Boston Globe questions Brad Stevens

[Shamrocker]

Columnist Gary Washburn isn't too happy with Stevens:

 

Without a true point guard, Stevens opted for Wallace to play point forward and initiate the offense, which failed miserably.

Opposing teams realize that Boston is now a prime location to get a victory, especially when the Celtics’ playing rotations are unpredictable

It’s confounding what the Celtics are doing through the first two games. MarShon Brooks has not played but is capable of boosting the bench scoring. Kris Humphries was stellar in his short stint in Toronto and would have given Pachulia some resistance, but did not play Friday

http://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2013/11/01/celtics-came-short-home-opener/sF0HBkRG0LOPOkXdIA4KQO/story.html

We're only two games into the season, but the knifes are already out. According to the Globe, Stevens rotations are in chaos, his team lack chemistry, and his basketball decisions have been dumbfounding. Can Stevens handle this level of scrutiny? He seems like a sweet guy, but this isn't Indy, folks here don't have too much patience for a guy who can't control his team. 

[Interceptor]

Can Stevens handle this level of scrutiny? He seems like a sweet guy, but this isn't Indy, folks here don't have too much patience for a guy who can't control his team.

Sure he can. People can get mad, but it's not subject to their approval. This coach has a huge, long-term contract and the full support of ownership.

[Ogaju]

made a similar post but D.o.s ran a filibuster and the thread was locked, I am still puzzled, but now that the Globe as picked up on the same issue

I believe that Brad is facing his very first test of his young NBA career.

Can he stop the team from going into a funk induced losing streak? Can he check Wallace and his outbursts to the press?

Big test for the untested young coach.

[SHAQATTACK]

If this doesn't work ,   The biggest tank job in history,     Danny very well maybe let go by the owners for destroying the team .

These NBA players are ruff crowd,   Stevens doesn't seem to be the type to handle these types of personalities......it's not the D league .......Boston is used to winning

[manl_lui]

I like how we started 0-2 and everybody is losing their minds

[nickagneta]

Can Stevens handle this level of scrutiny? He seems like a sweet guy, but this isn't Indy, folks here don't have too much patience for a guy who can't control his team.

Sure he can. People can get mad, but it's not subject to their approval. This coach has a huge, long-term contract and the full support of ownership.

He will have ownership's approval only so long. Remember, Pitino didn't make it through half of his contract and the C's committed more years and tens of millions of dollars more to him than to Stevens.

Stevens will be given some leeway but if he is obviously not the man for the job, contract or not, ownership will dump him. My guess is he has until about half way through next year to basically experiment and make mistakes, even huge mistakes. That is unless he loses the clubhouse completely, then all bets are off.

[Snakehead]

I'm wondering when people will realize Marshon Brooks is not good.  It's funny to keep reading that he needs more playing time.

About the rest, I do think Pressey could have played more, but if they had just played better D and kept running we would have been fine.  In the half court we do need anyone who can pass or create a shot so I do feel like Pressey or Crawford should get more minutes.  But the defend and run strategy was excellent in the first half.

And for Humphries, he should not be getting minutes over young bigs we need to develop.

Does Gary think we have a playoff team or something?  Reality check.

[BudweiserCeltic]

I don't see the reason to question Steven's rotations as unpredictable... I thought it was inline with what I expected him to do.

Yes, you can point to Humphries not playing, so what? He played 4 bigs... that's more than enough, and that's not counting Wallace and Green who can play PF too. And, Sully came back who was not playing in the previous game.

As for Brooks... what's the point of bringing him up? From the bench we have Lee & Crawford coming in, and they actually produced well yesterday. So that's a non-factor.

So, what is the Globe actually complaining about rotations wise? Particularly when you consider the logjam Stevens has been handed in certain positions, particularly at SG & PF.

Sorry, but that's not a point of attack against Stevens.

[hwangjini_1]

washburn is troll and a tool. for a professional writer to spew such idiocy at any moment is unacceptable. that he does so two games into the season is simply intentional trolling and pot stirring for no good reason, save to author drama and create momentary self-importance.

stevens has ainge's complete support for this year and beyond. that is why ainge gave him the long contract.

the real solution here is to avoid washburn and the other toads who write for the boston media. just look back at the red sox season and see what the boston sports writers were saying then. they are infamously petty and negative.

honestly, the analysis at CB is better than the dross he wrote.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Wonder if Washburn addressed how the refs screwed the Celtics with Pachulia's flops... 10-10 from the free-throw line, that's just absurd.

[Interceptor]

He will have ownership's approval only so long. Remember, Pitino didn't make it through half of his contract and the C's committed more years and tens of millions of dollars more to him than to Stevens.

Different owners. Pitino was gone in 2001, team was sold to this group in 2003.

Stevens will be given some leeway but if he is obviously not the man for the job, contract or not, ownership will dump him. My guess is he has until about half way through next year to basically experiment and make mistakes, even huge mistakes. That is unless he loses the clubhouse completely, then all bets are off.

They will have at least as much patience as they did for Doc Rivers, and probably more.

[furball]

How are the playing rotations unpredictable?  Ab, Green, Wallace, Bass, and Faveranoi start.  Crawford backs up AB, Lee backs up Green, Green backs up Wallace, Sully backs up Bass, and Kelly backs up Faverani. How hard was that to figure out?? 

It's not that Humphries didn't play game two, it's that he only played in game one because Sully was suspended. 

Mind you, I am not saying I agree with this rotation, I think Pressey has to play and AB is not a point guard, but I didn't have a problem figuring them out. 

And by the way, MarShon Brooks is awful and shouldn't play.  The bench was scoring fine when the whole team was playing good, when they started trying to run out the clock (as Heinsohn said) everyone, starters and bench guys stopped scoring. 

[kozlodoev]

Wonder if Washburn addressed how the refs screwed the Celtics with Pachulia's flops... 10-10 from the free-throw line, that's just absurd.

So you think it's ok to ignore a 22 point collapse because Pachulia flopped a bit?

The fact that we looked like we couldn't buy a bucket for an entire half is considerably more important -- mostly because it is, in fact, something we can control.

[Roy H.]

We're two games into the season, with a bunch of new players and mismatched personnel. It's a little early to have a set rotation, isn't it? Stevens needs to figure out what works and what doesn't.

[BudweiserCeltic]

Wonder if Washburn addressed how the refs screwed the Celtics with Pachulia's flops... 10-10 from the free-throw line, that's just absurd.

So you think it's ok to ignore a 22 point collapse because Pachulia flopped a bit?

The fact that we looked like we couldn't buy a bucket for an entire half is considerably more important -- mostly because it is, in fact, something we can control.

Don't put words in my mouth. I don't think it's OK. I just don't think that the points illustrated in this thread to attack Stevens have any merit.

But, I also recognize that the flop job Pachulia performed in that game, and how it was rewarded, had a much bigger impact on the result of the game than most seem to want to acknowledge.