Author Topic: Thoughts on Stevens so far?  (Read 6966 times)

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Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« on: November 06, 2013, 11:07:35 AM »

Offline Enzzo

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Haven't had a chance to really watch the games so far this season. How are your impressions with Stevens so far? I saw posts that he benched Green for a game, do you think they still have a solid chemistry with him?

Just wondering how the fans feel about the new coach?

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #1 on: November 06, 2013, 11:10:19 AM »

Offline D.o.s.

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Seems quiet.


Too quiet.
At least a goldfish with a Lincoln Log on its back goin' across your floor to your sock drawer has a miraculous connotation to it.

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #2 on: November 06, 2013, 11:13:03 AM »

Offline Interceptor

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Too early for me. He has a roster full of garbage that doesn't fit well together, and he's still learning the NBA game, which would make anyone look incompetent. I have been trying to watch his post-game interviews to get a feel for how he deals with losses and such.

Think it'll take another 20+ games before I have a strong opinion. He's still glass half-full with me, though.

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #3 on: November 06, 2013, 11:14:35 AM »

Offline TwinTower14

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Stevens gets a pass this year, this roster is awful and he is without his best player.  Let's see how things look a year from now...

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #4 on: November 06, 2013, 11:18:29 AM »

Offline sed522002

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Can't give a full assessment yet. This roster isn't helping much, but his claim to fame seems to be how he can make something out of nothing. We just have more "nothing" and it's at the NBA level.

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #5 on: November 06, 2013, 11:24:09 AM »

Offline Snakehead

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Seems quiet.


Too quiet.

That's the point though.  I thought the piece on Brooklyn and Boston on Grantland was an amazing look at Stevens.  He is very calculated in how even keel he is.  That's his goal I think: to be a rock.  No matter if the team is down, up, whatever: keep working, keep executing.  I love that personally.  I like emotion too but this is how you lead a team like Butler, underdogs twice, to the title game.  Players look at you and you aren't even close to rattled.

To be that even keel you seriously have to have a crazy drive behind it, which sounds weird to say but it's the truth.

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/9897327/the-beginning-strange-new-season-celtics-nets

Quote
Throughout the preseason, Stevens will explain himself as "process-oriented." He'll say it's "almost sad," but you must remain "unemotional." Ignore the wins and losses. Swamp yourself with the details. "If anybody gets bored with process, they're gonna be bored pretty quickly," which is to say that Stevens will never get bored with process. He turned 37 today, but hasn't yet had a chance to celebrate with his family. He had to rush out the door to prepare the day's practice.

There's an orderliness about him that should translate as dweebishness. He locks eyes and answers questions with the "Well, [first name]" format, effectively deploying traditional biz-manual communication stratagems. When he recognizes a line of questioning, he might cut it off with a gentle "Yep," then provide his prepared remarks. But, knowing of his meticulousness and obsessiveness, the normality reads like a plan of attack — every last word accounted for. And that plan, by all accounts, is born of an ever-burning, all-swallowing lake of fire. His is the kind of unwavering will that, in past centuries, might have led centurions into battle.


----

Personally, I'm happy.  To me the rotations have been good, the team has been playing hard.  If I had one criticism it'd be that he shouldn't play Wallace so much (definitely shouldn't start him, we need Crawford alongside Bradley to ease ball handling duties).  Otherwise I'm happy.
« Last Edit: November 06, 2013, 11:37:34 AM by Snakehead »
"I really don't want people to understand me." - Jordan Crawford

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #6 on: November 06, 2013, 11:25:52 AM »

Offline Tr1boy

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He is tough. No free pass with his players even if this is a rebuilding year. He wants to win now

He favors players with good bbiq that provides effort on both ends of the court. Thats why lee and bass get min and hump and brooks dont.  Really doesnt care for the future, increase trade value or getting a high 2014 pick. Has alot of pride and is happy as long as the team doesnt regress. In theory we will start winning at least against mediocre-bad teams. Should win vs the jazz tonight

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #7 on: November 06, 2013, 11:30:54 AM »

Offline abbmack9

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Stevens has done well so far I think. He still seems to working with some different rotations which is fine. Don't think it's fair to give him a complete assessment while he's only a few games in.

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #8 on: November 06, 2013, 11:35:55 AM »

Offline Enzzo

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I agree it's still very early to give him a full "evaluation" but I was mainly wondering what peoples early impressions were with him. Also, how the team is responding to him. I haven't had a chance to read that piece snakehead mentioned but once I'm out of work I'll check that out. Thanks guys

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #9 on: November 06, 2013, 11:38:48 AM »

Offline Yoki_IsTheName

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It's still too early to tell.

It's hard when there's no cohesion and fit for the team. But I think he's doing an okay job. Of all our loses outside of Milwaukee which was a total wreck, we we're within striking distance, despite the lack of elite talent and cohesion. I know moral victory gives you nothing, but IMO it tells a little bit of progress.

The fact that he benched Jeff for lack of effort impressed me. That shows a bit of coaching dominance. If you're not playing hard on the court, you sit down, no matter who you are. That, tells something.

Can't give a full assessment yet. This roster isn't helping much, but his claim to fame seems to be how he can make something out of nothing. We just have more "nothing" and it's at the NBA level.

Bass, Lee, Faverani and Crawford to some extent are playing good compare to last year's performance (sans Fav) so I guess he's making something. I think the "something out of nothing" is slowly working. Olynyk is not on par with his SL performance offensively but we're now seeing how he plays solid defense, in which he's not really known for coming out. Sully showing some range with his jumper and Avery having confidence in his jump shots despite missing a lot of it (although he started making it during the Memphis game). There's still more work I know, but little by little we see player development.

Let's remember too, Brad did something out of nothing in Butler, but those "nothing" played their roles perfectly. Our team is a mess. We have no PG and our rotations are still on process of figuring out. Let's give it time.
2019 CStrong Historical Draft 2000s OKC Thunder.
PG: Jrue Holiday / Isaiah Thomas / Larry Hughes
SG: Paul George / Aaron McKie / Bradley Beal
SF: Paul Pierce / Tayshaun Prince / Brian Scalabrine
PF: LaMarcus Aldridge / Shareef Abdur-Raheem / Ben Simmons
C: Jermaine O'neal / Ben Wallace

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #10 on: November 06, 2013, 11:39:49 AM »

Offline LooseCannon

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I think he is making the right decision in his allocation of playing time to Humphries and Brooks.  I like that he hasn't made some knee-jerk panic move to get them in the rotation in the hope that someting changes.
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Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #11 on: November 06, 2013, 11:42:15 AM »

Offline Celtics4ever

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I like Stevens too.   We are playing hard night in and night out.   We have been in some games I didn't think we would be at the end.   This roster is horrible.   We are tanking given the unbalance of our roster whether we admit or not.

We are a team with only SG, SF and PF.  Not one PG right now that plays nor a real C.  Though Vitor might become one but I think he too is a PF.

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #12 on: November 06, 2013, 11:48:55 AM »

Offline ScoobyDoo

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I like him a lot. Love his steady demeanor, that confidence is somewhat similar to Phil Jackson - though Phil would occasionally go off.

I am sure Stevens has a very subtle, and effective way, of letting guys know they've stepped in crap - he may just not do it with all the histrionics.

I think as our talent pool grows over the next two seasons, a physical, very tough minded team that is very good defensively and on the boards will emerge. I also think they'll execute well down the stretch.

I think it would be a mistake to think Stevens is passive. I don't think there's anything passive about him.

Incredibly aggressive guy - with a unique delivery.


Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #13 on: November 06, 2013, 11:50:52 AM »

Offline Snakehead

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I like him a lot. Love his steady demeanor, that confidence is somewhat similar to Phil Jackson - though Phil would occasionally go off.

I am sure Stevens has a very subtle, and effective way, of letting guys know they've stepped in crap - he may just not do it with all the histrionics.


I have thought there are some Phil comparisons as well.  We will see how he handles personalities long term, but the mere fact of how he is handing out books to players is obviously very Phil like.  I love that.
"I really don't want people to understand me." - Jordan Crawford

Re: Thoughts on Stevens so far?
« Reply #14 on: November 06, 2013, 12:24:52 PM »

Offline kozlodoev

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Seems quiet.


Too quiet.
This.

Also, he hasn't shown me anything in the play-calling department. Perhaps this will partially improve with experience, and it's true that his personnel is limited, but we have a clear-cut offensive go-to guy, and I haven't seen much effort to get him the ball with regularity.

He's shown promise, I guess, but he's clearly a work in progress, just as much as the rest of the team.
"I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve."