Brad Stevens discusses Celtics’ focus level with Toucher & Rich
On Friday, Brad Stevens discussed the Celtics’ 2-3 start to the season – and the team’s level of focus – with Toucher & Rich.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS – JULY 17: Head coach Brad Stevens of the Boston Celtics speaks during a press conference introducing Kemba Walker (not pictured) and Enes Kanter (not pictured) at the Auerbach Center at New Balance World Headquarters on July 17, 2019 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Tim Bradbury/Getty Images)
Tim Bradbury/Getty ImagesBrad Stevens' tenure as the Celtics' president of basketball operations has seen the team get off to a 2-3 start. There's been a number of close finishes, including a pair of games going to overtime.
Through those five games, the inconsistency that highlighted last year's team is apparent once again. Head coach Ime Udoka touching on the topic - specifically in regards to Jaylen Brown - after Wednesday's loss to the Wizards.
On Friday, Stevens was asked a similar question during his appearance on Toucher & Rich. "I think that we could easily be 1-4, we could easily be 4-1. A lot of times that comes down to some very simple things that are hard to execute when the other team is out there too, and they're competing at a high level," Stevens said. "We don't have so much talent that we can't play well. We have to be way more dialed in possession to possession than we have."
Stevens highlighted that a more in-the-moment approach, which he has seen from this core before, should help the team turn things around.
"We had - the year before - we were much better at playing with a task oriented focus. And so, [we've] just got to get to that. Great teams, with the very best players, the great, great teams can get away with playing in spurts. If you're if you are, you know where we are - which we have a lot of really good players, but so do the other teams," Stevens explained. "There's good players all around the league so that if you take four possessions and you're not really dialed in, that's going to be a 10 point run."
"I'm not going to overreact to a five games sample, but there are some things that are concerning if we don't start playing possession to possession," Stevens said, continuing to stress the play-by-play approach. "That's the bottom line. You're good if you play good. It's not about what your reputation is, it's not about what people say about you. You're good if you play good and that goes for the whole team. That goes for everybody that put the team together, everybody that coachs the team, everybody that plays the game, and you share results and then you improve from there."
Stevens also talked about Marcus Smart's slow start, the beginnings of the scouting process for next year's NBA Draft, and was put to the test in Fart Court. You can listen to the full interview below.
Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.
