping an eye on the Rockets since we've played them and teams are just going big on them and pounding them inside. What did Stevens do? He went super small and played right into their hands. The Rockets have lost 4 in a row and have not looked good, but against the Celtics they had an absolute field day.

GreenRunsDeep nailed it. Stevens is a good teacher but he does not go all out to win. Who would we replace Stevens with? How about a coach who simply wants to win above all else? Isn't that why we're watching these games? I'm not watching 82 games so that Stevens can play 11 guys and tinker with lineups from game to game. It is ridiculous.

Which coach out there do you propose?

[RPGenerate]

I think there are coaches out there that can do better than Stevens. Hes great for a team with no expectations and no big stars, but when he had stars and the expectations are there, he doesnt rise to the occasion. I just dont see a killer instinct. I see a good teacher who doesn't take winning as the ultimate goal. His ultimate goal is did we compete. To win a title you need to step on teams when you have them down...we always let them off the mat. He doesnt know how to deliver the knockout blow...he'd rather keep substituting.

Has anyone noticed since the Rockets beat us teams are playing big lineups against them and the Rockets are paying the price for small ball. What did the Celtics do...we played small ball too. SMH

I agree with pretty much everything said here. I've been keeping an eye on the Rockets since we've played them and teams are just going big on them and pounding them inside. What did Stevens do? He went super small and played right into their hands. The Rockets have lost 4 in a row and have not looked good, but against the Celtics they had an absolute field day.

GreenRunsDeep nailed it. Stevens is a good teacher but he does not go all out to win. Who would we replace Stevens with? How about a coach who simply wants to win above all else? Isn't that why we're watching these games? I'm not watching 82 games so that Stevens can play 11 guys and tinker with lineups from game to game. It is ridiculous.

Which coach out there do you propose?

Rick Pitino