Grantland snippet on Brad Stevens

[BleedGreen1989]

Brett Koremenos: The Boston Celtics are a game and a half back from the no. 8 seed in the Eastern Conference. Even given the pitiful state of the East, that’s a sentence I certainly didn’t expect to be writing in mid-March. On Wednesday, the Celtics beat the mighty Grizzlies thanks to a series of big plays from a rotating crunch-time quintet featuring dudes like Jae Crowder, Tyler Zeller, and Evan Turner. It was Boston’s fourth win in five games. And the main reason for the Celtics’ late-season surge is their coach, Brad Stevens.

Just take a look at his crafty sideline out-of-bounds play that helped put Boston ahead for good last night.

(Play provided in the actual link)

Stevens has been using clever tactics like that all year. His savvy schemes were already on display before the season. But after the tank-tastic Jeff Green and Rajon Rondo trades and the season-ending loss of promising young big man Jared Sullinger to a foot injury, Boston’s roster has been always outnumbered and always outgunned.

Yet through it all, Stevens has never flinched. He’s organized a competent defense — Boston is tied for 15th with the Clippers in defensive efficiency — despite a front line anchored by less-than-fearsome rim protectors like Zeller, Kelly Olynyk, and Brandon Bass. Stevens has also embraced his army of misfit toys, unleashing Crowder while taking two salary-cap throw-ins who barely got off the Pistons bench — Jonas Jerebko (53.8 percent from 3 on 26 attempts as a Celtic) and Gigi Datome (13 points on 6-of-9 shooting in a win over the Heat on Monday) — and plugging them into his rotation. With all of these wild lines and shapes coming together, Stevens is painting a coaching masterpiece that would make Rick Carlisle proud.

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nba-shootaround-mr-reliable/

[Boris Badenov]

Good stuff. TP for the links.

[kozlodoev]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

[BleedGreen1989]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

One day we will get you to drink the Kool-Aid Koz

[kozlodoev]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

One day we will get you to drink the Kool-Aid Koz

Hey, I'm fully convinced that IT is a future MVP is Brad S would only give him a chance

Is he playing today, btw? IT, not Brad...

[BleedGreen1989]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

One day we will get you to drink the Kool-Aid Koz

Hey, I'm fully convinced that IT is a future MVP is Brad S would only give him a chance

Is he playing today, btw? IT, not Brad...

IT is not but maybe Brad can play instead. Little Jackie Moon action.

Would only add to his empeckable resume.

[kozlodoev]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

One day we will get you to drink the Kool-Aid Koz

Hey, I'm fully convinced that IT is a future MVP is Brad S would only give him a chance

Is he playing today, btw? IT, not Brad...

IT is not but maybe Brad can play instead. Little Jackie Moon action.

Would only add to his empeckable resume.

Speaking about Jackie Moon, he was last seen playing every field  position in a bunch of spring training games in Florida yesterday

[Boston Garden Leprechaun]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

ahhh yes, haters gonna hate. I bet you loved you some doc huh?

[Monkhouse]

I like Brad Stevens, but he does need talent to succeed. Rondo/Green were bad fits for Brad's system. Lets be honest, players who can score, defend, and hustle are going to be ones on the floor.

I like the offense, and the defense could be better once we get a rim protecting big. Right now we might as well surge to make the playoffs, and see how well we do there. Lets not give Stevens too much credit as of right now. Hes done a good job for us, but we need to make the playoffs first.

[Ogaju]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

ahhh yes, haters gonna hate. I bet you loved you some doc huh?

This.

[wahz]

Sorry, can't take people seriously insist that the surge is because of Brad S and not because of Thomas and Jerebko.

One day we will get you to drink the Kool-Aid Koz

Hey, I'm fully convinced that IT is a future MVP is Brad S would only give him a chance

Is he playing today, btw? IT, not Brad...

Seems that we won today despite IT's absence, and Brad's presence. But I can't imagine any event would ever effect your opinions on anything.

[MSceltic]

I wasn't alive when Red Auerbach was alive, Pitino is the first one I can remember. That being said I do not understand how some can believe BS is not the main reason behind this success. Brad Stevens wins with inferior talent, that's what he does! He took Butler to back to back national championships. Yes they had Gordon Hayward, but he wasn't coaching a UK, Duke, UNC. Can anyone honestly say they thought we would be 1 game back from the 8 seed at the beginning of the season? What about after trading Rondo and Green? BS can flat out coach, so let's enjoy the ride and hope he stays around a long time with great success.

[BornReady]

i think it is misleading that we are not a below avg defensive team
the stats probably show smart, bradley, crowder and zeller's impact defensively

as we have 2 above average defenders in smart and bradley and 2 competent defenders in crowder and zeller

eye test wise the clippers are easily a better defensive team with paul and jordan
as with them they would be able to get stops

[BornReady]

I wasn't alive when Red Auerbach was alive, Pitino is the first one I can remember. That being said I do not understand how some can believe BS is not the main reason behind this success. Brad Stevens wins with inferior talent, that's what he does! He took Butler to back to back national championships. Yes they had Gordon Hayward, but he wasn't coaching a UK, Duke, UNC. Can anyone honestly say they thought we would be 1 game back from the 8 seed at the beginning of the season? What about after trading Rondo and Green? BS can flat out coach, so let's enjoy the ride and hope he stays around a long time with great success.

i think a lot of the success we have is Stevens and how he is able to get the best out of the talent he is given
we saw it when Rondo was fully healed this seasons, he formulated the offense around him so he looked like 2010 Rondo and had a couple triple doubles with us

he has used the mismatched roster to formulate creative lineups that we have seen him use throughout the season
he is a great coach because he is so adaptable and doesnt rely on a system like a lot of other coaches e.g. D'Antoni 

As he progresses in the NBA, i hope he becomes more of a player coach (understands where guys want it and what they need as players to function optimally e.g. phil jackson asking bench players to party with rodman as it was important for chemistry) as he might rely too heavily on advanced stats

but part of our success is how terrible the east is
as if we were in the west , we wouldnt be in the conversation as a team fighting for the 8th seed

[MSceltic]

I wasn't alive when Red Auerbach was alive, Pitino is the first one I can remember. That being said I do not understand how some can believe BS is not the main reason behind this success. Brad Stevens wins with inferior talent, that's what he does! He took Butler to back to back national championships. Yes they had Gordon Hayward, but he wasn't coaching a UK, Duke, UNC. Can anyone honestly say they thought we would be 1 game back from the 8 seed at the beginning of the season? What about after trading Rondo and Green? BS can flat out coach, so let's enjoy the ride and hope he stays around a long time with great success.

i think a lot of the success we have is Stevens and how he is able to get the best out of the talent he is given
we saw it when Rondo was fully healed this seasons, he formulated the offense around him so he looked like 2010 Rondo and had a couple triple doubles with us

he has used the mismatched roster to formulate creative lineups that we have seen him use throughout the season
he is a great coach because he is so adaptable and doesnt rely on a system like a lot of other coaches e.g. D'Antoni 

As he progresses in the NBA, i hope he becomes more of a player coach (understands where guys want it and what they need as players to function optimally e.g. phil jackson asking bench players to party with rodman as it was important for chemistry) as he might rely too heavily on advanced stats

but part of our success is how terrible the east is
as if we were in the west , we wouldnt be in the conversation as a team fighting for the 8th seed

You are absolutely right the east is really bad haha!