Ime Udoka, man of his words.

[Kiorrik]

https://youtu.be/zyr4sVWX40E?t=848

I've timestamped the video, it will start right when he starts talking about the mark he wants to make on our team.



Ime's words, day 1:

"what I was as a player, was a tough, hard nosed player, defensive minded"

"sorry to mention this brad, but 27th in assists last year"


Celtics since then:

Defensive rating:

• 1st in in the league in defensive rating
• 3rd since the all-star break
• 3rd in the last 15 games

Assists:

• 14th in the league in assists
• 5th since all-star weekend
• 4th over the last 15

Ime, hats off.

Man of your word.

Kudos. For a first year coach, that's beyond ridiculous. Even if you don't win it, you're my personal coach the year.

Let's go Celtics!

[td450]

You can pick out any number of other things that Udoka has done that helped the team improve, but this team was stuck because it couldn't get Smart and Tatum to change. The team wasn't going to evolve unless they either blew up the roster or those two were willing to change their offensive habits.

Stevens was wise enough to see he couldn't get to them. Uodka got it done and more importantly has now established an ethic of improvement and trust. Very, very few NBA coaches can get stars to accept a plan to modify their game for the good of the team. Usually when it happens it's because of the star, not the coach.

We now have a coach and players ethic that accepts the need to adapt. This team is going to accomplish some things over the next few years.

[wikkid1]

Seeing the ball movement and ability to grasp the defensive switch has made all the difference.  I like seeing the “pass-first, get it to the open man” mentality this team has adopted.  Udoka seems to have the players buying into the system, which Brad seemed to lose towards the end of his stint as HC.

[pokeKingCurtis]

I've only been able to watch bits and pieces. But man. If we win this series, Ime's gotta get a lot of props.

Shutting down Durant has been huge.

I'm past bumping the "Ime's got to go" thread ironically now. Just gonna give credit straight up.

[Kiorrik]

Dude rocked up to the team he wanted to coach, and now he's coaching the heck outta them.

Ty for reviving the topic.

♥

[pokeKingCurtis]

Dude rocked up to the team he wanted to coach, and now he's coaching the heck outta them.

Ty for reviving the topic.

♥

Today with both Jays struggling, he eeked out a win somehow with role players against a Durant led team.

And played FastPP over Derrick White to pull the team back within striking distance.

Just really impressive, so gotta give props.

[GreenlyGreeny]

Let’s face it: just mind blowing that Ime is not a top three coach of the year candidate. Monty probably deserves it after getting passed over, but Ime is coaching the best defense since the 2007-2008 Celtics, if not the mid-2000s Pistons. We are embarrassing possibly the best offensive player on the planet, and that’s without our second best defender. We can stop anybody. Anybody. How can we not win it all??

[tarheelsxxiii]

I admittedly know nothing about Udoka or his influence on the team this year.  Seems to be going well, though!