My Brad Theory - Guy spent 80%+ of regular season looking for 'happy accidents'

[gouki88]

I was definitely getting frustrated with Brad, but I maintained hope that he'd fix it come playoff time. Very happy he's doing so!

Coach of the only remaining undefeated playoff team

[tstorey_97]

Can't disagree, really.

The aim was to win in the playoffs, thus, win enough regular season games to get the 4th seed? Well that is what happened.

Irving
Horford
Hayward

This year's "big three" are certainly big now, but, not in January or at all this regular season.

Last year this team played in 19 playoff games and won most of them. That is a very big deal. Bright lights are just bright and nothing else.

With Hayward now seen as a threat by opponents, the entire team is different. We watched the Horford Irving show all year and suddenly? Hayward has joined the fray and opponents find themselves one player short on the offensive end.

Steven's rotations were like nothing I've ever seen from him last night. He was giving guys two minutes and pulling them and then doing it again.

He deserves credit, but, I suggest there is some potential possum.
The Bucks have 82 games of film on the Celtics and they are still sitting on their couches at home now sucking their thumbs trying to figure out what the he$# happened yesterday.

Milwaukee won 60 games this season and their head coach and his nine assistants  didn't have one single guess on how to compete with Brad Steven's team last night.

[Androslav]

I don't agree with the "happy accidents" term.
Little what he does is by accident.
He spent 100% of the year preparing the team for this part of the year.
That is the real big secret.
He does it every year.

Fans were just blinded with 10 loses more than they expected.
Brad just did his usual routine. Preparing his team for meaningful, season defining games.
Doubters were confused like a calf staring at the mottled door.
Then they started insulting our coach, displaying that they know little about this team.

Now its the playoffs and he also does his usual.
Trust. Cheer. Hope. Enjoy.

[smokeablount]

I don't agree with the "happy accidents" term.
He spent 100% of the year preparing the team for this part of the year.
He does it every year.

Fans were just blinded with 10 loses more than they expected.
Brad just did his usual routine. Preparing his team for meaningful, season defining games.
Doubters were confused like a calf staring at the mottled door, then they started insulting our coach, displaying that they know little about this team.

Now its the playoffs and he also does his usual.
Trust. Cheer. Hope. Enjoy.

Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total.  This year we massively underachieved and the mistakes were far more obvious and pronounced to those who knew what to look for. 

But perhaps the right phrasing is 'experimented more than most any other coach' and not 'looking for happy accidents.'

[Androslav]

I don't agree with the "happy accidents" term.
He spent 100% of the year preparing the team for this part of the year.
He does it every year.

Fans were just blinded with 10 loses more than they expected.
Brad just did his usual routine. Preparing his team for meaningful, season defining games.
Doubters were confused like a calf staring at the mottled door, then they started insulting our coach, displaying that they know little about this team.

Now its the playoffs and he also does his usual.
Trust. Cheer. Hope. Enjoy.

Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total.  This year we massively underachieved and the mistakes were far more obvious and pronounced to those who knew what to look for. 

But perhaps the right phrasing is 'experimented more than most any other coach' and not 'looking for happy accidents.'

Good day to you!

"Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total. "

Those were his results.
I think his method (approach) remained same.
Try to be the best you can be at the end of the year.
Then try to do the same next year. And the next one.

How?
Get better, don't look for shortcuts, be dependable, build character, stay selfless, make decisions fast.

That all sounds nice and Bradish, but that looks like a lot of work.
This by itself, as we all know, created a lot of conflict in our locker room.
A lot of tension, guys weren't always exactly calm in their own skin.

We also entered the season with our expectations set highest since probably 2009.

Brad's overall coaching methods, I am sure, are not a stress free environment.
What about Pop's?

I don't think they are.
It is not supposed to be.
Is training in the army cozy?
No. Cozy, smiley, and without conflict is not how you get tough and how you build firm relationships.
When everyone is smiling (hiding) no progress, at all, can be made.
When you question, doubt, ask around, engage a meaningful conversation, care about someone or something, that's when things - actually get better.
People disagree, battle, get angry, throw a few shots at each other.
But then, if they are emotionally capable and they care, they get to some common ground, ground that suits all the most, to the possible extent.

Leg breaks, it regenerates even denser.
Cozy champs get beat.

This type of conflict I am talking about is good, it is the best driver for any improvement.
We had to endure it. We still are enduring it, but on a lot wider ground with less things that remain unresolved internally.

[Androslav]

I was definitely getting frustrated with Brad, but I maintained hope that he'd fix it come playoff time. Very happy he's doing so!

Coach of the only remaining undefeated playoff team

Wins buttered you up!

[ozgod]

It's probably because he put a higher price on experiential learning during the regular season than winning 60 games like we all expected. In the playoffs you need to manage the game a lot more tightly because it's win or go home.

It's going to be a chess match though - Budenholzer will make adjustments for Game 2, and Brad will have to figure those out and adapt.

Safe to say that we didn't adjust in game to the Bucks' adjustments. Now it's our move. We have to figure out how to both load the paint against Giannis and also defend the perimeter better against Middleton and Bledsoe.

[Ogaju]

It's probably because he put a higher price on experiential learning during the regular season than winning 60 games like we all expected. In the playoffs you need to manage the game a lot more tightly because it's win or go home.

It's going to be a chess match though - Budenholzer will make adjustments for Game 2, and Brad will have to figure those out and adapt.

Safe to say that we didn't adjust in game to the Bucks' adjustments. Now it's our move. We have to figure out how to both load the paint against Giannis and also defend the perimeter better against Middleton and Bledsoe.

and Brogdon now, dont forget Brogdon.

[ozgod]

It's probably because he put a higher price on experiential learning during the regular season than winning 60 games like we all expected. In the playoffs you need to manage the game a lot more tightly because it's win or go home.

It's going to be a chess match though - Budenholzer will make adjustments for Game 2, and Brad will have to figure those out and adapt.

Safe to say that we didn't adjust in game to the Bucks' adjustments. Now it's our move. We have to figure out how to both load the paint against Giannis and also defend the perimeter better against Middleton and Bledsoe.

and Brogdon now, dont forget Brogdon.

Has he been cleared to play Game 3?

[smokeablount]

I don't agree with the "happy accidents" term.
He spent 100% of the year preparing the team for this part of the year.
He does it every year.

Fans were just blinded with 10 loses more than they expected.
Brad just did his usual routine. Preparing his team for meaningful, season defining games.
Doubters were confused like a calf staring at the mottled door, then they started insulting our coach, displaying that they know little about this team.

Now its the playoffs and he also does his usual.
Trust. Cheer. Hope. Enjoy.

Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total.  This year we massively underachieved and the mistakes were far more obvious and pronounced to those who knew what to look for. 

But perhaps the right phrasing is 'experimented more than most any other coach' and not 'looking for happy accidents.'

Good day to you!

"Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total. "

Those were his results.
I think his method (approach) remained same.
Try to be the best you can be at the end of the year.
Then try to do the same next year. And the next one.

How?
Get better, don't look for shortcuts, be dependable, build character, stay selfless, make decisions fast.

That all sounds nice and Bradish, but that looks like a lot of work.
This by itself, as we all know, created a lot of conflict in our locker room.
A lot of tension, guys weren't always exactly calm in their own skin.

We also entered the season with our expectations set highest since probably 2009.

Brad's overall coaching methods, I am sure, are not a stress free environment.
What about Pop's?

I don't think they are.
It is not supposed to be.
Is training in the army cozy?
No. Cozy, smiley, and without conflict is not how you get tough and how you build firm relationships.
When everyone is smiling (hiding) no progress, at all, can be made.
When you question, doubt, ask around, engage a meaningful conversation, care about someone or something, that's when things - actually get better.
People disagree, battle, get angry, throw a few shots at each other.
But then, if they are emotionally capable and they care, they get to some common ground, ground that suits all the most, to the possible extent.

Leg breaks, it regenerates even denser.
Cozy champs get beat.

This type of conflict I am talking about is good, it is the best driver for any improvement.
We had to endure it. We still are enduring it, but on a lot wider ground with less things that remain unresolved internally.

Good distinction, you're right to distinguish correctly between process and results.

However, I think the process was different in numerous ways, but it may have justifiable based on needing to move Hayward along and sacrifice in the short term.  Like, he was way worse about not calling timeouts this year, but maybe he felt this team had a lot to figure out by not starting the year even remotely where they needed to be by the end of the year, so he let them struggle and figure things out even more. 

Last year he also frequently gave young players an early hook for dumb play, particularly Tatum and Brown.  This year, he let Tatum take all kinds of poor and inefficient shots with no consequence, and in a departure from years past, seemed to punish him for doing well by yanking him if he got hot moreso than he benched him for chucking bad shots.  Rozier played like a moron all year with almost no consequences or changes in playing time. 

I think the process changed because he let his players struggle and figure themselves out even more.  He took more of a deistic approach, but he also never had a year where a player he needed to be top 2-3 on the team was a shell of himself and needed to reach his destination by the end of the year, so short term sacrifices were needed. 

So I think it was different, but that's fine.  There were special circumstances.  The point of this thread for me at least, is it gives me comfort to know he's doing this on purpose and can snap to attention whenever he pleases, instead of thinking he's as clueless as he looked at times.  Watching that was incredibly frustrating.  Just knowing it was a choice eases my mind.  And good delayed day to you, Andrew of Croatia!

[Androslav]

I don't agree with the "happy accidents" term.
He spent 100% of the year preparing the team for this part of the year.
He does it every year.

Fans were just blinded with 10 loses more than they expected.
Brad just did his usual routine. Preparing his team for meaningful, season defining games.
Doubters were confused like a calf staring at the mottled door, then they started insulting our coach, displaying that they know little about this team.

Now its the playoffs and he also does his usual.
Trust. Cheer. Hope. Enjoy.

Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total.  This year we massively underachieved and the mistakes were far more obvious and pronounced to those who knew what to look for. 

But perhaps the right phrasing is 'experimented more than most any other coach' and not 'looking for happy accidents.'

Good day to you!

"Not really, his usual routine (as in every single season before this) was to exceed the team's projected win total. "

Those were his results.
I think his method (approach) remained same.
Try to be the best you can be at the end of the year.
Then try to do the same next year. And the next one.

How?
Get better, don't look for shortcuts, be dependable, build character, stay selfless, make decisions fast.

That all sounds nice and Bradish, but that looks like a lot of work.
This by itself, as we all know, created a lot of conflict in our locker room.
A lot of tension, guys weren't always exactly calm in their own skin.

We also entered the season with our expectations set highest since probably 2009.

Brad's overall coaching methods, I am sure, are not a stress free environment.
What about Pop's?

I don't think they are.
It is not supposed to be.
Is training in the army cozy?
No. Cozy, smiley, and without conflict is not how you get tough and how you build firm relationships.
When everyone is smiling (hiding) no progress, at all, can be made.
When you question, doubt, ask around, engage a meaningful conversation, care about someone or something, that's when things - actually get better.
People disagree, battle, get angry, throw a few shots at each other.
But then, if they are emotionally capable and they care, they get to some common ground, ground that suits all the most, to the possible extent.

Leg breaks, it regenerates even denser.
Cozy champs get beat.

This type of conflict I am talking about is good, it is the best driver for any improvement.
We had to endure it. We still are enduring it, but on a lot wider ground with less things that remain unresolved internally.

Good distinction, you're right to distinguish correctly between process and results.

However, I think the process was different in numerous ways, but it may have justifiable based on needing to move Hayward along and sacrifice in the short term.  Like, he was way worse about not calling timeouts this year, but maybe he felt this team had a lot to figure out by not starting the year even remotely where they needed to be by the end of the year, so he let them struggle and figure things out even more. 

Last year he also frequently gave young players an early hook for dumb play, particularly Tatum and Brown.  This year, he let Tatum take all kinds of poor and inefficient shots with no consequence, and in a departure from years past, seemed to punish him for doing well by yanking him if he got hot moreso than he benched him for chucking bad shots.  Rozier played like a moron all year with almost no consequences or changes in playing time. 

I think the process changed because he let his players struggle and figure themselves out even more.  He took more of a deistic approach, but he also never had a year where a player he needed to be top 2-3 on the team was a shell of himself and needed to reach his destination by the end of the year, so short term sacrifices were needed. 

So I think it was different, but that's fine.  There were special circumstances.  The point of this thread for me at least, is it gives me comfort to know he's doing this on purpose and can snap to attention whenever he pleases, instead of thinking he's as clueless as he looked at times.  Watching that was incredibly frustrating.  Just knowing it was a choice eases my mind.  And good delayed day to you, Andrew of Croatia!

I would always presume that I am clueless and deprived of true information, than that Brad is the one who got his pots mixed up.

One big point we haven't touched about this short-term/long-term enormous work he/team had to do.
Due to Kyrie's and Gordon's absence, his job was basically easier last year.
Our expectations were lower and he had less functional pieces to work with, meaning less viable options overall to choose from. And, at that point we still haven't incorporated rotation/set plays/hierarchy/chemistry-wise them in yet. Our 2 extremely important players. We had to transact that payment this year, and it was expensive it terms of our regular season performance.

I think we are in good position now, we can do well.
We still have problems, but so does everybody else.